Iceland and the black sand beaches

Iceland has been one of the most popular, and yet most mysterious tourist destinations for many years. Its unique combination of Nordic cool, mind blowing volcanic landscapes and natural beauty, incredible wildlife, and alluring history, myth, and legend, makes it a genuinely one-of-a-kind place to visit.

Most people are aware of Iceland’s greatest hits – its Viking history, dramatic hot springs, and the draw of the Northern Lights – but fewer know about one of its most spectacular sights, the black sand beaches that ring this land of ice and fire.

Iceland’s black sand beaches are caused by the erosion of volcanic materials – basalt and lava for the most part – and create incredibly photogenic vistas, made all the more amazing by the steely gray skies and wild North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean waves.

So if you are cruising to Iceland this year and want to avoid the crowds, get beyond the classic tourist destinations, and explore some of the most dramatic and beautiful sights this already stunning country has to offer, here are a few of the black sand beaches you have to check out!

Stokksnes

We’ll start off at one of the more off-the-beaten-track black sand beaches. Stokksnes is tucked away on the east coast of the island, just over 6 hours by car from the capital. This distance means that it is far less crowded than many other of Iceland’s more famous destinations, which adds to its ethereal, otherworldly qualities. The stunning beauty of this remote beach will take your breath away, as snow-capped peaks plummet to meet the sea, and the black sand sits between both. 

Sólheimasandur

Sólheimasandur conjures up a spooky, post-apocalyptic vibe, and is a favorite among atmospheric landscape photographers, largely due to the wreckage of a crash-landed jet that lies across the beach, stricken and abandoned since the accident nearly three decades ago. It is a far easier prospect to visit than Stokksnes, located just off the main road that rings the island, and in easy reach of Reykjavik, as well as a number of other popular sights.

Djupalonssandur

Another spot that really leans into the weird, the eldritch, and the ominous is Djúpalónssandur beach. Often described as the Black Lava Pearl Beach, this west coast spot cowers in the shade of the looming majesty of the Snæfellsjökull volcano, and is a wonderful spot to visit. The bones of a British fishing boat, shipwrecked in the shallows many years ago, contrast with the vast ‘lifting stones’ that lie abandoned on the sand, a throwback to an ancient custom where native fisherman would undertake vast feats of strength to prove themselves. It is a stunning, eerie spot, and well worth exploring. 

Dyrholaey

Another easily accessible black sand beach, Dyrholaey is most well known for its picturesque arched rock formation, and its gorgeous lighthouse that perches precariously on the cliffs overlooking the sand. It is also a great spot for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts, as the cliffs are the nesting habitat of large puffin communities, as well as a number of other Arctic wildfowl.

Reynisfjara

Of course, no list of Icelandic black sand beaches would be complete without the most famous, and most popular of them all. Reynisfjara is not somewhere to visit if you want to avoid the crowds, but it is a sight worth seeing, and a must-visit spot on the main Iceland tourist trail. Its main attraction is the vast basalt stacks that form the backdrop to the dramatic black sand (supposedly constructed by quarrelsome trolls), and it was shot to stardom when it featured on various occasions on the hit HBO series, Game of Thrones!

Feature Photo by Norris Niman on Unsplash