A Quick Guide to Iceland (19 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Iceland )

Who wouldn't want to visit Iceland? If you are planning a trip to this majestic land of Ice and Fire, here are some tips I discovered during my recent Summer trip. Sharing is caring. 

The Day We Ate Svið (Sheep Head) in Iceland

Introducing, the dish that gave me 3 days of nightmare. Hence, I felt like it deserves a special blog post. 

10 Best Activities in Iceland (Summer)

To truly understand the Icelandic culture and the people, it is important to look further past the beautiful landscape and amazing sunsets (after photographing them, of course!). Instead, dig deep into the roots, soak up the Icelandic lifestyle, appreciate the evolution of its cuisine, learn about the geology, respect the nature and the invisible people of Iceland... and you will be greatly rewarded. 

20 Food You Should Not Miss In Iceland

I once thought Iceland being an isolated country surrounded by the sea, has little resources and raw material, resulting in limited food choice. I've never thought that one day I would be interested in Icelandic cuisine, until my first Icelandic dish was sent to my table-- Reindeer and puffin appetizer. The Icelanders are survivors. They are creative in developing a unique set of national cuisine, making the best out of limited raw material. This guide serves as a rough introduction to Icelandic cuisine. 

If you've tried something exceptionally good in Iceland, or straight-out weird, which is not yet on the list, let me know by commenting below! Let's start a discussion, everyone is welcome. 

Solution to Visiting Iceland Without a Driver License: Bus Passport

"Hi, your Iceland posts inspired us a lot, thank you. I have a huge problem, I hope you can give me some suggestions: I don't have a driver license... but it seems to me that my trip would be ruined without one. My friends keep telling me to learn now, but the thing is, I am really afraid to drive in a foreign country... Is hitchhiking easy in all of Iceland? Is there any other choice for us? Thank you in advance..."

Solution: Bus Passport!

Iceland: Bike Tour in Reykjavik

Our initial plan was to cycle the Golden Circle, just like what my friends Jessica and Chris did exactly a month ago. However, despite everything looking relatively close on the map, biking from point A to point B actually takes time, as the roads in between are usually windy (plus, a lot of stamina involved, so nay!) We felt quite sorry for the failed plan, however, our spirit were once again lifted up by another brilliant suggestion from Reykjavik Bike Tours: We’ll be joining a morning bike tour to experience the culture and hidden gems though the locals’ eyes. 

My Icelandic Horse Riding Experience In Reykjavik

I wasn’t really a big fan of horse riding due to a damaging childhood experience— falling down from the back of a horse (an fully grown, adult horse!) at the age of 9. I heard that Icelandic horses are different from regular horses, most importantly their size and personality and I've seen pictures of them, so I was convinced to give horseback riding another chance. 

How To Rent Camping Gears In Iceland + My Experience

After dropping our luggage in BSI Reykjavik, we walked to the city center to pick up our camping gears. Iceland Camping Equipment Rental is located in the heart of the city and from the street, you’ll be able to see their office which is located on the second floor. 

Iceland: Puffin and Whale-Watching in Husavik with North Sailing (Eco-friendly)

The quaint town of Husavik is well known for whale sighting, so since we were stopping by, embarking on a journey out to the Arctic Ocean was the most natural decision made. I found out that the Puffin Island was nearby, so to kill 2 birds with 1 stone, we booked ourselves onto the 4 hours Puffin+whale watching tour by North Sailing. 

Things You Have To Know Before Camping In Iceland

I recently went on a press trip to Iceland, well basically press trip means my tours, activities, hotel stays, hostel stays are all sponsored or paid for. But guess what, I did not go for the easy stuff because I like torturing myself (as some of you might think). I rejected most accommodation offers, and I went tent camping in the wilderness instead, without a Wi-Fi hotspot, or a car, or a plan. Was I crazy? Probably yes, I almost broke down trying to set up my tent in the harshest weather in South Iceland, but if life were a movie, I’d probably click on that God-damn replay button again and again.   

Here are some things you have to know before you make this big decision to camp. 

