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~~ Iceland megathread ~~

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  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Not my real name




  • Registered Users Posts: 39 eleventy6


    Not sure if anyone asked but what are the roads like to drive on? We only have limited experience in driving in Portugal on the right so wondered would it be safe to rent and drive over there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    eleventy6 wrote: »
    Not sure if anyone asked but what are the roads like to drive on? We only have limited experience in driving in Portugal on the right so wondered would it be safe to rent and drive over there.

    Roads are very good and very quiet. When I was there however it was never dark so never drove at night.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,005 ✭✭✭reap-a-rat


    eleventy6 wrote: »
    Not sure if anyone asked but what are the roads like to drive on? We only have limited experience in driving in Portugal on the right so wondered would it be safe to rent and drive over there.

    There main ring road is perfect - it's gravel road for a short stretch but not too bad. Some of the roads off the ring road are poor enough - it's not the fact that they are gravel it's that some are in a shocking state of repair with massive potholes and 20km/h is too fast nearly. But that's in the west fjords over the mountains and sometimes into the odd attraction. The roads are mostly brilliant.

    Strange thing we noticed was that because there's no trees or bushes lining the road, there are no blind bends and so it's easy to see really far ahead of you. Not a lot of traffic either except from Vik to Reykjavik where most people tend to go.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,863 ✭✭✭✭crosstownk


    The roads in an around Reykjavik are excellent as you'd expect. I did a good bit of driving between Reykjavik and around Selfoss, Fludir, Geysir and also to Thingviler - all good roads. If you go past Geysir, not long after Gulfoss the road turns to gravel but in the summer pleanty of your busses use this route. There are other gravel roads but usually they are smaller side roads. They are completely driveable but with a bit more care. There are usually signposts warning you of a gravel road ahead.

    I rented a Ford Focus for a week and drove on a few gravel roads with no issue. The scariest thing about car rental is the price!!

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  • Subscribers Posts: 40,729 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Hi all, myself and my wife are heading over there this weekend and ive a few questions to anyone who has been over lately.

    visa debit cards work ok over there?
    i hear most transactions are done by plastic which is fine, but can i withdraw cash from atms with teh visa debit?

    whats the approximate daylight hours at this time of year?
    we've a golden circle tour booked for sunday from 9am, will it be in anyway 'dawny' from then?

    thanks, and cant wait!


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,863 ✭✭✭✭crosstownk


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    Hi all, myself and my wife are heading over there this weekend and ive a few questions to anyone who has been over lately.

    visa debit cards work ok over there?
    i hear most transactions are done by plastic which is fine, but can i withdraw cash from atms with teh visa debit?

    whats the approximate daylight hours at this time of year?
    we've a golden circle tour booked for sunday from 9am, will it be in anyway 'dawny' from then?

    thanks, and cant wait!
    Debit/credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere. Most are contactless and ApplePay is also available. I withdrew cash in the airport (Keflavik) but I used the credit card most of the time and ended up coming home with some of the cash!

    It might be an idea to let your card issuer know that you are travelling to Iceland. I'm not sure what the reason is but I know that when my wife booked the Blue Lagoon here in Ireland before we left the transaction wouldn't complete and she had to ring the bank. Once she did that the transaction processed OK. The representative did ask when we were travelling and said that he'd make 'a note' of that so we didn't have any issues - which we didn't.

    For sunrise/sunset times go to www.timeanddate.com and search your destination and date.


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,729 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    excellent info, thank you!


  • Registered Users Posts: 61 ✭✭Not my real name


    I would only take the equivalent of 20 or lowest you can take out of the bank link. Everywhere accepts card, including taxis. I took 50 and bought sweets in the airport just to use it up.

    Can't answer your other question but have a great time!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    you will not need cash and if you do use an ATM it will ask you how much in ISK you want to withdraw so be prepared to do the maths at the machine. (ISK1,000 is less than €10)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,682 ✭✭✭firemansam4


    Im traveling to Iceland for 5 days by myself in the middle of January, I want to try and visit some of the stunning landscapes and waterfalls over there and to try photograph them all as much as possible.
    I wont be able to hire a car as I wont have a credit card, so it looks like I will be relying on day tours to get around the place. Ive been looking at doing the golden circle and the south coast day tours. The only thing is that I have read that some of these day tours are very rushed and wont leave me much time for photographing anything. I was wondering does anyone have any recomendations on good tours? or any other ideas?
    I might also do the northern lights tour if there is a chance of seeing them while im there


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,405 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Interested in this too, as I have a landmark birthday in January and we want to go somewhere interesting for a long weekend, and I don't like heat :) We tried to get some more information on the excursions too, but couldn't even find out if they were all running at that time of year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,682 ✭✭✭firemansam4


    Alun wrote: »
    Interested in this too, as I have a landmark birthday in January and we want to go somewhere interesting for a long weekend, and I don't like heat :) We tried to get some more information on the excursions too, but couldn't even find out if they were all running at that time of year.

