Iceland

I'm planning a trip to Iceland for April.
With bikes...

How pricey have people found it...?

Anyone got tips, recommendations and experiences they'd like to share...?

Booze is expensive.
Northern Lights are pretty but it's touch and go if you see 'em - there's some websites allowing you to pick likely days. (http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/)
The scenery outside the capital is pretty fascinating - get out there. We just did tours as I didn't want to drive anywhere (it was Dec, daylight 4-5hrs)
Blue Lagoon look freaky but it would've been better without all the man-made alterations.
Geyers are great fun to watch.

fx rates have changed massively since the credit crunch
iceland did the most radical things during 2008 - 2010 period and seem to have come out of it well economy is growing steadily ... i don't think it is as expensive as it used to be... could well be wrong though

it's a target for me in the next year or two keep us posted

Do they have a big Geyer scene in Iceland then Hippy?

I was going to make that joke but you know, some of my best friends are geyser.

I cycled round iceland in August, really amazing place
Booze is very expensive as has been said.
Bring a sleeping bag and ask for sleeping bag accomodation and you get cheap accomodation all over the place. Even in hotels they will give you a big discount since they don't have to provide sheets etc I only paid over £30 a night a few times in over 2 weeks.
Bring good waterproofs

Great country I really enjoyed it. A great place to travel by bike as the scenery changes so much would be impossible to take it all in taking a bus around the place

It's definitely worth having a hike up a glacier, but tbh cycling through's gonna be pretty awesome just for the landscape!

Been to Iceland 3 times, fucking love it. It's not as expensive as it used to be.

Just follow route 1 around, roads are mainly empty and the scenery is amazing.

Go to Skogar for the waterfall and to climb up eyjafjallajokull (that volcano)

Go to Vik for the black beach

Get on an icelandic horse and ride through the volcano valleys, they are small and friendly

Go to the Blue Lagoon

Don't bother with whale watching, you will not see whales but you will see a lot of puke.

Eat puffin it's nice. Don't eat shark it's fucking rotten and eat Skyr for breakfast.

Not cycled there yet me and OLC are planning to later in the year. The weather changes a lot, be prepared for all of it!

There are two good pubs in Reykjavik, The English Pub and Dillons.

Hamborgarabúllan near the docks is owned by Tommi of Tommi Burger, it's great and cheap.

I worked in Iceland for three months.

Fuck you, Iceland.

I'm surprised it has taken 9 posts before an Iceland the shop joke.

The worlds sexiest women are Icelandic. UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE!

I'm surprised it has taken 9 posts before an Iceland the shop joke.

me too.

Iceland is incredible.

Mine wasn't an Iceland the shop joke - It was an "I worked in Reykjavik for 3 months, and it was fucking miserable" joke.

It has it's moments, but they are too few and too far between.

Haaa, oh I thought you meant the frozen food place.

In fairness, I would have been happier working in Iceland the frozen food shop.

Because you would be able to buy a reasonable facsimile of a pizza.

And because people wouldn't be indulged for every pseudo-artistic whim they had.

Reykjavik is the fridge door of the art world - Every other shop is a gallery, stocked with the most meritless toss.

For those saying the booze is very expensive, if you base it on drinking beer in a pub, it's the same as in London. In fact I'd go as far as to say that i've paid more in some places in London. However if you were to buy a bottle of Whisky there, then it's about double the price. Just buy as much as you are allowed in Duty Free. There’s more than two good pubs, and The English Pub isn't one of them.

Don't go to the Blue Lagoon. Go to one of the more secluded natural pools, like Seljavallalaug. The Lagoon is good though I have to admit and if you do have fat pockets, then it's probably for you.

You might just see the Norðurljós in April but it’s quite late. Try not to go looking for them as you mostly just see them when you don’t expect it. Go out of the towns and cities to have the best chance.

It’s actually quite a big country, so I don’t know how far you’ll get on a bicycle, but a lot of the best stuff is way east. If you reach Jökulsárlón, you’ll be doing very well!

In fairness, I would have been happier working in Iceland the frozen food shop.

Because you would be able to buy a reasonable facsimile of a pizza.

And because people wouldn't be indulged for every pseudo-artistic whim they had.

Reykjavik is the fridge door of the art world - Every other shop is a gallery, stocked with the most meritless toss.
haha! Excellent critique. Would read again, etc.

bump - I'm going to iceland soon (april). driving the ring road for 8 days or so. anyone got any recs?? the wilder the better. thanks.

do the loop around snaefellsjokull(?). the southern coast of that peninsular is spectacular. and you get to see the most metal church, ever.

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TBF, it is all pretty spectacular and wild, once you get 25 mins out of Reykjavik.

snaefellsjokull

yes love it! thanks

There is a lava tunnel which you can get into here for about 100m the roof is caved in in places which gives some light then after that the roof is intact and you can walk for another 1500m in the pitch black. Bring the best head torch you can!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Iceland/@63.9399324,-21.3985541,452m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48d22b52a3eb6043:0x6f8a0434e5c1459a!8m2!3d64.963051!4d-19.020835

what kind of car are you driving?

4x4 van, but going in april so all the mountain roads are still closed right?

also that lava tunnel sounds fucking insane, thanks so much

Mountain roads are all closed but some of the roads in the north west are still gravel and will probably be open in spring. Are you set on going all the way round? If it were me I would probably do the south shores, golden circle and then the North West (there is a cafe just round from Dynjandi that does all you can eat cake!)

Photo is that lava tunnel,

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