How the tide shapes a soak at Hvammsvik Hot Springs
Hvammsvik Hot Springs sits on the shore of Hvalfjörður, and the sea is part of the design. Geothermal water from deep underground mixes with seawater in pools along the waterline, and the tide decides how many of them you can use. Below, what is on site, how the tide plays in and what the listings leave out.
Where the springs sit
Hvammsvík lies on the southern shore of Hvalfjörður, a fjord whose name means Whale Fjord, a short way up the coast from Reykjavík. The springs' own listing puts the drive at about 45 minutes, and reviewers mostly call it an hour.
Both partner listings give the same address, Hvammsvík, 276 Mosfellsbær. Once you arrive, the view is the fjord in front and mountains across the water, with a natural shoreline rather than a built resort around you.
How you get there decides how long you stay and what time you arrive. Our bus or self-drive comparison sets the options side by side, from the shared bus to your own rental car.
Hot water from deep down, salt water from the fjord
The pools take geothermal water from about 1,400 m (4,600 feet) underground and blend it with seawater from the fjord, according to the listing. So this is not a fresh-water lagoon, and the water carries some of the sea with it.
Temperatures differ from pool to pool and shift as the tide brings in cooler water. Some pools can be very hot, so test a few with your hand before you settle in one.
The pools are ringed with stones and run along the shoreline, so the edge of a pool is often the edge of the fjord. From there you can walk into the sea for a cold dip, then climb back into the warm water.
What high tide does to the pools
The tide is the part that surprises first-time visitors. Some pools sit low enough that the sea covers them at high water, so they vanish for a while and return as the tide drops. Both the springs and a reviewer describe it.
That means the springs look different from one visit to the next. Near low tide you have more pools to choose from, while near high tide the soak shrinks to the pools set higher up the shore.
The tide turns at a different hour every day. If you can pick your arrival time, check a tide table for Reykjavík first, and read our guide to timing your visit.
The shared bus and the Golden Circle day run at fixed times, so you take the tide that comes with them. Drivers and guests in a private car are the ones who can aim for low water.
The cold dip and the rocks underfoot
The sea is cold in every month, which is the point of the dip. The bottom is rocky, so wading shoes make the walk in and out far more comfortable than bare feet.
One reviewer watched a seal swim past while sitting in the pools. Nobody can promise that, but it shows how close to open water you are.
Steam room and sauna, plus a bar in the water
Next to the pools are a sauna and a steam room. At the swim-up bar you can order a drink without leaving the water. The changing rooms have private shower stalls, a detail reviewers like to mention.
Food is at Stormur Bistro, a walk-in restaurant on site, where reviewers single out the seafood and the fish soup. Check the times for your date on the booking page if you plan a late meal.
None of the four tours on our site puts a meal in the price, so plan for the bistro bill if you want to eat there. Our price guide adds these extras to every option.
The listing describes limited capacity, and reviewers talk about a calm feel rather than a crowd. A slow loop through several pools and the sauna, with a sea dip between, suits the place better than a rush.
Classic or Comfort at the entrance
Entry comes in two packages. Classic covers the pools and facilities alone, while Comfort hands you a towel and wading shoes and includes one drink at the swim-up bar. A swimsuit can be rented on top of either.
If you plan to walk into the sea, the shoes alone make Comfort tempting. Our Classic or Comfort guide works through which package suits whom.
The springs sell this ticket themselves through the admission package from ~$80, rated 4.8 from 300+ reviews on GetYourGuide. It includes no transport, so it suits people with a car.
Your own hour at the pools
The springs' own ticket lets drivers arrive when the tide suits them and stay well past the two hours of a bus tour. Choose Classic or Comfort, and bring a swimsuit from home unless you plan to rent one.
How long you get in the water
Your time in the pools depends on how you come. ICELANDIA's bus with entry, from ~$160 allows about 2 hours. Some reviewers found that short once changing and showering are counted.
Nicetravel's Golden Circle day at ~$222 also gives about 2 hours at the end of a long day of sights. Drivers on the admission package set their own pace, anywhere from 1.5 hours to a whole day.
The private return transfer with entry leaves the return time to you and the driver. It costs the most per person at ~$330, and it has only 2 reviews on GetYourGuide.
Who the shore pools suit
- Swimmers who like a cold sea dip between hot soaks
- Anyone after open views of the fjord and mountains from the water
- Couples with time for a drink at the swim-up bar
- Night owls hoping for auroras over the fjord in the dark months, as in our northern lights guide
Families with children under 10 cannot come, since the springs do not admit them, and under-18s need an adult with them. Weighing it against a better-known soak? Read Hvammsvik against the Blue Lagoon.