Last Updated on December 25, 2021
5 Awesome things about Iceland
No cash needed – I was in Iceland for 8 days and did not use any cash only my credit card. They accept it everywhere. I even saw public bathrooms where you could pay with your credit cards.
Safety – Iceland is one of the safest countries in the World. If you decide to rent a camping van, RV or just travel around camping you will have no problem to find safe, free places to stay.
Tap water quality – you won’t need to buy water in Iceland, just bring an empty bottle and fill it up from the tap. They do not add any chemicals to their water and it tastes great! It is drinkable natural spring water. The hot water is also natural, however, it smells like sulfur, I would recommend heating cold water for hot drinks and cooking.
24-hour daylight – if you go in the summer you will have 24 hours of unlimited discovery time. Of course, you will have to go sleep sooner or later, however, you won’t have to worry if you get to your point of interest too late, you will be able to see everything.
You are not alone for long – if you travel alone you want to make sure that you won’t be stranded if something happens. I didn’t have a cellphone, I was worried if something happens with the car, I will be alone. It didn’t happen, but it made me feel safer after I’ve noticed that sooner or later, even in the most remote roads someone will drive by.
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free wifi – at gas stations and restaurants you will always find free wifi. This can be important if you cannot use your cellphone.
5 Bad things about Iceland
Public bathrooms – there are not so many… They have lots of picnic parking areas all over the country but they come with no bathrooms. Many businesses do charge when you use their bathroom unless you are buying something.
Very few nice days – I spent 8 days in Iceland and 6 of them was cloudy, foggy and rainy. I know Iceland is in a colder climate, but even in summer you most likely have to wear sweaters, multiple layers and bring a rain jacket. I would also recommend bringing a hat to keep your head warm.
Expensive – Iceland is very expensive. They have to export most of their food because of their cold climate. Get ready to pay at least twice as much for food and gas than in the U.S.
Gravel roads – being one of the most developed countries I was surprised that Iceland still has many gravel roads. When you drive the ring road, you will find that some section of it is gravel, full of bumps and holes. I was driving hours on gravel road, I really didn’t enjoy it. I was worried that my tires will give up. Luckily that didn’t happen. I would suggest buying gravel protection insurance when you rent a car.
Low speed limits in rural areas – they have 90 km/h (about 55 MpH) speed limit in rural areas, most main roads. This is very slow. Don’t you think that you will avoid getting a ticket if you are not an EU citizen! I’ve read countless stories online where American people got tickets months after their trip. They have speed cameras installed all over the place in most cases you will see a sign beforehand but it is easy to miss. Cops also use speed cameras in many areas. Be careful!
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Not handicap friendly – handicap people would have some problem visiting Iceland. Many beautiful places require for you to walk at least 5 minutes from the parking lot, I hardly even saw handicap parking spaces. Not even talking about some sights where you have to climb down or up to see something. Lots of stairs everywhere.
