Vik i Myrdal is the perfect base for exploring the south coast of Iceland from. With everything from black sand beaches to glaciers and waterfalls, Vik has a lot to offer its visitors.

Vik, Iceland: Top Things to Do

Located on Iceland’s South Coast, Vik is a fantastic place to base yourself to visit some of Iceland’s best sights. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Vik. In fact, I had read mixed reviews. While Vik is definitely a small town, I appreciated how central it was to many top sights on Iceland’s south coast.

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Planning Your Trip to Vik Last mINUTE?

Planning your trip to Vik? Below are some places to stay, things to do, and more.

Best Tours and Experiences in Vik
  1. Sólheimajökull: Guided Glacier Hike (Close to Vik)
  2. Katla Ice Cave Jeep Tour and Glacier Walk (Popular tour!)
  3. Horse Riding Tour of Black Beach from Vík (Ride an Icelandic horse!)
Top Hotels in Vik
  1. Hotel Kria (I stayed here!)
  2. Hótel Dyrhólaey (Glacier views)

Traveling independently in Iceland? Click here to check out Iceland rental car rates!

I ended up being very pleased with basing myself in Vik for a couple of nights. It’s quite a compact town so you can easily see the sights there in a short time. In two nights, I was able to see the highlights of the south coast, but I definitely missed out on some things. You can check out my full 5-day itinerary to Iceland if you want to see how Vik fit into my Iceland vacation.

The coastal town of Vik on Iceland's south coast has lots of things to do. This black sand beach is easily walked to from any location in Vik.

Getting to Vik, Iceland

Iceland is definitely best explored by car. Vik is right off of the main Ring Road about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik. It’s a great place to end your day after exploring some of the best waterfalls on Iceland’s south coast. I use DiscoverCars when booking cars in Europe and have been happy with the rates and full coverage insurance I get with them.

If you aren’t a driver, your best bet would be to join a tour from Reykjavik to see the highlights of the south coast. Many of the tours, even 1-day tours, will include sights around Vik. You can discover the best tours to Iceland’s south coast here.

Things to Do in Vik Iceland

Visiting Iceland doesn’t have to break the bank. Vik is surrounded by gorgeous scenery and, except for the cost of parking some places, is free. I stuck to the free activities on my visit but there are also some really fantastic once in a lifetime type of activities like visiting ice caves near Vik. You are absolutely spoiled for choice with things to do in Vik.

Reynisfjara Beach and Black Sand Beaches

Vik is well known for its black beaches, and deservedly so. The most famous black beach in Iceland is Reynisfjara Beach. This beach is just outside of Vik and is known for its hexagonal basalt columns that form a backdrop of the beach.

Reynisfjara black sand beach near Vík í Mýrdal is arguably Iceland's most popular and famous beach. It's known for its hexagonal basalt columns and sneaker waves

If you stay in Vik, you will be walking distance to a large black beach with views of the pinnacles in the sea. If that isn’t enough for you, from Dyrholaey you can get views of a black sand beach extending into the horizon as far as you can see. Vik truly is one of the best places to visit if you want black sand beaches.

This long black sand beach can be viewed from the lighthouse and Dyrholaey arch near Vik and is a must visit when you are near Vík í Mýrdal Iceland
The view from Dyrholaey, Iceland

Dyrholaey Arch and Lighthouse

Drive up to the lighthouse and you not only get to see an adorable lighthouse but the Dyrholaey Arch. The arch is quite the sight and you can do a bit of hiking around here. If you visit in the right season, you may spot puffins as they breed on the cliffs. Being up near the lighthouse you get sweeping views of the ocean and the black sand beach coastline.

Vik i Myrdal Church

It’s impossible to miss seeing this adorable red-roofed church that sits above Vik. Drive up to the church for a great view of the town and surrounding mountains. It’s also a good location to look for Northern Lights, just make sure to check conditions first.

The town of Vik with mountains behind it and a red roofed church that sits above the town.

Hike on a Glacier

Vik is an excellent place to base yourself to visit glaciers. If you want to experience hiking on a glacier, you will need to join a guided tour. They provide all the equipment for you and will instruct you how to use it properly. Only 25 minutes from Vik is Sólheimajökull Glacier. You can explore the Sólheimajökull Glacier on this 3-hour guided hike. Further afield you can join a 5-hour glacier hike to Vatnajökull Glacier in Skaftafell National Park. Skaftafell is a bit of a long drive as it is about 2 hours away from Vik.

Hjörleifshöfði Cave

Located just outside of Vik, Hjorleifshofdi Cave makes for a great hiking location or drive around. You can drive around the base of the mountain or choose to hike up it. It is also located on a wide expanse of black sand beach. The little cave here is small and you can walk in into it. More than anything, this is just a great location to get away from the more crowded beaches.

Try a Flight of Icelandic Beers

A flight of Iceland brewed beers from Vik's microbrewery Smiðjan Brugghús

The brewpub in town, Smiðjan Brugghús, offers up delicious food, including vegan options, and lots of Icelandic beers. A relatively new restaurant, it’s a great casual dining option to grab a flight of beers and try out some of the 10 Iceland craft beers on tap. Iceland has some really great food options.

Watch the Northern Lights

Drive just out of Vik and you will have skies free from light pollution. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to see the Aurora Borealis right from your hotel. Despite visiting in peak time for the Northern lights, I missed out on seeing them. A chance at seeing the Northern lights is one reason why Iceland makes for a great winter travel destination.

