Most travelers in Iceland have heard of the Blue Lagoon, but have you heard of the Sky Lagoon?
The Sky Lagoon is Reykjavik’s newest hot attraction, as having just been constructed in 2021. Despite being almost brand new, it has already gathered quite the popularity.
Since opening in the spring of 2021, it’s been a hit with both locals and tourists, as many flock here to indulge in the spectacular hot pools overlooking the sea.
But still, it remains far less visited than the Blue Lagoon making it a much less crowded experience (for now).
I’ve spent a great deal of time in Iceland these past 2 years and have visited a TON of geothermal baths.
In this article I’ll give an honest review on whether the Sky Lagoon is worth the visit. Then, I’ll dive into details on how to visit the Sky Lagoon for yourself if you decide that it is.
Here is a local’s opinion on the Sky Lagoon in Iceland and how to visit in 2023!
What is the Sky Lagoon?
The Sky Lagoon is a fairly new geothermal spa in Iceland.
This vision came to life as a collaboration between a construction company and a travel experience provider, with the end-goal of designing an unmatched top-tier spa in Iceland.
The idea behind the Sky Lagoon was to incorporate aspects of Icelandic culture and natural elements to create the ultimate Icelandic bathing experience.
As a result, you’ll find replicas of some of Iceland’s most famous features here.
From tall volcanic rock walls, to an onsite waterfall, and even a grass-roof turf house, a visit to the Sky Lagoon is more than just a hot bath. It’s a chance to immerse yourself into different facets of Icelandic heritage.
How much does it cost to go to the Sky Lagoon?
When visiting the Sky Lagoon you have 3 different packages to choose from: the Pure Lite Pass, the Pure Pass, and the Sky Pass. Depending which package you choose, visiting the Sky Lagoon will cost between 7,990 ISK – 13,990 ISK per person.
The Sky Lagoon package you choose will depend on the experience you’re after.
Sky Lagoon: 7 Step Ritual
A core feature of the Sky Lagoon is the chance to experience the 7 step ritual. This ritual includes: a sauna, ice bath, an invigorating mist shower, full body scrub, and a steam bath.
Only 2 of the 3 passes allow the visitor to do the ritual.
Pure Lite Pass
This is the most basic experience option, and costs 7,990 ISK (roughly $50 USD) per person. This package gives you access to the lagoon, the swim-up bar (drinks not included), public lockers and showers.
This is the cheapest option, and is subject to availability. It does not allow access to most amenities in the 7 step ritual.
Pure Pass
This pass allows visitors to go through the seven step ritual. It costs 9,990 ISK (roughly $70 USD) per person, and access to the public changing facilities.
Sky Pass
The Sky Pass is the most indulgent and exclusive of the three passes. It costs 13,990 ISK (roughly $100 USD) per person.
This allows visitors to go through the 7 step ritual, with access to a private changing facility once completed.
You also get access to their signature Sky Lagoon Lotion.
Other Costs to Visit the Sky Lagoon
The sky lagoon has a swim up bar inside the lagoon. Unlike the Blue Lagoon, no drinks are included in your ticket price.
A beer costs 1,400 ISK while an Aperol Spritz is 2,390 ISK. Each visitor is limited to 3 drink purchases per visit.
Towels, shampoo, hair dryers and lockers are all free of charge.
Blue Lagoon vs. Sky Lagoon
There is no doubt that the Blue Lagoon is easily one of the most iconic Icelandic attractions. This is largely thanks to its close proximity to the airport and of course its gorgeous, signature blue waters.
Truth be told, the Blue Lagoon is in fact bigger, more famous, and offers a lot more onsite amenities than the Sky Lagoon. Things like their spa packages and the onsite restaurant and hotel make it a more complete experience as well since you can literally stay here for days if you can afford it.
Visitors do tend to spend more time at the Blue Lagoon as there are simply more facilities.
One major downside to the Blue Lagoon is that it’s way more crowded and insanely touristy. The Blue Lagoon also costs more than the Sky Lagoon, with the cheapest entry ticket costing about $70 USD (Sky Lagoon starts at $50 USD).
Many visitors also report disliking how salty and murky the Blue Lagoon feels and may crave a gentler geothermal bathing experience.
The Sky Lagoon is much smaller than the Blue Lagoon, but also sees less people (as of now). The water is also clear, not salty, and overall more gentle on the skin meaning you can get it on your face and hair without feeling a stinging sensation.
It’s not as big as other geothermal baths in Iceland, so visitors can really only spend a couple hours here before they’ve enjoyed it to its maximum capacity.
But the Sky Lagoon’s greatest advantage is definitely the views. With its unbeatable location overlooking the sea, the views here alone make the Sky Lagoon better than the Blue Lagoon in my opinion.
How much time do I need in Sky Lagoon?
Most visitors will spend a couple hours here, making it a perfect half-day activity.
The 7 step ritual itself takes about 2 hours to complete. Aside from that, you may spend another hour or two soaking in the lagoon and enjoying the views with a cocktail.
I definitely wouldn’t rush through the Sky Lagoon because the whole point is too relax! I’d say a visit of about 3 – 4 hours will be enough for most people.
