Spoil your five senses and take time to reconnect with nature in the Forest Lagoon (Skógarböðin)! This magical oasis awaits you in the North Iceland. Do not miss it if you love basking in geothermal waters, delighting in a cocktail, and steaming away your worries! Our team was counting down the minutes until this fabulous place opened and even tried twice but their opening had may delays. However finally in July of 2022 we experienced and now share all the details with you…
North Iceland Hot Pools
There are areas of Iceland that are rich in geothermal waters and those that are not. However, North Iceland is one region of Iceland that is. From Fosslaug, GeoSea to Grettislaug many pools can fill your Iceland self drive journey. Meanwhile, we were not surprised that while they were building the new tunnel outside of Akureyri that they hit an abundant hot water source within the mountain, Vaðlaheiði. And some entrepreneurs decided to create a luxury geothermal pool experience called the Forest Lagoon complete with a helicopter for you posh travelers!
How to Get to Skógarböðin
Okay so now you’re intrigued enough that you want to find your way there… Firstly, Akureyri (North Iceland town) needs to be on your itinerary. Secondly, drive times vary depending on the location you’re traveling from. But to put things into perspective a one way drive from downtown Reykjavik to the Forest Lagoon is slightly under 5 hours according to Google Maps. Furthermore, a one way drive from the eastern town of Egilsstaðir is just over 3 hours in good weather.
Thirdly, once you’ve made your way into the town of Akureyri, you’ll drive about 5 minutes by car (3.4 km). Forth, you’ll park in their lot (no fee and they even have a charger for electrical cars)! Next, you’ll walk up the path to the main entrance. Once there, you can scan your pre-purchased ticket at the scanners to the right or go to the front desk to buy admission. NOTE: To ensure your perfect time book ahead. Currently the admission fee is 6,590 ISK per person and they have towels to rent for 900 ISK. You can book your tickets HERE. Also, if you run ahead or are hungry on your way out, check out their bistro within!
Experience the Magic Of The Forest
Well, you might be wondering if the Forest Lagoon was worth the wait? It 100% was! First, from the moment you walk in, you feel the natural luxury vibes oozing from architecture. Second, you’ll find your way to the locker room. Third, pick a locker, undress, put your towel in the locker, shower, and then enjoy the lagoon! Forth, once in the lagoon you can explore two infinity pools, 1 cold pools, 2 swim-up bars, and a sauna. Further, you can anticipate visiting between 10am – 11:45pm.
Lastly, our only critique is that they need to serve proper champagne (they serve sparkling wine instead). But the mojito cocktail was a nice alternative. Furthermore, if you find your way to the Sky Lagoon outside of Reykjavik, you might also miss the individual showers (versus open showers). But then again, you’ll experience a piece of Icelandic culture by showering in the open as that is how the majority of the pools are around Iceland.
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© 2022, Photos by Miss Ann (DBA Iceland Wedding Planner / Your Adventure Wedding), All Rights Reserved.