Iceland’s South Coast follows Ring Road 1 east of Reykjavík, past waterfalls, black sand beaches and glaciers. Skógar Museum sits 93 miles (150 km) from the capital, and Vík is another 19 miles (30 km) on. It suits road-trippers who want big scenery in short drives, and anyone who likes a waterfall walk before lunch.
Puffins nest in the Dyrhólaey cliffs from late April to mid-August, so that is the window for them. Rooms in Vík and along the coast fill up in peak season, and accommodation should be booked in advance.
At a glance
- Location: along Ring Road 1, Skógar Museum 93 miles (150 km) east of Reykjavík
- Getting there: Selfoss is about an hour’s drive from Keflavík Airport
- Southernmost village: Vík, in the center of Katla Geopark
- Puffins: late April to mid-August at Dyrhólaey
- Weather: Vík’s June highs reach 54°F (12°C)
- Entry for U.S. citizens: no visa for up to 90 days
Where is Iceland’s South Coast and what is it like?
Seljalandsfoss stands on road number 1, in postal code 861. Skógar Museum lies just off the Ring Road, 93 miles (150 km) east of Reykjavík and 19 miles (30 km) west of Vík. From there the road continues to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
The landscape is built from ice and lava. Mýrdalshreppur is bordered by Mýrdalsjökull glacier to the north, two rivers east and west, and black sand beaches to the south. Vík is Iceland’s southernmost village, and it sits in the center of Katla Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark. Farther east, Kirkjubæjarklaustur is the only built-up area in Skaftárhreppur.
History runs through the villages too. A nun monastery was established at Kirkjubær á Síðu in 1186, and the settlement later took the name Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Vík is a seaside village with a long maritime history, and it has never had a harbour.
Where to go in Iceland’s South Coast
Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi
Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall in the Seljalandsá river, plunging over the cliffs of Vestur-Eyjafjall. Seljalandsfoss lies right on Route 1, so it makes an easy first stop.
Gljúfrabúi is nearby, about 131 feet (40 m) high, standing on the land of the abandoned farm Hamragarðar. Pair the two falls in one stop, and you can walk behind Seljalandsfoss.
Skógar
Skógar is a good place for a rainy-day hour. The museum holds a collection of more than 18,000 regional artifacts in three spaces: the Folk Museum, the Open Air Museum and the Technical Museum.
It is open 364 days of the year, and Skógar Waterfall is one minute away. That makes it an easy museum and waterfall pair at any time of year.
Vík and Dyrhólaey
Vík is the base for the middle of the coast. Katla Visitor Centre is in the historical Brydebúð building, and Hafnleysa Maritime Museum is on the same street, Víkurbraut. The Lava Show is at Víkurbraut 5.
Dyrhólaey is a 394-foot (120 m) promontory rising out of the black sand just west of Vík. Its turnoff from Route 1 is well signposted, about 3 miles (5 km) west of town. Reynisfjall, a 1,115-foot (340 m) tuff mountain, rises near the village.
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur is the stop for travelers heading east. Kirkjubæjarstofa is an exhibition and study centre on the nature, history and culture of the region.
Kirkjugólf is an expanse of columnar basalt stone slabs, and Systrafoss is the waterfall where the river Fossá falls from the lake Systravatn above the village.
Hella
Hella sits by Ring Road 1 and works as a western base. Twelve man-made caves have been discovered at Ægissíða by Hella, four of them open to the public.
From Hella you are close to Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Þórsmörk, Geysir and Gullfoss. Stracta Hotel in Hella is about 62 miles (100 km) from Reykjavík.
What is there to do in Iceland’s South Coast?
Seljalandsfoss and the walk behind the falls
The main thing to do here is walk behind the waterfall. The cliffs of Vestur-Eyjafjall frame the drop, and Gljúfrabúi waits a short way along.
Seljalandsfoss is also a good first stop for anyone driving east. It is on road number 1 and needs no detour.
Dyrhólaey and the puffin cliffs
Dyrhólaey is one of the most reliable puffin spots in South Iceland. Birds nest in the cliffs from late April to mid-August. A small, square, orange-roofed lighthouse built in 1927 stands on the highest point of the headland.
The walk between the upper and lower parking lots is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) one way. Plan time for it if you want views from both levels.
Drones are forbidden next to the bird cliffs closer than 200 meters. Leave the drone in the bag here, and watch the birds with binoculars instead.
