The 8 best thermal baths in Iceland, ranked (not the Blue Lagoon)

The top four

1. Myvatn Nature Baths — 6,900 ISK, north Iceland's answer to the Blue Lagoon at half the price and a quarter of the crowd, milky blue water and Kroflufjall views. 2. Forest Lagoon, Akureyri — 6,900 ISK, birch woods above the fjord, cold plunge, opened 2022 and immediately better than most of what came before. 3. GeoSea, Husavik — 5,900 ISK, cliff-edge infinity pools over Skjalfandi bay, whales sometimes visible from the water. 4. Sky Lagoon, Kopavogur — 12,990 ISK, the seven-step ritual is a bit theatrical but the ocean-edge infinity setting is real.

The top four are all better than the Blue Lagoon for the money, and three of them are cheaper. Myvatn especially — you get the same silica-blue water in a raw volcanic setting instead of an industrial pipeline runoff. Forest Lagoon is the newest and busiest local favourite in the north.

Ranked 5 to 8

5. Vok Baths, Egilsstadir — 6,290 ISK, floating pools in Lake Urridavatn, drink the lake water, unusual and quiet. 6. Krauma, Deildartunguhver — 4,950 ISK, mixes water from Europe's most powerful hot spring with glacial melt, west Iceland. 7. Secret Lagoon, Fludir — 3,700 ISK, the oldest pool in Iceland (1891), unpolished and cheap. 8. Any municipal pool, especially Vesturbaejarlaug in Reykjavik — 1,330 ISK, hot pots at 38-42°C, this is where Icelanders actually go.

The municipal pools at number 8 are the honest recommendation. Every town has one, they cost about a tenth of the Blue Lagoon, the water is real geothermal, and you’ll swim next to locals rather than tour groups. Bring a swimsuit, shower naked before entering (they enforce it), and don’t be the tourist photographing the changing room.