Dumbest Things To Do In ICELAND

What are some of the dumbest and most ignorant things that travelers have done in Iceland? Is there anything you should know before visiting the country and making a fool of yourself? Read ahead to be well informed.

Not Dressing According to the Weather

Due to rapidly changing weather conditions in Iceland, decent clothing is very important when going outdoors. Even in summer, it can be very unpredictable, wet, cold and even violent, therefore you need to be prepared at all times. Windproof, waterproof, and warm clothing will be your best friends, trust me.

‘There is no such thing as bad weather in Iceland; just bad clothes’.

Not Bringing a Swimming Suit

Of course, it’s not the hot-summer-holiday type of destination, but you’ve still got to bring your swimming to Iceland. The country is full with wonderful swimming pools and steamy hot springs. No matter what your plans are, always pack your swimsuit when visiting Iceland!

Driving Off-Road

Be aware, people seek to protect Icelandic nature at all costs. Lava fields, moss, glaciers, black-sand-beaches, everything is known to be delicate and treated as such by Icelanders. If you don’t stick to the road, prepare for a disproportionate punishment. You will face fines of 500,000 ISK (over 4,000 EUR), possible jail-time, and a lecture you will never forget.

Going for Highland Roads in a Two-Wheel-Drive

As mentioned previously, it’s important to stick to the road, but for your own safety, you also have to ensure the car you’re driving can handle the challenges of the route you decide to take. If you want to explore more than just the Golden Circle and navigate the Highland routes, make sure you’re having a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Playing in the Surf at Reynisfjara Beach

Taking the risks at Reynisfjara is one of the dumbest things a human possibly can do. Many come here for the geology but are not familiar with the dangers. The Atlantic waves here are very unpredictable and can be deadly. Because of the seabed at Reynisfjara, the waves often rise quickly before making land and become dubbed sneaker-waves. The rush high up the shore, have caught lots of people off-guard who ventured too close to the water. Since several lives have been lost here previously, the site is now full with warning signs and cordoned off areas in order to protect visitors.

Climbing on the Icebergs at Jökulsárlón

The icebergs here are very slippery, constantly moving, rotating and breaking apart, and thus it’s a big danger for a human that foolishly decides to stand on it. Once in the water, the shock and the temperature will cause an immediate panic. Since the icebergs constantly move due to the strong currents underwater, it means they could easily tilt on top of you, and, often being in size of a multistory building, are almost impossible to escape from.

Littering

This one needs little explanation. Regardless of where you are in the world, it’s inexcusable. Nature’s beauty in Iceland is only such because of how little impact people have had on it. If someone sees you ignoring it, prepare for an earful, harsh fines and definitely a bad dose of karma.

Trying to See a Polar Bear or Penguin

Polar Bears live in much colder places (fx. Norway, Finland, Canada) and penguins are found only in the Southern Hemisphere, so if you are eager to see one of these in the wild, you gotta go elsewhere, since you’ll be looking for them for a very long time in Iceland.

Buying Bottled Wate

Bottled water in Iceland is simply discouraged and unnecessary. Iceland is leaking its pores with freshwater and there’s an excellent infrastructure in pumping it up and distributing it across the country. The water what comes out of the taps is pretty much the cleanest and clearest water in the world.

Have you noticed that companies selling bottled ‘Icelandic Mineral Water’ normally have their labels written in English? Well, there’s a good reason.