Glaciers, ice caves and Reynisfjall
Mýrdalsjökull glacier offers guided glacier hikes, year-round ice cave explorations, glacier-lagoon kayaking and snowmobiling near Katla volcano. Glacier activities can be done as a guided hike or an ice cave tour.
In Vík, the Icelandic Lava Show lets visitors safely see molten lava at 1100 degrees Celsius. The Katla centre has a free exhibition about Katla volcano and the Geopark.
Hikers can climb Reynisfjall for views over the Atlantic and bird cliffs. Ice caves run year-round, so they suit a winter visit when the puffins are away.
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
It lies 4 miles (6 km) from Road 1 via road F206. The bedrock is mostly palagonite from cold periods of the Ice Age, thought to be about two million years old.
There are no marked walking routes through the canyon itself. Hiking up the canyon along or in the river is strictly forbidden due to breeding grounds. Stay on the viewing paths.
The coast suits waterfall chasers, bird watchers and glacier walkers best.
Where to stay in Iceland’s South Coast
Vík and Kirkjubæjarklaustur are the natural bases for a stopover, with hotels, guesthouses and cottages plus restaurants and services. Selfoss and its surroundings make a convenient hub with hotels, guesthouses, apartments and countryside stays, about an hour’s drive from Keflavík Airport. Hella is another western base, and Hotel Klaustur in Kirkjubæjarklaustur is ideally located for trips to Vatnajökull, Laki Craters and Skaftafell National Park.
The region has design hotels, country lodges, farm stays, hostels, cottages and campsites. Hotel Vík í Mýrdal has 78 guest rooms, five cottages and 15 self-catering apartments. Hótel Kría in Vík has 72 rooms and 1 suite, and Hotel Katla near Vík has 103 en-suite double rooms. Black Sand Hotel, about 40 minutes from Reykjavík, has 70 rooms.
Smaller options include Hotel Kanslarinn in Hella with 21 rooms, and Presthús Evening Sun Guesthouse, a small farm near Vík with a shared kitchen. Book ahead, especially in Vík in peak season.
When should you go to Iceland’s South Coast?
Late spring and summer are the best window. Puffins arrive at Dyrhólaey from late April, and Vík warms up through June, when highs reach 54°F (12°C) and lows 45°F (7°C). June also brings fewer rainy days, 11, than the winter months.
January highs stay near 40°F (4°C), with 19 rainy days. Ice cave tours run year-round, so winter still works for glacier activities.
What to know before visiting Iceland’s South Coast
According to the U.S. State Department, no visa is needed for up to 90 days for tourism or business. No vaccinations are required.
- Passports must have 3 months’ validity beyond your date of departure from the Iceland/Schengen Area, and 6 months is recommended.
- Iceland does not accept the 12-page U.S. emergency passport for visa-free entry unless it has 3 months beyond your planned date of departure.
- Off-road driving in Iceland is strictly prohibited. Stay on authorized roads and tracks.
- At Dyrhólaey, flying drones closer than 200 meters to bird cliffs is forbidden.
- Camping inside the nature reserve needs a permit from the Environment Agency, including tents, motorhomes and campers.
Booking Iceland’s South Coast for November: what to know
Accommodation should be booked in advance, especially in Vík and along the South Coast during peak season. Rates for Black Sand Hotel are available via Travia.
Guided tours at Skógar Museum are available upon reservation in English, German and Icelandic for groups of ten people or more. Email [email protected] or call +354 487 8845. Ytri-Skógar Horse Rental is only available in the summer months, so it will not fit a November trip.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- visiticeland.com (https://www.visiticeland.com/things-to-do/skogar-museum/), checked 2026-10-30
- south.is (https://www.south.is/afangastadaaaetlun/moya/toy/index/place/seljalandsfoss), checked 2026-10-30
- south.is (https://www.south.is/en/destinations/towns/vik), checked 2026-10-30
- visiticeland.com (https://www.visiticeland.com/things-to-do/stracta-hotel/), checked 2026-10-30
- south.is (https://www.south.is/en/moya/toy/index/service/kirkjubaejarstofa), checked 2026-10-30
- south.is (https://www.south.is/en/travel-info/travel-blog/visiting-dyrholaey-what-to-know-before-you-go), checked 2026-10-30
- south.is (https://www.south.is/en/moya/page/the-south-coast-lighthouse-way), checked 2026-10-30