Blue Lagoon, Iceland – aka The best way to relax after a flight.

(Photo above: Me getting a massage while floating in the Blue Lagoon)

Check out their website: www.BlueLagoon.com and definitely follow them on Twitter: BlueLagoonIS

Two Tuesdays ago I hopped on a plane at London Gatwick headed for Keflavik Airport 40mins outside of Reykjavik, Iceland. The flight with Iceland Express was only three hours long or so but for some reason any flight no matter the length tires me out and just gives me an “ugh” kind of feeling. Don’t get me wrong I love to fly however I always just want to shower / relax after a flight.

I had chosen just a week before to visit Iceland as I was in Europe and even though at certain times of the year there are direct flights from Halifax (my home town) to Iceland it was actually cheaper for me to fly from Europe, by about half the price. If there was ever a time for me to visit Iceland now was the time.

To be honest I didn’t know too much about Iceland before I arrived except for:

1. If there is anything the Mighty Ducks movies ever taught me was the classic line “Greenland is full of ice and Iceland and is very nice.”

2. The Blue Lagoon – a geothermal spa with crazy blue water with magic healing powers and everyone who goes to Iceland goes there.

3. There are active Volcanoes – like the recently famous Eyjafjallajokull (which I learned how to pronounce! stay tuned for the video)

I kind of like traveling to new places without an overload of knowledge about a place, because I find it more fun to learn about everything while I am actually there experiencing it. One of the things I did know about was the Blue Lagoon and I also knew that many people visit there right after landing or right before they take off. Knowing I might have an overloaded action packed trip I thought what better way then to start my trip in this geothermal lava field of a country then hopping right in? Literally.

THIS IS THE BEST way that I have ever relaxed after a flight short or long. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Located only 20mins from the airport (40 mins from Reykjavik) I took a bus straight to the Blue Lagoon, starred in awe at the mossy lava field surrounding the Lagoon, put my luggage in the provided lockers, threw my bathing suit on and headed for a massage. Thats right people, I don’t kid around I said massage. A massage at the Blue Lagoon is like no other, and I had no idea what I was in for when the guy at the front desk told me to head to the Lagoon for my massage.

Tucked away in the left corner of the Lagoon is a massage area with massage beds sticking out of the water, which I assumed I would lay on, but boy was I wrong. I walked into the pool and met my masseuse an Icelandic lady that was very friendly, she oiled my back and then told me to hop onto the mat that was floating beside me. I did a double take as it was not an air mattress it was more similar to a yoga mat, but I jumped on and floated. What came next was some of the most lovely 30mins of my life. Once on the mat with a comfy pillow under my head I was covered with a warm but wet fleece blanket and was given a massage as I floated in the Lagoon. Every few minutes my body was dipped under the water to be warmed up, so relaxing, definitely the best massage I have had to date. (Video to come soon.)

The water in the Blue Lagoon is an average of 38 degrees Celsius and the water contains three natural active ingredients

1. Silica

2. Algae

3. Minerals

The water that heats the Blue Lagoon is entirely refreshed every 40 hours and comes from the output of a near by geothermal power plant. Most of the country actually runs on either Geothermal power or Hydro power. Also the Blue Lagoon is said to help cure psorasis patients and is meant to be very good for the skin.

One of the key elements at the Blue Lagoon that is great for your skin is the Silica. Available in buckets at the side of the Lagoon slathering the Silica on your face and leaving it to sit for 5-10mins is not only even more relaxing (if I wasn’t relaxed enough at this point) but it is also amusing to look around at everyone doing the same thing with their faces covered in white globs of stuff especially the men.

At this point I had become very very relaxed but there was one way of relaxing left that I hadn’t tried yet. I’m sure you all know what’s coming… a beer in the Lagoon of course! Everyone who enters the Lagoon is given a bracelet that allows them to enter, locks and un-locks their locker and also can be used to charge food and drinks onto so there is no need to carry your wallet. Brilliant.

You could honestly spend the whole day at the Blue Lagoon (they also have an amazing restaurant) I unfortunately had to leave as they were closing but I think 3 and a half hours there was just about enough. I liked it so much I thought about going back however my next few days in Iceland would keep me busy enough.

Stay tuned for more posts on Iceland as I will be adding a new one every day and catch up on yesterdays “How to Get Drunk in Iceland”.

Disclaimer: I was invited by the Blue Lagoon to visit however all views and opinions expressed are my own. I would of been crazy not to go here even without the added bonus of an invite! Hop on a plane and go there now already would ya!?

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