That includes time to enjoy a few drinks in the lagoon and shower afterwards. If you’ll want to cozy up by the indoor fire and bar afterwards, you may want to spend 5 – 6 hours here.
What is the best time of day to go to Sky Lagoon?
If you are visiting in winter, spring or fall, then I’d say coming 1 or 2 hours before sunset is the best time to aim for.
This is undoubtedly the most crowded time of day, but it never gets too bad. Plus, those sunsets are too good to miss so it’s totally worth it!
If you are visiting in summer, the sun never sets so you can really visit any time of day and experience something similar. Many people like to enjoy the baths after a long day hiking or sightseeing.
As a general rule, if you come in the morning you’ll enjoy seeing far less people.
Best Month to Visit the Sky Lagoon
Any month is a good month to visit the Sky Lagoon.
In winter, you have shorter days and longer nights. This means you could get lucky and experience a northern lights show from the Sky Lagoon during opening hours.
If you are visiting in Spring and Fall, the weather can be hit or miss. On the upside, there are far less people around than in summer and you have the chance to view amazing sunsets every evening.
In summer, you have the midnight sun, meaning the sky stays bright 24 hours a day. This season usually sees the best temperatures and overall weather, ideal for spending time outside overall.
Visiting Iceland in Winter? Read: How to See Northern Lights in Iceland
What to Bring to the Sky Lagoon
When visiting the Sky Lagoon, you really only need to remember to bring your bathing suit and maybe a plastic bag to keep your wet clothes in afterwards. Even if you forget those, you can borrow a swimsuit for about 800 ISK onsite.
Soap, shampoo, towels and locks are all provided free of charge.
Everything you bring needs to be stored inside a locker. You can’t bring cameras or money into the lagoon, but you can bring your phone.
Keep in mind there aren’t any perfect places to keep your phone safe from the water in the lagoon. I did see some people bring waterproof phone cases and dry bags to counter any potential phone damage.
How to Get to the Sky Lagoon
If you are renting your own car in Iceland, then it’s a very straightforward 10 minute drive from downtown Reykjavik to the Sky Lagoon.
In fact, you can even see the famous Hallgrimskirkja Church in downtown Reykjavik clearly from the Sky lagoon parking lot.
There is plenty of parking and it is free of charge.
If you are without a car, the Sky Lagoon does offer transfer services to and from Reykjavik. For more information on that, click here.
What to Expect at the Sky Lagoon
Once you arrive at the Sky Lagoon, you’ll be prompted to get in line and either check-in or purchase one of their passes. If you’ve purchased your pass online, you’ll only need to go through the check-in process.
While you can buy passes the day of, I’d recommend booking your pass online as early as possible. This is because there is a limited daily capacity, so there is always the chance that they will be sold out on the day of.
I visited in March recently, and only the Pure Lite Pass was still available when I arrived in the afternoon. I was told that in summer, these passes are sure to sell out days if not weeks in advance, so do plan ahead of time.
You can book a visit at the Sky Lagoon by clicking here.
1. Checking In
After you check in and receive a wristband, you will enter the changing rooms.
Those with the Sky Pass will have access to a private, more exclusive changing room, while the rest will enter a public changing room.
In the public changing rooms, you’ll choose any locker available, and use your wristband to lock it after yourself. You’ll really only bring your swimsuit, your phone, your wristband, and maybe some sunglasses to enter the lagoon.
Be sure not to lose the wristband, as this is what you’ll use to open a tab at the bar, and to open your locker later.
2. The Lagoon
Before entering the lagoon, you’ll need to shower with soap. This is to maintain the hygiene in the pools.
After showering, you’ll enter a room that looks like a cave where you’ll enter the pools.
The Sky Lagoon is comprised of a single, large geothermal bath that sits at about 38 degrees Celsius at all times.
Once in the pools you’ll feel like you are somewhere deep in Icelandic nature, as you are surrounding by craggy volcanic rocks emerging from behind thick steam clouds.
Once you turn the corner, you’ll enter the main part of the lagoon overlooking the sea. The main part of the lagoon is essentially an infinity pool, with the edge of the lagoon seamlessly blending into the sea beyond.
There are some benches and seats in the lagoon if you go further to the right side where you’ll also find a hot waterfall.
To the left, you’ll find a grass-roof hut, which is the entrance to the saunas and ice baths.
3. Swim-up Bar
Near the sauna entrance is another small, enclosed section of the lagoon. This is where you can find the swim-up bar located in a rock cave.
There is some seating here as well, but I don’t recommend it as it stays continuously crowded throughout the day.
To purchase drinks, you’ll just need to use your wristband which already has your card info saved from when you checked in.
From the bar, you can purchase draft beer, cider, juice, wine and even cocktails here. You are limited to 3 per visit, so definitely save one of those for sunset as the ultimate sundowner.
4. Ice Bath
If you’ve purchased the Pure or Sky Pass, you’ll have access to the sauna and other additional amenities from the 7 step ritual. To be honest, this ritual is more like 5 steps if you don’t include the lagoon and shower.