    I was looking at a few tours already and some of them run all year round, here is a couple of links to what I was looking at already:

    http://www.tour.is/tours/bus_tours.php
    https://www.re.is/day-tours/

    If you go into the details on some of the tours it shows the sesons and times of day they run at.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,405 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Thanks for that, I was looking on the website for the tour operator and there wasn't much information at all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Auntie Matter


    Im traveling to Iceland for 5 days by myself in the middle of January, I want to try and visit some of the stunning landscapes and waterfalls over there and to try photograph them all as much as possible.
    I wont be able to hire a car as I wont have a credit card, so it looks like I will be relying on day tours to get around the place. Ive been looking at doing the golden circle and the south coast day tours. The only thing is that I have read that some of these day tours are very rushed and wont leave me much time for photographing anything. I was wondering does anyone have any recomendations on good tours? or any other ideas?
    I might also do the northern lights tour if there is a chance of seeing them while im there

    Icelanders use plastic to pay for pretty much everything, even single beers and hot dogs, so if you have a chip and pin debit card, you should be OK for paying for stuff with that.

    There are two main coach tour companies - Reykjavik Excursions and Gray Line Iceland. I was in Reykjavik recently for the Airwaves festival and I noticed that they've both recently expanded their winter tour selection.

    There are other operators who use smaller buses and jeeps but they tend to be more expensive. I've done the Golden Circle and the longer south coast tour to Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon which is a long day tour, not cheap, but Jokulsarlon is like nothing else I've ever seen. The Golden Circle tour stops for about an hour in each place, but some of that, especially in Thingvellir and Gullfoss, will be taken up with walking to and from the places you will want to photograph.

    Whether you get to see the Northern Lights will depend on the weather. It will certainly be dark enough in January at night, but Iceland has a damp climate so clouds will be the problem. Some of the tour operators offer a second tour for free if you don't see the northern lights the first time. I did the Reykjavik Excursions tour in November. They drive out into the countryside and you'll get at least an hour of a stop to see the lights. It was a cloudy night so didn't see anything, but couldn't go a second time because it was our last night.

    Be sure to take some time to look around Reykjavik - lots of interesting things to see and do there and as it's the size of Cork, you can walk almost everywhere. Enjoy!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,613 ✭✭✭milltown


    Is Iceland considered part of the EU for duty-free purposes?


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,863 ✭✭✭✭crosstownk


    milltown wrote: »
    Is Iceland considered part of the EU for duty-free purposes?

    No.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    milltown wrote: »
    Is Iceland considered part of the EU for duty-free purposes?

    are you trying to figure out how to get cheap booze into Iceland!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,682 ✭✭✭firemansam4


    Icelanders use plastic to pay for pretty much everything, even single beers and hot dogs, so if you have a chip and pin debit card, you should be OK for paying for stuff with that.

    There are two main coach tour companies - Reykjavik Excursions and Gray Line Iceland. I was in Reykjavik recently for the Airwaves festival and I noticed that they've both recently expanded their winter tour selection.

    There are other operators who use smaller buses and jeeps but they tend to be more expensive. I've done the Golden Circle and the longer south coast tour to Jokulsarlon which is a long day tour, not cheap, but Jokulsarlon is like nothing else I've ever seen. The Golden Circle tour stops for about an hour in each place, but some of that, especially in Thingvellir and Gullfoss, will be taken up with walking to and from the places you will want to photograph.

    Whether you get to see the Northern Lights will depend on the weather. It will certainly be dark enough in January at night, but Iceland has a damp climate so clouds will be the problem. Some of the tour operators offer a second tour for free if you don't see the northern lights the first time. I did the Reykjavik Excursions tour in November. They drive out into the countryside and you'll get at least an hour of a stop to see the lights. It was a cloudy night so didn't see anything, but couldn't go a second time because it was our last night.

    Be sure to take some time to look around Reykjavik - lots of interesting things to see and do there and as it's the size of Cork, you can walk almost everywhere. Enjoy!

    I will have my debit card with me, just dont have a credit card.
    I looked up both of them tour companies, the tours on offer look very similar. It doesn't look like the longer south coast tour to Jokulsarlon is available in January, but the south coast tour to Vik is available so I would probably want to do that one. Jokulsarlon is somewhere I would love to go to, but probably something I will have to do in the future if I can get out to Iceland again.

    Reykjavik looks like a really interesting city so looking foward to getting out and looking around the place. How did you find the cold temperatures in November? I will be going in the coldest month of the year so will be bringing plenty of layers with me.....


