Black Sand Beach

" About: THIS is the famous black sand beach in Iceland. Reynisfjara is the beach, and Reynisdrangar are the basalt stacks that stick out of the sea. There is also the basalt columns that you can climb on and get the classic photo! **PLEASE READ THE PRO-TIP BEFORE VISITING** Time: 1 hour Rating: 5/5 Crowds: VERY busy - probably the busiest place in Iceland Vehicle: all accessible Directions: Turn on road 215 and follow for about 10 minutes. You will feel like you are driving in the backyard of someones farm (you kinda are!) but keep going ~5km until you reach the parking lot for the beach. Parking: large parking lot - free Views: There are a lot of viewpoints on the beach, but the level of the tide will make some areas inaccessible. Walk around and enjoy but BE CAREFUL. Amenities: Cafe, pay toilets at the Black Beach Cafe, free if you are a customer Pro-tip: This is one of the most dangerous areas of Iceland, and has claimed several lives. The waves on the beach are extremely powerful, about every 5 waves are “sneaker” waves which come up higher than the others. It’s those waves that can soak you up to your knees, ruin your photography equipment, or drag you out to sea. I promise that you don’t want to even risk experiencing that, so DO NOT GET CLOSE TO THE SURF. Many times I see travelers trying to get the perfect photo, and as they’re looking at their camera, a sneaker wave comes up. Most of the time you’re running away laughing, but for the families that have lost a loved one - no photo is worth that risk. More info: Make sure to read the signs at the entrance for your safety."

"The Black Sand Beach, also known as Reynisfjara Beach, is a unique and beautiful beach located along Iceland's south coast. It's known for its stunning black sand and towering basalt columns, as well as its dangerous waves and strong currents. Heed the warnings and do not go near the water! You can also sign up for horse riding tours here. Icelandic horses are shorter than the normal horses we see, but still feel the same. They have a unique trot (which I found rather scary) so this is another fun activity you can do. The trainers were really friendly and safe too. It makes for a really cool pic of you on a horse along black sand beach! "

"You can't miss this even though it's "touristy." I advise going very early in the morning to avoid the crowds, and if you're lucky it will be low tide which means you can explore more of the beach behind the basalt columns on the left. Don't become a viral video on the internet by getting too close to the sneaker waves which will swallow you whole. Don't forget to pay for parking either. If you want to extend your stay here, you can take the hike up the mountain above the beach. Afterwards you can visit Vík. They have a really good pizza place called Black Crust, or if you want an upscale experience, you have to visit Kría. "