T
he town itself may not be particularly interesting, but there are plenty of attractions waiting nearby. See an overview of them here: Attractions around Vik
Vik (actually Vík í Mýrdal), is the southernmost village on the main island of Iceland, located less than 200 km southeast of Reykjavík. Although it has only about 300 residents, it is very popular with tourists because of its beautiful surroundings.
Vik is often visited by those traveling the popular tourist route along the South Coast. It’s a great place to stop, relax and recharge your batteries.
T
he town itself may not be particularly interesting, but there are plenty of attractions waiting nearby. See an overview of them here: Attractions around Vik
Vik is at the heart of all the tours to the southern coast. Oftentimes this is the southeastern end of the tours to the so-called Golden Circle. This is also where the tours to the famous Katla ice cave start from (the only ice cave available year-round!). See these tours here:
- South Coast day tour in a small group (10h; $145 pp);
- Golden Circle & South Coast (Private tour) (11h; $1,600 for a party of 3; $1830 for a party of 7)
- Katla Ice Cave | Super Jeep from Vik (3h; $180 pp);
- Full-Day Katla Ice Cave & South Coast (11h; $535 pp);
But for all those who can spare one more day it makes perfect sense to stay the night in Vik, and on the next day go another 200 km / 125 miles or so west to see such attractions as the Fjadrargljufur, the waterfall Svartifoss, glacier Svinafellsjokull, Jokulsarlon Lagoon and “diamond beach” Breidamerkursandur.
This area is also visited on most 2-day tours (and 3-day tours) to the South Coast, like these ones:
- 2-Day South Coast Tour w/HOTEL – $555 pp;
- 3-Day South Coast Tour – $720 pp;
- 3-Day Tour To Jokulsarlon w. Glacier Hike – $760 pp;
Vik and Myrdal has a wide range of accommodations for every budget. There are also stores, cafes, a swimming pool (heated, but otherwise ordinary), and N1 and Orkan gas stations.
Additional attractions to visit when you have some free time include a store with woolen clothing and a workshop for its production (on the first floor), which you can visit – “Vik Wool Vikurprjon”, and an exhibition “Coast without a harbor” built around a Skaftfellingur boat, which is over 100 years old (Vik is the only fishing village in Iceland that does not have, and never has had, a harbor).
The village is located on a coastline famous for its black beaches. Just step out onto the beach just south of Highway 1 to see this Icelandic phenomenon. The black beaches here stretch far in both directions, but to reach the most famous one – Reynisfjara – you have to drive to the other side of the hill standing southwest of the town (head to Route 215).
Also nearby are the cliffs of Dyrholaey, with huge rock arches curving into the ocean. It is one of the best places for bird watching in Iceland. Because of its proximity to the Reynisfjall and Dyrhólaey cliffs, the village is a nesting site for the popular gulls, fulmars, nurzas, and in summer, one of Iceland’s charming symbols: the maskonur.
If you’re lucky, you can also spot seals on the beach and spot whales and dolphins in the coastal waters.
How to get to Vik and Myrdal
Vik and Myrdal is located on Iceland’s main ring road – Route 1 – about 200 km southeast of Reykjavik and about 270 km southwest of Höfn.
Winter Vik
