Vík í Mýrdal

Vík í Mýrdal, also known as Vík, is a village in South Iceland. The area is dominated by Mýrdalsjökull, the glacier which is home to Katla, one of Iceland's fiercest volcanoes. It's about half way along the south coast, the largest settlement in the surrounding area and it's one of the few villages on the sandy beach that makes up most of the south coast of Iceland.

Understand
Vík is a very small village, with about 300 inhabitants.

The village and the surrounding countryside are in constant danger of floods that might result from a potential volcanic eruption, which has been expected for many years now.

On the other side of the village lies the Atlantic Ocean which is treacherous in these parts, waves can be big and small boats easily get swallowed up if the crews are not experienced enough. While there is no reason to worry about the volcano if you're a tourist, you should be very careful going into the ocean — there have been cases of tourists drowning when caught by waves on the beach near Vík.



Get in
Vík is located on Iceland's famous Ring Road. There are few other roads in the area.

Vík is located 187 km (116 mi) east of Reykjavík, and Vík is 270 km (178 mi) southwest of Höfn. The drive from Keflavik International Airport, which has rental cars available, is about three hours.

Strætó operates buses from Reykjavík to the. The trip is about 3 hours 40 minutes, including a 50-minute layover in Selfoss (departs 12:00, arrives 15:42) or, in the summer, Skógar. The bus generally operates seven times a week, although weekend and holiday schedules sometimes vary. Bus fare is 38-70 kr.

There are no airports located near Vík.

Get around
Vík is absolutely tiny (1.5 km/1 mi at its widest point), so walking around the village is easy. For the many amazing sites in the surrounding area, however, it's a good idea to have a well-equipped car, preferably with four-wheel drive, because many of the interesting sights are only accessible via gravel tracks. Alternatively, most hotels can help arrange transportation to many of the popular sites around the area.

Do
There are many activities to be enjoyed if you are visiting Vík í Mýrdal. If you are into hiking you will find endless routes to take advantage of — there isn't another settlement in a radius of over 60 km so you will not be disturbed by much on your walks. Jeep tours are available as well as different types of guided tours for those who enjoy bird-watching, want to look at geologic formations, explore a glacier or even see a crashed U.S. Navy airplane.

Buy
You can stock up on food from the local grocery store here because there are no other nearby supermarkets. If you want to buy any alcohol head up for the state-run liquor store.

Eat
There is a good choice of eateries in Vik suitable for most tastes and budgets. Fish and lamb are some of the more popular items on most menus. Vegetarian options are available at nearly all restaurants.

Drink
As most restaurants also serve beer and wine, you can have a drink in a variety of settings in Vik. From the more informal and easy going atmosphere of the Strondin Bistro and Bar to the more formal surroundings of some of the hotel bars like the Icelandair Hotel. A few have happy hour specials with cheaper drink prices in the late afternoon.

Sleep
You can find a variety of accommodation options here, however it can get very busy during the summer months so it's a good idea to book well in advance.

Connect

 * Free wifi is often available at hotels, restaurants, and stores.

Stay safe


Do not go into the ocean at the black sand beach. The ocean waves and the undertow are much more dangerous than they appear. The beach itself is perfectly safe if you stay on the sand and keep a distance away from the water's edge. Tourists have died in the ocean.

Go next
From Vík it's only about 140 km (87 mi) by the ring road to Skaftafell, the most popular entry point into Vatnajökull National Park. Kirkjubæjarklaustur is the nearest village to the east, similarly small but with 4x4s it's possible to drive up into the highlands from there. To the west lies Hvolsvöllur, 80 km (50 mi) away, and further afield are the more popular destinations of South Iceland such as the Golden Circle.

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