Iceland holds some of the most beautiful and unique sights in the world. The ring road is an 800 mile highway that circles around the outer coast of the island. I didn’t have enough time to drive the whole ring road, but I was lucky enough to see some of the sights on the southeast coast. This route can be done in two days from Rekyjavik or along the ring road, and there are lots of places to camp or stay along the way. The sights below are some of my favorite stops along the way.

Seljalandsfoss

The first stop after leaving Rekyjavik is Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall towers at 200 feet and is unique because there is a path to walk behind it. The cave underneath the falls can be slippery, so watch your step! It was amazing to see the thundering gallons of water falling from the perspective of being behind it looking through.

Gljufrabui

Just a five minute walk from Seljalandsfoss is Gljufrabui, a little known waterfall cave. This was one of my favorite sights along the way because it was much less busy than Seljalandsfoss and a really interesting sight. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’ll be surrounded by green moss and the sharp rock walls of the cave. It feels as though you’ve been transported into a different world, enchanted with the magic of the forest.

After walking a short distance along the cliffs heading Seljalandsfoss, you come upon a small creek headed into the cliffside. Hopping from rock to rock you must duck into the cave and crawl to get to this luscious green wonder. You may have wet feet by the time you enter, but it will be worth it for this towering fall. Be prepared to get wet because the mist will surely get you a bit damp. This little known treasure was one of my favorite places to see in Iceland, and I highly recommend it.

Skógafoss

Skogafoss is another classic sight along the southern coast of Iceland. This fall drops just over 200 feet making it one of the biggest falls in the country. There is a misty pool at the bottom where people gather to be up close and personal with the fall. There is also a staircase that leads to the top of the falls where you can see a double rainbow if the weather is right!

From the top of the falls, there are quite a few short hiking trails leading to gorgeous nearby swimming pools. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go see them, but it sounds like they would be really fun to visit for a quick dip if the weather is nice.

Reynisfjara: Black Sand Beach

The Black Sand Beach is probably one of the most popularly visited attractions in all of Iceland. People come from far and wide to walk in the soft, dark sand and see the puffins nest in the caves. It was really beautiful, but very crowded when I went during the day, but when I returned around sunset the crowds had dispersed a bit leaving us with a little bit more serenity.

Walking along the path over the rock formations on the beach yielded unique views and even though it was raining off and on that meant there were some beautiful rainbows throughout the day. One thing to remember about the black sand beach is don’t go in the water! There are dangerous riptides threatening to carry you out to sea. A few people drown here each year, so be very careful and if you have kids keep them close to you.

Reyniskirkja

This little known church at the top of the hill in Vik has a really beautiful view over the small town. It’s a small stop but perfect for a picnic lunch or just to take a break before the long drive ahead.

Svartifoss

This short hike was one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland. I didn’t do much hiking while I was there and I felt like maybe that was a big missed opportunity, so it was great to hit the trail for this short loop. Svartifoss was an amazing ampitheater made from dark natural lava columns highlighting the central cascade.

The trail to the falls was very busy when we hiked the most direct loop but on the way back we hiked the lesser traveled side for some much needed solitude. Along the way there are a few other falls that were beautiful, but less dramatic than Svartifoss so they’re often overlooked. I loved this hike around to all of the different falls and look forward to returning to do some more hiking in the area soon.

Breiðamerkursandur: Diamond Beach

The diamond beach was easily my favorite stop along the south coast of Iceland. I had seen photos before I visited, but when I got there the icebergs that were washed up on the sand were breathtaking. The ice ranged from crystal clear to icy blue with some pieces truly looking like small chunks of diamonds. We visited early in the morning after staying not too far away, so we had the entire beach to ourselves and I loved every second of it. I spent over an hour just walking up and down taking it all in. Definitely the highlight of my trip to Iceland.

Jökulsárlón: Glacier Lagoon

The glacier lagoon across the street from diamond beach was very interesting to see with large chunks of ice scattered throughout the water. The ice was bright blue in some spots and the water was calm even though it was quite windy. We could see seals popping their heads out of the chilly water and it was really serene so early in the morning. I didn’t spend too much time here because I had to get to the other side of the glacier for ice climbing, but I think this would be a really fun place to come back to at some point in the future to kayak up closer to the glacier pieces.

This tour around Iceland’s southeast coast was by far the best part about my trip and so worth all of the driving it entailed. Each of the different stops were beautiful in their own unique way, and I look forward to visiting again when I have more time to hike and explore. The best part was that it was much less busy than the Golden Circle and there were more opportunities to get off the beaten path away from the tour buses. Below is a map of each of the attractions and some campsites that we saw along the way that would be convenient to stay at.