Stock Up on Icelandic Souvenirs

The best place I saw for buying any kind of souvenir in Iceland was in Vik. From wool sweaters and socks to food and decorations, make sure to check out the Vik Wool shop located off Route 1. There’s a huge variety of souvenirs here.

Things to Do Near Vik

While Vik has a lot to offer, just a short drive will have you exploring glaciers and otherworldly landscapes. If you want to get an idea of the scenery here, you could fly over Iceland to see the glaciers, volcanoes, and rivers from above.

Eldhraun Lava Fields

The Eldraun lave fields are a short drive outside of Vik and make for a great stop on your way towards Jokulsarlon

About 45 minutes outside of Vik, near Kirkjubæjarklaustur, you will come across a vast lava field. If you are driving towards Skaftafell there is no way to miss it. It makes a quick stop and there are a few places where you can pull over to get an up-close look at the mossy landscape. While it’s tempting to do, avoid walking or laying on the moss as it is easily damaged. In some spots, instead of a cloud-like mossy area, there is just mud because of people walking on the moss.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

After checking out the Eldhraun Lava fields, head to nearby Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. You do have to go about 10 minutes down a winding bumpy road but it is worth it. Just make sure to check in advance to make sure it is open as it can be closed seasonally due to it becoming too muddy and susceptible to damage. You can check for closures here.

Iceland's Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon has moss covered cliffs and gentle winds its way through the scenery. Easily reachable from Vik and on the way towards Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. One of the must do things while visiting Iceland's South Coast

This 100 m deep canyon has moss-covered walls and makes for a great walk above its walls. From the lower parking lot you walk up a huge hill and then there are multiple viewing platforms to see the canyon from. I would try to visit here in either early morning or late afternoon as this place is becoming more well known and the parking lot can fill up.

Visit Skaftafell National Park

You can reach Skaftafell National Park from Vik in about 2 hours so it makes for a great day trip destination. While at Skaftafell you can hike to the Svartifoss Waterfall, unique for the hexagonal basalt columns behind the falls.

Vatnajökull National Park hike to a glacier in the Skaftafell area of the park on the way to Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach, Iceland. Easily reachable from Vik on Iceland's south coast

If you want to get up close to glaciers, you can hike to a glacier from the visitor’s center at Skaftafell. The glacier here is the Vatnajökull ice cap and you can see a very small part one of the glacier tongues in Skaftafell. I did this very short walk and it took about 20-30 minutes each way walking on fairly flat ground. It was a great experience to see the glacier and the lake below it.

Visit an Ice Cave

Visiting an ice cave has to be one of Iceland’s more unique offerings. Iceland is famous for its glacial ice caves. These are caves that are literally inside of glaciers. Here you can get stunning shades of blue as well as streaks of black lava ash.

You can only visit ice caves from November-March as many of the ice caves are temporary and either collapse or melt in spring. One of the most famous is Crystal Cave near Jokulsarlon as even though it is different every year, it is known for having crystal clear ice. Ice cave tours in Iceland are very popular so this is something you will want to book in advance as they do sell out.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach

While a trip to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach can be a lot of driving from Vik as it is 2.5 hours each way, it’s one of my favourite things I did in Iceland. It’s probably the best day trip from Vik. The glacier lagoon is absolutely gorgeous. It definitely gets quite busy but it’s easy to see why. There are tons of icebergs ranging from white to blue to streaked with black floating in the lagoon before they make their way out to the ocean.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon was my favorite thing to do in Iceland and the perfect day trip from Vik.

When the icebergs make their way out, some of them end up washing up on the black sand beach just across the road from the lagoon. This beach has rightfully earned the name Diamond Beach. The ice is so clear it looks like thousands of over-sized diamonds have washed up on shore.

Located just across the road from the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach is where some of these glaciers wash up on the black volcanic sand. It leaves ice glittering like diamonds across the beach.

I could have spent hours between Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach looking at all of the ice. Diamond Beach, in particular, is quite a relaxing and magical place to be.

Where to Stay in Vik, Iceland

I stayed right in town at the recently opened Hotel Kria. I absolutely loved the hotel room here.

My room had a view of the mountain behind Vik as well as the church above Vik. The whole outside wall was windows, including a patio door. The door to the outside opens up to a small deck. In a place like Iceland where the Northern Lights could happen anytime, this was a greatly appreciated feature. I was literally so excited by the great view of the night sky that I could hardly sleep.

View from the hotel room at Hotel Kria in Vik
View from Hotel Kria

The room was a great size and had a huge comfy bed and breakfast was included, buffet-style in Hotel Kria’s large dining room.

If you don’t mind staying outside of town, Hótel Dyrhólaey looks like a great option close to the black sand beach and with a great view of the ocean.

Perfect Base for Iceland’s South Coast

Overall, Vik made for an excellent base for visiting the south coast of Iceland from. Even during the winter, Vik is easily reachable from Reykjavik. From Vik, you are near many of Iceland’s top sights. Even though it is small, there are restaurant options as well as a good-sized grocery store. I could have happily spent more time exploring around Vik.

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Vik i Myrdal is a beautiful coastal village on the south coast of Iceland that makes for an excellent base for travel around the main sights. You are placed in the perfect location for adding black sand beaches, glacier lagoons and a stunning canyon to your Iceland itinerary. #Iceland

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7 Comments

  1. Oh gosh. Iceland is a stunning place to visit. I haven’t been to Iceland yet but want to go as soon as possible. I would love to visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach as the glaciers are gorgeous. Visiting the ice caves also sounds like an amazing adventure.

    1. Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach were probably my faves, would love to return and spend more time in the area. Hope you get a chance to visit Iceland soon!

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