One of Iceland's most visited and admired natural wonders is the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón. It is a lagoon or a lake at the end of a glacier tongue. When the ice breaks from the tongue, it floats on the lake, melts, and finally floats out to the Atlantic Ocean. The location is just perfect on the coastline by the main road circling around the island, Road Nr. 1. This easy access is one of the reasons the lagoon is so popular. You are basically in proximity to astonishing melting icebergs that recently fell from the glacier just by parking your car. Just around the corner by Jökulsárlón, another lagoon, Fjallsárlón is also quite accessible but smaller and not visible from Road Nr. 1.
Although smaller Fjallsárlón has an advantage
Approximately 10 kilometers before you come to Jökulsárlón from the west, there is a turn on your left to Fjallsárlón. A new service center has opened, and you can also take a tour of the lagoon. You can stop by the parking lot by the service center and over a small hill, and you will have the lagoon Fjallsárlón in front of you. As the lagoon is much smaller, you have a better view of the whole lagoon and the edge of the tongue where the icebergs fall into the water. This part of the glacier tongue is very photogenic and adds a perfect background to the lagoon.
Access to Fjallsárlón is easy
Although not visible from the main Road Nr. 1, often referred to as the Ring Road, Fjallsárlón is practically on the Ring Road. It is about 110 kilometers east of the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. When you stop by the parking lot, you need to walk a short path over the hill north of the parking lot to see the lagoon.
If you're planning to tour Iceland in a rental car, make sure to read this article about the type of car that would be best for your trip.
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