So you’ve decided to book your tickets to the Blue Lagoon. Good for you! Soon you’ll be soaking up the cool Icelandic air, while enjoying the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon. But what exactly do you need to bring to the Blue Lagoon? What kinds of things are provided by the site? Is there a place to put all your things? Fear not, for I have compiled the Ultimate Blue Lagoon Packing List for just this reason.
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Luggage Hold
If you are visiting the Blue Lagoon on a layover, or traveling there by bus either to or from the airport, odds are you’re going to have some luggage with you. If your bags are bigger than the typical carry-on size, the Blue Lagoon has its very own luggage storage facility, where you can safely store these belongings. Each piece of luggage costs 600ISK to store in the luggage holding facility.
I recommend placing everything you need for the Blue Lagoon into a smaller bag and bringing that along with you. You will not really have access to your large luggage pieces while enjoying the Blue Lagoon. The facility is located a short walk from the main attraction site, and you won’t want to be going back and forth to get the items you need.
Personal Lockers
Once you have checked in at the lobby, you will receive an electronic bracelet to wear during your time at the Blue Lagoon. This bracelet will give you entry to your locker, which is included in the entry fee. The locker rooms are huge, and there are many lockers available. Simply pick one that’s open and store your things inside. When you close the locker, you will have a limited amount of time to scan your bracelet and sync the locked locker with your bracelet. Then, when you need to open it again, scan your bracelet and the locker will pop open.
Blue Lagoon Packing List
Swimsuit
The Blue Lagoon does not allow any skinny dipping. You will have to bring along your swimsuit in order to enter both the water and the saunas. However, there aren’t any rules about the type of swimsuit you can bring. I saw everything from the good, old-fashioned one-piece, to the suit that I’m not even sure you could call a swimsuit. If you are a more modest swimmer, it has been approved for visitors to wear t-shirts and shorts over a swimsuit.
Hair Ties and hair pins
To avoid letting your hair have contact with the water and ending up all dried out and brittle, you’ll want to tie it up securely on your head. The more secure, the better.
Shower Sandals
Locker and shower rooms are just kind of gross altogether. The Blue Lagoon staff is really diligent about keeping them clean, but I’d still consider bringing some sandals to wear in the showers.
Water-proof camera
If you plan on taking some photos while you’re enjoying the Blue Lagoon, consider bringing a water-proof camera. I saw so many people gingerly walking through the lagoon, with their cell phones held high above the water. I’m sorry, but if my phone is susceptible to water damage, I would have a heart attack walking around with it in the water. A waterproof camera? No worries at all!
Dry-case for selfies
But if you insist on bringing your phone in the water with you, please at least consider putting it in a dry case. Find something that will make the phone waterproof, but still useable. You could try getting a Lifeproof case for it, or even just something simple like a dry sleeve.
Sunglasses
On the occasional sunny day in Iceland, it is a good idea to protect your eyes with sunglasses. This is especially so in the Blue Lagoon, because the sun can reflect off the water and cause damage to your eyes.
Sunblock
You’ll also want to make sure that you use some kind of sunblock if you visit the Blue Lagoon on sunny days. Just because you’re submerged in water does not mean your skin is protected from the sun. Using a light layer of the sunblock can help protect your skin from burning.
An extra towel
The use of a Blue Lagoon towel is included in the price of entry. However, I found the towels to be a bit thin and not long enough to go around my body. It probably wouldn’t hurt to bring an extra towel of your own. Especially one that’s not white and can be identified easily when you get out of the lagoon. It can be hard to find your Blue Lagoon-issued towel among the sea of identical towels.
Silica-removing shampoo
If you just can’t resist dunking your head, or are particularly worried about your hair in the Blue Lagoon, why not bring along a small bottle of silica-removing shampoo? Known more commonly as “Clarifying Shampoos”, these are special shampoos that work to strip the minerals out of your hair. Follow this up with your favorite conditioner, and you are good to go! A few shampoos you can try are:
Body lotion
The water from the Blue Lagoon can make your skin feel a bit strange. To me, it was like my skin was both oily and dry at the same time. If you don’t want to spend money on the expensive line of Blue Lagoon skin care products, I recommend bringing a small bottle of your own body lotion. This will help rehydrate your skin and help with the strange feeling.
Things You Don’t Need To Pack
Conditioner
Unless you prefer to use some kind of specialized hair conditioner, you can leave conditioner off your Blue Lagoon packing list. The showers all have huge containers of hair conditioner and you are welcome to use as much as you need.
Body Soap
In addition to the conditioner, the Blue Lagoon also supplies unlimited basic body soap in the showers. Again, unless you are particular about the soap you use, you don’t need to worry about providing your own body soap.
Hair dryer
Some people can’t stand to go out with wet hair. Luckily, the Blue Lagoon provides several hair dryers for your use, free of charge. They are located in the locker rooms, along the walls where the large mirrors are. In this area, they also supply cotton swabs and cotton balls, in case you need these items as well.
