A tour of Vík í Mýrdal on Iceland’s South Coast
Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/640 s)
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I have had the pleasure of seeing Vík all three times I have been to Iceland. It is the perfect halfway point on any South Coast road trip in Iceland. Its black sand beach was named as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world (way back in 1991). Nonetheless, the town of Vík itself is rather small with only 750 inhabitants and is the southernmost town in Iceland.
Located about 180 km from the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, the town boasts a church, beach, camping site, grocery store, and any other modern convenience you could ever need for a road trip stop. Perhaps what is most interesting about Vík is its perilous position in Iceland. Vík is positioned south of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier which is situated on top of a volcano named Katla.
The last eruption of Katla was in 1918 and it has been speculated that an eruption of Katla should occur soon. This eruption would melt so much ice on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier that it can trigger a flash flood, which would consume the entire town. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen and that Vík is spared from such destruction.
In this post I will highlight some of the sights to see in Vík as well as some places that are very much nearby that you can check out on a day trip or hours long stay in the town.
Be sure to check out my drone video in Iceland below!
For more on my entire Iceland Road Trip, check out the links here:
South Coast of Iceland
Eastern Iceland (The Epic Iceland Road Trip: Eastern Iceland Part IV)
Northern Iceland (The Epic Iceland Road Trip: Northern Iceland Part V)
Snaefellsnes Peninsula (The Epic Iceland Road Trip: Snaefellsnes Peninsula Part VI)
Road Trip Summary (The Epic Iceland Road Trip: A Summary)
Reykjavik (Let’s go to Iceland: What to see in Reykjavik)
The Waterfalls of Iceland (The Most EPIC Waterfalls of Iceland)
Jökulsárlón Glacier lagoon (Exploring Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Fellsfjara in Iceland)
Vík Church, Iceland (ISO 130, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
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Reynisfjara, Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland (ISO 140, 2.4 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 s)
Vik Church (Víkurkirkja)
When arriving in Vík, one of the first places you will most likely see is the Vík church. You can’t miss it, especially with its bright red roof against the backdrop of rainy weather. Built in 1932 and made of concrete to withstand the weather, it can fit 200 people and is perched on the highest part of the city, overlooking the rest of the town and the beach.
I managed to drive directly to the church and even a little bit further on a path that leads you to a hill just above it. From here, I was alone, in perfect calm, just taking in the sights of the city. It was easily one of my favorite spots in all of Iceland. I also love how you can see the basalt sea stacks (Reynisdrangar) in the distance as well. More on this later.
Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
Vik Camping
Due to its convenient location, Vík also has a central campsite with all the amenities one could need. We stayed a night there, prepared food, took showers, and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. It’s located 1 km from the center of Vík and can hold 250 people in tents, cabins, cars, and caravans. You don’t need to register beforehand and the rates of campsite rental and for the amenities is very affordable. You can find more information on their website.
Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/20 s)
Reynisdrangar
Perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Vík, aside from the church, are the basalt sea stacks that are located just off shore called Reynisdrangar. These sea stacks are viewed from both the Vík side of Reynisfjall mountain as well as the Reynisfjara beach side of the mountain. I have seen this landmark every time I have come to Iceland and it still impresses me. I would highly recommend seeing it at sunset/dusk times to take advantage of the gorgeous light.
Reynisfjara
As I must mentioned, Reynisfjara is the black sand beach that is found on the other side of Reynisfjall mountain from Vík. Here you can see a beach that stretches kilometers long, with unobstructed views. A word of caution however: the waves coming into the beach are unpredictable and people have gotten swept away to their deaths into the ocean in years passed. You can still enjoy walking along the beach, far away from the coastline to adequately explore the area.
Halsanefshellir, Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland (ISO 800, 24 mm, f/4, 1/640 s)
Halsanefshellir
Also located on the beach is a cave known as Halsanefshellir. This cave is formed by hexagonally-shaped basalt columns, formed by active volcanoes many years ago. It is popular amongst tourists to climb atop these columns for photo-ops. As a chemist, I find it so interesting how these basalt columns form perfect hexagons. It has to do with the energetic stability of these columns and their preference to form hexagons, that predominate over other shapes, as the columns cools from a liquid (lava) to solid.
Reynisfjall
To get a rather unique view of Reynisdrangar and Reynisfjara, you could climb up Reynisfjall mountain itself. This is the mountain that separates Reynisfjara beach with the town of Vík. It is over 1000 feet tall and take about 1-2 hours to hike up, one way.
There are a number of places I would also recommend seeing if you have a car, that are not too far from Vík itself. You can also see if your tour operator is willing to stop at these places.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey, translating to ‘door hill island’, is a promontory located just west of Vik, so you reach it before getting to Vik if coming from Reykjavik. This small mountain outcrop can easily be seen from Reynisfjara as well. The origins of Dyrhólaey are from an island formed by volcanic activity, which erupted 100,000 years ago. Currently, Dyrhólaey is home to many nesting birds as well as the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse.
Dyrhólaey Lighthouse
The Dyrhólaey Lighthouse is composed of a square tower and its white and red trim facade. The tower is only about 13 meters high but has a very prominent position, situated on top of the Dyrhólaey Promontory. Unfortunately, the lighthouse can only be appreciated from the outside as it is not open to visitors.
Another word of caution when driving up to Dyrhólaey is that the road leading up to it is (at that time) quite rocky and parts of the road were reduced to just one lane. When driving up, traction can be an issue as well as trying to navigate the traffic coming against you, especially when you are straddling the outer edge of the lane. One can also park lower on the promontory and hike up, which may assuage your anxiety.
DC-3 Plane Wreckage
Perhaps a peculiar but beautiful site to see is the wreckage of a DC-3 plane from the 1970s. The cause of the crash is still unclear but the plane ultimately went down and everyone survived. Instead of cleaning up the wreckage, the US navy stripped the plane of vital components and left the plane sit where it currently is. It’s advised to not hike to this area in winter as people have died trying to find the wreckage under the snow. Nonetheless, the exact coordinates are here: 63 27.546, -19 21.887. There is a parking area where the hike starts to the wreckage.
Hjörleifshöfði/Yoda Cave
Also a short distance (15 min by car) West of Vik is the Hjörleifshöfði Cave, otherwise known as the Yoda Cave, or Gígjagjá in Icelandic. I was able to get here in my two wheel drive campervan just be cautious as there is some sand that one can get stuck in if not careful. What I LOVED about this cave was just how empty it was, as in, no other tourists for hours joined me there.
The cave itself is pretty cool but perhaps what is most noticeable is the shape the cave opening makes when taking a photo from the inside. It surely does look like the outline of Yoda and I just can’t think of anything it would resemble more. This is a great place to relax, have a meal, take in the sunrise/sunset during your time just outside of Vik.
There you have it, some wonderful sights to see in and around Vik. This town is a must stop during your South Coast/Iceland Ring Road trip. I would suggest taking a day or two here to marvel at the nature of Iceland and to relax on the beach for a little bit.
