Route 1 and Beyond - A Self-Drive Guide to Iceland: The South Coast

Driving from Reykjavík to Vík is a marvellous introduction to the Ring Road, and this eBook, expanded and updated for 2026, is your step-by-step guide to the sensational South Coast.Here you will find an amazingly diverse natural environment filled with magnificent must-see landscapes.Everywhere you look, the views on the South Coast are simply staggering, with three main attractions – waterfalls, glaciers, and black sand beaches.Waterfalls – see two of the most captivating cascades in EuropeThe vast glaciers that top the mountains and volcanoes inland send surging currents of crystal-clear meltwater down their dark sides, crashing and tumbling over the cliffs. The two most well-known waterfalls on the South Coast are Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, which both plunge off the sides of Eyjafjallajökull. This famous volcano exploded into the news in 2010, sending ash clouds high into the sky and grounding air traffic for days.Glaciers – witness the power of Nature as these massive rivers of ice carve their way through Iceland's mountain rangesAs well as wonderful waterfalls, the South Coast is the realm of grand glaciers too, including Sólheimajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. These vast tongues of frozen snow and ice have been shrouding the tops of the mammoth mountains and volcanoes for centuries, slowly advancing and receding, depending on the climate at the time.Black Sand Beaches – take a walk on one of the most beautiful beaches in the worldThe South Coast is home to a natural film set – a dramatic panorama of endless volcanic black sand beaches crowned at Reynisfjara, the most iconic of them all. Hexagonal basalt columns that resemble an enormous church organ hug the high cliffs on one side. Just offshore, the dark fingers of the Reynisdrangar point ominously into the sky. From here, you can see the sheer stone sea arches of Dyrhólaey in the distance. The vistas from this beach are surreal and otherworldly, almost ripped from a sci-fi movie set on an alien world.The South Coast is a unique place of natural splendour - a non-stop jaw-dropper, with one mind-blowing view after another. The frozen blue wonders of ancient glaciers, the cinematic seascapes of the black sand beaches, and the parade of astonishing waterfalls make it an unmissable destination.Take a look - you'll see!