Iceland Hot Springs Ranked: Reykjadalur vs Hvammsvík vs Blue Lagoon

Our #1Reykjadalur Thermal River

Best formal spaHvammsvík

Most photogenicBlue Lagoon

Would we repeat Blue Lagoon?Probably not

1. Reykjadalur Thermal River — easily our favorite

You hike uphill through a geothermal valley and eventually reach a warm river with simple wooden changing screens beside it. It felt natural, active and far more authentic to us than entering a large spa complex.

Geothermal landscape on the Reykjadalur hike — The hike and landscape were part of the experience, not just the soak.

2. Hvammsvík — our pick for a formal spa

Hvammsvík still felt like a proper paid spa, with locker-room facilities and a series of geothermal pools at different temperatures, but the oceanfront setting made it much more interesting to us than Blue Lagoon.

Coastal landscape at Hvammsvík Hot Springs — Hvammsvík sits directly on the coast.

Geothermal pools at Hvammsvík — Multiple pools let you move among different temperatures.

3. Blue Lagoon — great photos, not our favorite experience

Blue Lagoon was expensive, crowded and highly commercialized. The nearby geothermal power infrastructure also made the setting feel less like a natural hot spring to us. The silica-mask process felt more assembly-line than luxurious. The part we liked best was how well the blue water photographed.

Blue Lagoon geothermal water in Iceland — Beautiful to photograph; much more commercial in person.

Our ranking: Reykjadalur for nature and adventure, Hvammsvík if you want a polished spa, and Blue Lagoon only if the iconic experience itself matters to you.

Reykjadalur guide More Worth It?Iceland guide