Explore Black Sand Beach
Details
Added by Matt Van Swol
A couple minutes from the town of Vik, Black Sand Beach is widely considered the world's most beautiful non-tropical beach.
Black Sand Beach offers an expansive view of the ocean and nearby cliffs. It gets its name from the small black pebbles that make up whats known as the "black sand" of the beach. There is a small cafe down by the water with delicious treats. Be careful here, the wind is usually very strong and there are plenty of warning signs about not going into the water due to the powerful waves created by the wind. Personally, I enjoyed walking left along the cliffs toward the town of Vik, there are plenty of boulders to climb around on to get some pretty cool shots of the cliffs and rocks in the water. Enjoy!
Know for
Nearby
馃寧
Local adventures
Find hikes, backpacking, photo spots, and more around Reynishverfisvegur.
馃彆
Nearby lodging
Search campgrounds, glamping, and hotels near Reynishverfisvegur.
Reviews
Leave a Review
Worth the Stop
This is one of those things that I am not sure you can see many places elsewhere in the world so if you are coming to Iceland go here! Amazing rock formations on the left and an expansive black sand beach. Dress according to other reports though!
5.0
Wondeful but very windy!
The overall area is great. I was especially amazed from the basalt columns on the left side of the beach. Despite its large size, it can get crowded since it is a popular stop for tour buses to stop there (when we visited the beach there were at least five buses parked meaning there were hundreds of people on the beach). Another thing that both makes it fun but at the same time requires your attention is the strong wings in the area. There are multiple signs that try to warn you, but keep in mind to retain a safe distance from the water, as huge waves can unexpectedly come.
5.0
Scenic and powerful
Huge beach with a very memorable juxtaposition of wind, waves and rock. Make sure you leave enough time to really do some exploring and enjoy the place. Be prepared for high wind and do your research on sneaker waves.
4.0
Recommend camping on the beach
One of my coolest travel experiences happened here. Got an incredible northern lights show the night we decided to camp on the beach. I imagine this place gets pretty crowded during the day, so I'd recommend camping along the shore and then getting up early to enjoy the area before everyone arrives.
5.0
Really Cool. Really Popular.
Really dramatic landscape with high powerful seas. A stop for every tour bus so patience is required if you want that "I'm all alone in the wilderness photo". Winter provided super high winds so bundle up.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.
