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Jul 4, 2021 · Luckily, the most popular black sand beaches in Iceland are located on Iceland’s south coast so if you are already planning to visit the southern coast of Iceland, you will be able to hit many of these top locations along the way!
- Vestrahorn. On the headland of Stokksnes in the desolate East Fjords, there’s a magnificent black beach that stretches out from the foot of Mt. Vestrahorn—one of Iceland’s rare gabbro rock mountains.
- Solheimasandur. Photo by Chris Liverani. Iceland is composed of young landscapes that are in constant development due to the country's volcanic activity.
- Breidavik. In the southern Westfjords, en route to Europe’s largest bird cliff, Látrabjarg, you’ll find the idyllic bay of golden sand called Breiðavík.
- Reynisfjara. Belonging to the many attractions of Iceland’s South Coast is Reynisfjara, a black pebble beach that rests by the coastal village Vík í Mýrdal.
Iceland’s black sand beaches can be found all around the island, alongside beaches with white, gold, and even red sand. In addition to this list of our favorite black sand beaches in Iceland, we've rounded up some essential tips you'll want to know when visiting these cool spots.
- Solheimafjara. This is the beach I described earlier: it was the first black sand beach I visited, and it has a special place in my heart. Solheimafjara is one of the longest black sand beaches in Iceland and it is the beach you see from the top of the bluff on Dyrhólaey, near the lighthouse.
- Kirkjufjara. When you visit Dyrhólaey, there are a number of attractions that compete for your attention, including the rock archway itself, the view of Solheimafjara beach, and the view of Reynisfjara with Arnardrangur rock, plus the puffins of course.
- Reynisfjara. Reynisfjara is the poster child for black sand beaches in Iceland – and definitely the most famous. It stretches from Dyrhólaey in the west to Vik in the east and is book-ended by two stunning rock formations.
- Black Sand Beach Vík. I am not sure whether there’s another name for this beach – I’ve only ever seen it called the ‘Black sand beach at Vík’, which is a very ‘does what it says on the tin’ name.
- Reynisfjara – THE Iceland Black Sand Beach. About the Black Sand Beach of Reynisfjara Iceland. So probably THE most famous black beach in Iceland is Reynisfjara (Reynisfjöru in Icelandic).
- Vik’s Black Sand Beach, Iceland. About the Iceland black beach of Vik. Our next Iceland black beach is the one near Vik, on the other side of the cliff we saw from Reynisfjar.
- Diamond Beach – with Icebergs (Jokulsarlon beach) About Jokulsarlon’s Diamond Beach. Jokulsarlon is one of the great stops of the Icelandic ring road.
- Stokksnes Beach with Black Sand Dunes. About Stokksnes Beach. Away from the beaten track the Stokksnes peninsula is famous mostly for photographers. The Batman mountains called Vestrahorn is indeed very photogenic, especially with the small black sand dunes in the foreground.
Iceland is home to several black sand beaches, each offering distinct attractions. Reynisfjara Beach, a short drive from Vikurfjara, is famous for its basalt columns called Reynisdrangar. The beach's strong currents and powerful waves contribute to its dramatic beauty.
From its powerful waterfalls to its steaming hot springs and blue glaciers, another unique phenomenon has captivated explorers, photographers, and even locals — its black sand beaches. Formed from basaltic rock from lava, these black sand beaches are a reminder of the incredible forces of nature you can encounter in Iceland.