Your ritual begins after you get through the lagoon and head into the enclosed area inside the grass roof hut. Once inside, you have the option to take an ice bath.
Ice baths are deeply engrained in Nordic culture, an Iceland is no exception. It’s believed to boost immunity, improve blood circulation, tighten skin and even help you relax. While the last bit is definitely debatable, I’d recommend trying it at least as it’s part of the 7 step ritual.
5. Sauna
After the ice plunge, you’ll get to relax in the authentic wooden sauna. This sauna has one wall entirely made of glass, where you’ll be able to take in the stunning views of the ocean while you relax.
People usually aim to stay in the sauna for 10 – 15 minutes at a time for maximum health benefits.
The heat and steam help open up pores and purge them of impurities and bacteria. It’s also believed to aid in muscle recovery, to sooth any soreness from those Icelandic hikes.
Saunas are another staple in Icelandic life, and the custom is to alternate back and forth between sauna sessions and ice plunges a couple of times for the ultimate immune system booster, and quite unbelievably, as a means of relaxation.
6. Sky Body Scrub
After the sauna, you can go into a cold mist shower that honestly doesn’t do very much in my opinion.
Following this step, you will then indulge in a full body scrub. The scrub is provided by the Sky Lagoon, and is comprised of some signature ingredients.
Honestly, I could not totally tell what the ingredients were when using it, but from the website, I gathered that its comprised of sea salt and various nut and seed oils.
It was a pretty basic scrub, but it felt good and was able to remove the dead skin that had started piling after the sauna.
7. Steam Bath
After the scrub, you can enter a steam bath to further open up the pores and relax. After this, visitors are instructed to shower off to remove any remaining scrub, thus completing the 7 step ritual.
Most people will go back into the lagoon to relax even further after the ritual.
8. Smakk Bar
After the lagoon and showering off, you may head inside to the Smakk Bar, where you’ll find a beautiful fireplace and a sleek, cocktail bar.
You can relax by the fire with a drink, and wind down after an amazing day. If you are hungry, there are small bites you can order to sample some quintessential Icelandic foods.
I didn’t try the food, but it looked really good. If you are really hungry, head over to the Sky Cafe instead. I had some soup and can confirm that it’s the perfect treat after the lagoon.
Be sure to drink some water too, as the hours spent in hot pools and saunas will greatly dehydrate you.
My Honest Sky Lagoon Review
After visiting the Sky Lagoon twice, I can honestly say that it is 100% worth the hype.
The views are unmatched, and I can’t stress how amazing it taking in those ocean views from the comfort of the sauna and geothermal bath.
On top of that, the design of the Sky Lagoon is simply breathtaking, as it does a great job in capturing the essence of Icelandic landscapes and scenery. As far as aesthetics goes, this is by far the most beautiful lagoon in Iceland.
The Sky Lagoon is also cheaper than the Blue Lagoon, with the cheapest entry being about $50 USD while the Blue Lagoon starts at $64 USD (but usually a lot more).
If faced with the choice of choosing the Sky Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon, I’d choose the Sky Lagoon.
In fact, if you can only visit one geothermal bath in Iceland, The Sky Lagoon is my top pick for aesthetic beauty, location, and value.
My only complaint (or rather, my boyfriend’s complaint) is that unlike other geothermal bathes in Iceland, the Sky Lagoon only has one hot pool. Usually, a true Icelandic bath involves several hot pools at different temperatures.
And what’s more, there is only one sauna, and the temperature is not really super hot. So, for people who take saunas seriously and want to bath for health and sports recovery purposes, the Sky Lagoon may fall short of expectations.
Instead, opt for Fontana in Laugervatn, or the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri for a more diverse range of pools and at different temperatures to alternate between.
Where to Stay
The Sky Lagoon has no hotel onsite. Luckily, the capital city of Reykjavik is just a few minutes away.
There are many great hotels to choose from in Reykjavik, but I can definitely recommend The Exeter Hotel and the Sand Hotel for location, style and value.
FAQ About the Sky Lagoon
What do you need to bring to the Sky Lagoon?
You really just need a swimsuit and sunglasses on sunny days. Towels, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lockers are all provided by the Sky Lagoon. They also have hair dryers for use after the pools.
Which is better the Blue Lagoon or the Sky Lagoon?
The Blue Lagoon is bigger, more famous, and has a beautiful signature blue color. It’s also more expensive and extremely crowded. The Sky Lagoon has the best views, less people, and is more affordable. The water is also milder, making it more enjoyable for bathers.
Is it worth visiting the Sky Lagoon at night?
The sky lagoon is open until 10 pm in the evening. The evening is generally more crowded than mornings, but with little views, aside from possible northern lights in winter. Opt to come around sunset instead.
Is the Sky Lagoon kid friendly?
No, the Sky Lagoon is for guests who are 12 years old and up. I did not see any teenagers there any of the times I went and it seems mostly catered to adults.
Kelly says
Is it a private shower / changing room or are you naked in front of others? Going next week & need to prepare myself.
Jacqueline says
Hi Kelly! There are stalls in the shower room so you have privacy. If that’s not enough, you can opt for the premium package which has private changing rooms.