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 710 ✭✭✭GreenFolder2


    Beware that AIB impose a hard 10 transaction per day debit card limit!!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Auntie Matter


    I will have my debit card with me, just dont have a credit card.
    I looked up both of them tour companies, the tours on offer look very similar. It doesn't look like the longer south coast tour to Jokulsarlon is available in January, but the south coast tour to Vik is available so I would probably want to do that one. Jokulsarlon is somewhere I would love to go to, but probably something I will have to do in the future if I can get out to Iceland again.

    Reykjavik looks like a really interesting city so looking foward to getting out and looking around the place. How did you find the cold temperatures in November? I will be going in the coldest month of the year so will be bringing plenty of layers with me.....

    Fair enough about the credit card...TBH I know nothing about car rentals as I don't drive. I thought you'd be able to get a rental car with a debit card in Iceland as they use debit cards for EVERYTHING.

    The south coast tour to Vik will be worth it. You'll stop at the two best-known waterfalls in the area, Skógafoss (the really high and wide one) and Seljalandsfoss (the one you can walk behind (bring waterproofs!)).

    Reykjavik wasn't that cold in early November but I'd say January will be a different story. It's not so much the temperatures that will bother you, as the Gulf Stream keeps things a bit milder than they otherwise would be at 64 degrees north, but the wind coming off the sea would skin you alive. A good windproof jacket and a warm hat are essential. Layers are good because it's really warm in every building and you will be too warm inside at times.

    A must-do in Reykjavik on a clear day is to get the lift up the tower in Hallgrimskirkja - the big church that looks a bit like a space shuttle. From the top there are great views all over the city.

    The Icelanders are generally friendly and well-disposed towards the Irish. If you can learn a few phrases of Icelandic, it will go down very well, even if it's not much more than "Takk fyrir" (thank you) and "Ég tala ekki Íslensku" (I don't speak Icelandic)!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,682 ✭✭✭firemansam4


    Fair enough about the credit card...TBH I know nothing about car rentals as I don't drive. I thought you'd be able to get a rental car with a debit card in Iceland as they use debit cards for EVERYTHING.

    The south coast tour to Vik will be worth it. You'll stop at the two best-known waterfalls in the area, Skógafoss (the really high and wide one) and Seljalandsfoss (the one you can walk behind (bring waterproofs!)).

    Reykjavik wasn't that cold in early November but I'd say January will be a different story. It's not so much the temperatures that will bother you, as the Gulf Stream keeps things a bit milder than they otherwise would be at 64 degrees north, but the wind coming off the sea would skin you alive. A good windproof jacket and a warm hat are essential. Layers are good because it's really warm in every building and you will be too warm inside at times.

    A must-do in Reykjavik on a clear day is to get the lift up the tower in Hallgrimskirkja - the big church that looks a bit like a space shuttle. From the top there are great views all over the city.

    The Icelanders are generally friendly and well-disposed towards the Irish. If you can learn a few phrases of Icelandic, it will go down very well, even if it's not much more than "Takk fyrir" (thank you) and "Ég tala ekki Íslensku" (I don't speak Icelandic)!

    I was looking up the longer south tour again with a few companies and it seems it does run at that time of year, but the tour with the boat trip does not.
    Im strongly thinking about doing the tour to Jökulsárlón, but from the looks of it, it does mean short stops at some of the waterfalls and I will only see Seljalandsfoss on the way back at night.

    I will probably spend the first day in and around Reykjavik and will try and visit the places you mentioned, I might even take a city bus out to Grotta light house, I believe that the light pullution is low there and might be able to catch the northern lights there if they are active and sky clear.

    I will have to learn a few Icelandic phrases and maybe even just try and learn how to pronounce some of there town and place names, ie: Jökulsárlón


  • Registered Users Posts: 176 ✭✭snoopy29


    Definitely do the Jökulsárlón, highlight of the trip for me when I went on my honeymoon for 10 days in January 2015. absolutely stunning.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,370 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hammer Archer


    Im traveling to Iceland for 5 days by myself in the middle of January, I want to try and visit some of the stunning landscapes and waterfalls over there and to try photograph them all as much as possible.
    I wont be able to hire a car as I wont have a credit card, so it looks like I will be relying on day tours to get around the place. Ive been looking at doing the golden circle and the south coast day tours. The only thing is that I have read that some of these day tours are very rushed and wont leave me much time for photographing anything. I was wondering does anyone have any recomendations on good tours? or any other ideas?
    I might also do the northern lights tour if there is a chance of seeing them while im there
    Probably too late for you at this stage, but I hired a car in Iceland using a debit card less than two weeks ago. I went with Blue Car Rentals. As long as your debit card has 16 digits in the number (mine is a Visa debit), you can hire a car with them. The excursion prices we saw while we were there were astronomical. Would 100% hire a car if/when I go back to Iceland as it's an absolute joy to drive in the country.


  • Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭InterestedK


    Hi all, myself and my boyfriend are going to Iceland for 4 days in the middle of February.

    I am trying to put together an itinerary of events so that we don't miss a thing! We aren't into museums or anything like that so we prefer to see the sights and do activities.

    We will be renting a car so have freedom that way! Also hoping to get an apartment and cook in as eating out looks frightfully expensive! Is this a better idea to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel - young couple so trying to keep costs down!

    So far I have Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss, Golden Circle, Tjornin Lakes and Ellidaar. Are we missing anything here? I presume apart from the Blue Lagoon, you can just drive around and don't need tickets or anything like that to see the sights.

    Would absolutely love some of your tips or ideas for our trip.

    Thanks so much!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    Hi all, myself and my boyfriend are going to Iceland for 4 days in the middle of February.

    I am trying to put together an itinerary of events so that we don't miss a thing! We aren't into museums or anything like that so we prefer to see the sights and do activities.

    We will be renting a car so have freedom that way! Also hoping to get an apartment and cook in as eating out looks frightfully expensive! Is this a better idea to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel - young couple so trying to keep costs down!

    So far I have Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss, Golden Circle, Tjornin Lakes and Ellidaar. Are we missing anything here? I presume apart from the Blue Lagoon, you can just drive around and don't need tickets or anything like that to see the sights.

    Would absolutely love some of your tips or ideas for our trip.

    Thanks so much!

    Add Geysir to your list but you will driving past on when doing Golden Circle.

    I would also add the crashed USA Navy plane to the list. Does not sound that interesting but the hike out on what looks like the surface of the moon is pretty cool.

    How much day light will you have in February?


  • Registered Users Posts: 66 ✭✭InterestedK


    BailMeOut wrote: »
    Add Geysir to your list but you will driving past on when doing Golden Circle.

    I would also add the crashed USA Navy plane to the list. Does not sound that interesting but the hike out on what looks like the surface of the moon is pretty cool.

    How much day light will you have in February?

    Thanks BailmeOut - all added.

    Just googled it... 8 hours of daylight in February when we will be there.

    Is half a day best for Blue Lagoon or a full day?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,933 ✭✭✭BailMeOut


    Thanks BailmeOut - all added.

    Just googled it... 8 hours of daylight in February when we will be there.

    Is half a day best for Blue Lagoon or a full day?

    You are not going to need more than 2 -3 hours at the Blue Lagoon between when get there and when you are done and in February definitely do it when dark as with just 8 hours of day light you will want to use all this time for sight seeing. Top tip at the Blue Lagoon is either get yourself a waterproof camera or a waterproof case for your phone otherwise you will not have any photos from it.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,370 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hammer Archer


    Hi all, myself and my boyfriend are going to Iceland for 4 days in the middle of February.

    I am trying to put together an itinerary of events so that we don't miss a thing! We aren't into museums or anything like that so we prefer to see the sights and do activities.

    We will be renting a car so have freedom that way! Also hoping to get an apartment and cook in as eating out looks frightfully expensive! Is this a better idea to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel - young couple so trying to keep costs down!

    So far I have Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss, Golden Circle, Tjornin Lakes and Ellidaar. Are we missing anything here? I presume apart from the Blue Lagoon, you can just drive around and don't need tickets or anything like that to see the sights.

    Would absolutely love some of your tips or ideas for our trip.

    Thanks so much!
    Staying in an apartment is definitely better than a hotel. While the supermarkets are quite expensive, eating out (as you said) is obscenely expensive.

    The Golden Circle will lead you past the likes of Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss and Kerid Crater Lake.

    I'd suggest taking a trip down the South Coast of the country on Route 1. This will bring you past Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss/Kvernufoss, Eyjafjallajökull (yes I had to Google it) and Solheimajokull. While we didn't get time to see it, if you continue on this route it'll also lead you to Jokulsarlon (which is meant to be stunning).
    Depending on the weather at the time, a trip up to the Western Fjords would also be an idea.

    Definitely bookmark the following websites. They'll give you updates on the weather/road conditions throughout the country.
    http://en.vedur.is/
    http://www.road.is/
    I'd suggest maximising the amount of daylight by ensuring you reach the first place just as the sun comes up. 8 hours of daylight would pass extremely quickly.
    Also, if you're not renting a 4x4 I believe that there are certain roads that you are not allowed drive on.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 593 ✭✭✭dmm82


    Our trip is nearly here, we head off in March. We have decided to stock up on food in the nearest bonus supermarket and just eat out once a day to try save some money. Does anyone have tips on what to pack for that time of year. Obviously hiking boots and hat/ scarf/ gloves/ warm socks and coat but is there anything else. Also do you think we would need to check on a case each?

    Thanks for all the great tips so far :)


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