Visiting Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Reynisfjara is a world-famous black sand beach on the South Coast of Iceland, just beside the small fishing village of Vík. In fact, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet. I loved this beach so much that I made it the cover photo of Yay for Vacay!

 Exploring this black sand beach is something that every visitor to Iceland should do. It’s easy to access the scenic beach. Many tourists choose to add it to their tour of Southern Iceland or as a stop along the Ring Road. Some of the mesmerizing features of the beach are the basalt columns, black pebbles, caves, impressive rock formations, nearby glaciers, and more! This beach will leave you speechless.

You may recognize Iceland’s basalt columns from photoshoots or movies. These natural formations are some of the most unique in Iceland.

According to local Icelandic folklore, these large basalt columns were once trolls trying to pull ships from the ocean to shore. However, these trolls were dim and went out too late in the night; dawn broke on the horizon, turning the trolls into solid stone.

You might also spot puffins nesting along the columns. If it’s puffin season, be extra cautious when climbing the columns!

Things to know

• The waves of Reynisfjara are extremely violent. Sneaker-waves can appear when least expected, even on incredibly still days.
• Visitors should never turn their back on the waves and keep a safe distance of at least 30 meters (98 feet).
• Reynisfjara is a popular filming location for films such as Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Star Trek, and more.
• Volanic eruptions formed the black sand and pebbles that you’ll see today.

My favorite aspect of the beach is the unique black sand/pebbles. I feel as though the beach should have been named Black Pebble Beach rather than Black Sand Beach. It’s pretty difficult to walk barefoot among the tiny pebbles, but they sure are pretty to photograph! Because Reynisfjara is in the rainiest part of Iceland, the wet sand never becomes dry and gray – leaving it that deep black tone.

The natural beauty of the Black Sand Beach is unlike any other. You will be in awe with every step you take. Be sure to walk all the way down to the rock formations for some beautiful angles of the beach.

If Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is one of the stops along your Southern Iceland tour, you are in for an unforgettable day. Reynisfjara is widely considered the most beautiful black sand beach in Iceland. This was actually my favorite day and tour of the entire Iceland trip. You can also read what other tourists thought about their visit to the beach here!

Or, check out these amazing tour options…

If you can’t tell already, this beach is very, very popular. If your goal is to photograph the beach, your best option is to arrive at sunrise or sunset in order to avoid the crowds. The beach is PACKED from mid-morning to late afternoon…as is virtually any other famous stop.

Another thing to consider is the day on which you visit. If you have any sort of flexibility on when you can visit the beach, pick the sunniest day. You will be thankful for how blue the ocean is! On the flip side, it is extremely interesting to visit a black sand beach on a gloomy day. I was lucky enough to experience both weathers with 2 different black sand beaches. Reynisfjara was seen on a gorgeous, sunny day. I visited the other black sand beach, Djupalonssandur, on a dark and gloomy day. It was amazing to see how two how the different weathers effected the look of the beaches!

You will have an incredible time visiting any black sand beach in Iceland. Reynisfjara is by far the most popular and should not be missed!

Address: CX35+64 Vik, Iceland

Read Next:
The Ultimate Guide to Iceland’s Midnight Sunset
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon Experience
Iceland’s Golden Circle Tour + Secret Stops Along the Way

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