Wet-stuff Bag
Wondering what to do with your sopping wet swimsuit after visiting the Blue Lagoon? They don’t have any dryers on site, and it’s actually not recommended to throw your suits into a dryer right away. This can cause the silica to get stuck in the fabric and potentially damage it. Instead, remove your suit in the showers and rinse it thoroughly, while wringing out the excess water. Then, place your suit into one of the complimentary plastic baggies until you can let your suit hang to dry or until you can properly wash it.
Lock
As mentioned before, the lockers provided by the Blue Lagoon have their own electronic locks that are synced with your bracelet. For this reason, you don’t have to supply your own locks for the Blue Lagoon lockers.
Want more info on what to expect during your visit to the Blue Lagoon? Here are 21 things to know before you visit!
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25 Comments
This is really useful! It can be hard to know what to pack for hot springs and water parks and things like this, and each location is slightly different. And I’m impressed by those high-tech lockers – I’ve never seen ones that lock using a bracelet before!
I loved this post! Iceland is definitely on my list of places to go and I love how helpful this post was about how best to prepare. I agree, shower sandals are always a must!
Wow, this looks so wonderfully luxurious – is this in Iceland? That country is most definitely on my hit list, I might have to see if I can visit here while I’m there!
Yes! This is for the Blue Lagoon in Iceland 🙂
Great useful tips for all those who want to go to the Blue Lagoon! Iceland is not really on our bucket list since we’re not fans of the cold Northern temperatures lol, but if we ever go there we now know what to bring and what not! (Because I would definitely have brought a HUGE hairdrier! haha…)
Honestly, the summer temperatures aren’t bad. I wouldn’t say shorts and t-shirts, but you can get away with just a sweatshirt a lot of the time!
Great tips! The water is such a marvellous colour. Iceland is so full of surreal landscapes. I’d love to go someday.
The water is amazing! I was convinced the photos I’d seen were photoshopped, but it really is that bright blue in person!
Thanks for the practical information about going to the Blue Lagoon. It sounds like a fascinating place, and one where you want have the right gear with you.
Very useful tips. Not sure if I’ll ever go there, but the tips about the waterproof camera and the mobile case are useful for any watery attraction.
You know, I’ve been to Iceland a few times and I am yet to go to Blue Lagoon. These tips are great as I’ve always wondered whether you could visit Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport.
Visiting on the way to the airport is a great idea! Just give yourself enough time 🙂
Great advice, would have liked to have read this before we visited the Blue Lagoon a few years ago. We muddled through though! And particularly helpful tips on the shampoo / conditioner side!
I have yet to visit Iceland but when I do I will definitely go to the Blue Lagoon. Pinning your packing list for when I do.
What a super informative post. So many people write about the lo ation, but I’ve never read about the facilities. Great tips about washing your hair and suit to get the silica out. I love that they have large suitcase storage for those on a layover
I went to the Blue Lagoon when I visited Iceland for the first time last December – and I have to be honest, I didn’t really rate it. I found it overpriced and very touristy – though agree that the facilities that they provided for the tourists were very good. I went to other spas and pools when I was on my road trip to the West Fjords this year, and these were much more “authentic”. I’d recommend trying those next time you’re in Iceland x
Oh no, the Blue Lagoon is definitely not “authentic”. But I’d say its a unique place to visit at least once.
Wow, this steaming waters sure look inviting! You’ve put together a really good and complete list that will make the visit certainly easier.
It’s funny that you have to wear a swimsuit in the sauna.
At the SPA where I’m going (almost on a daily basis), it is strictly forbidden to wear swimwear in the saunas for hygienical reasons. You have to be but naked and sit on towels so no part of your body touches the wood. Other times, other manners.
It’s funny how rules like that change from place to place!
A very useful post, which makes me absolutely want to go to Blue Lagoon. It’s great to see a list of what not to pack as well: we’re often overpackers — take too much with us. Would never have thought of the need for silica removing shampoo, but a great idea. Will save this for the time we finally make our way over to Iceland.
Thanks for the tips! I fly back and forth between Spain and LAX a few times a year and this year I’m aiming to book a WOW Air flight with a stopover in Iceland specifically to visit the Blue Lagoon! It’s good to know about the shampoo and conditioner and to be reminded about the waterproof camera. One question – did you notice if there is luggage storage at the airport? I’d prefer to leave my bags there and just bring a daypack along with me instead of lugging everything to the lockers at the lagoon. Thanks!
I am going there in Sunday and this is just what I needed!!! I never would of packed a smaller back of all the things needed! Such a good idea!!
Good call on the sunscreen! I definitely would have not even thought about it and ended up red as a tomato!
Thanks for helpfull tips! We’re going this Easter, can’t wait!
When you say swimsuit, does that include bikinis?
Yes, bikinis are just fine! 🙂 Enjoy!!