Food Affair: An Affordable Feast For The Whole Family In Iceland @ Bryggjan, Akureyri

At the Akureyri Tourist Information Center, the girl at the counter recommended us The Bryggjan restaurant for a casual meal. Since it was quite a short walk away and the fact that it is connected to another amazing restaurant in Akureyri— Strikid, we found ourselves heading east towards the harbor at the edge of “Old Town". 

A 12-Days Round Iceland Self-Drive Trip Itinerary

Day 1 

Moscow-Riga-Reykjavik : all necessary preparations

I took AirBaltic, a budget airline which serves indirect flight from Moscow with transit in Riga, Latvia before reaching Keflavik International Airport. 

How I Spent Only 474$ (RM2092) On A 12-day Round Iceland Trip With A Car: Budget-breakdown and 20 Tips

Two months ago, I had a chance to explore Iceland with 3 friends. We decided to rent a car and self-drive the whole journey without consulting a tour operator. Our journey around Iceland took us 12 days and we did it within a budget of 474$ (RM2092), not including flight ...Here is exactly how we did it. 

7 Tips To Know Before Renting A Car In Iceland

If you are a group of 2 or above, have a driving license and aren't direction idiots, opt for a car instead of frittering away hundreds of USD for private excursions.

From my latest trip to Iceland with 3 friends, it’s proven that it is much more worthy to drive your own car and besides economical consideration, it’s also the best way to explore the beautiful country at our own whim instead of sticking to rigid timetable (You should understand why without much explanation…)

Top 5 Must-Visit Destinations in NorthEast Iceland

In my previous post about Iceland, I have shared about the things to do in the Northwest region, and now, what about NorthEast Iceland which is equally appealing and beautiful to the eyes that behold it? It is always a waste that tourists have always skipped these unchartered regions of Iceland for those over-crowded tourist spots in the south of Iceland and of course the area around the capital, Reykjavik.

Food Affair: A Modern Twist On Traditional Icelandic Cuisine by Matur Og Drykkur, Reykjavik

        A month prior to my Iceland trip, I was thinking of bringing food from France into Iceland. I know some Icelander must be rolling their eyes right now but don't exit this page yet. You can't really blame us, I've never seen Iceland make the cut in any "foodie capitals" lists, all I knew about Icelandic Food was rotten sharks and creepy sheep heads I once saw on the Discovery Channel and you know it did not help with the situation. Utterly lost, I’ve turned to the Tourism Board for advice. Their reply was prompt, attaching several restaurant recommendations and they spoke highly of Matur Og Drykkur, a newly opened restaurant that induces an innovative, exciting modern twist to local food fare. While I am not such a risk taker when it comes to food, I gave it a second thought… why not for once I'll be adventurous, experimental, just for Iceland. And the result? Exceptional. Matur og Dryykur took my taste buds out for a Helluva-ride... Let me tell you this: there's only one thing you should do now-- Bookmark this for future use.     

THE UNCHARTED TERRITORY OF ICELAND: NORTH AND WESTFJORDS

North and Westjords of Iceland are area less travelled by if compared to the Ring-Road and the south of Iceland, which are well endowed with natural beauty like beautiful glaciers and endless cascading waterfalls. 

ICELANDIC GOURMET FEAST--- You Won't Want To Miss This!

Food... it strikes us with excitement and ignites our mood ALL THE TIME, I guess all Malaysians can definitely relate to this... yeah, we, who hail from a country dubbed as the "Food Paradise" know the best. So my first post about my trip to Iceland, it’s none other than an entry to recommend a good restaurant in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. 

Food Affair: Fine Dining In Iceland with Strikid, Akureyri

After a whole week camping out in the wilderness of Iceland eating mediocre camping food, I’ve finally had enough. So I researched online in search of the best restaurant in Akureyri, and handpicked Strikið Restaurant and Bar to take care of our first splurge dinner in Iceland. It is voted by travelers as one of the top 3 restaurants to visit in Akureyri, at first, I was a little wary of it being a tourist trap, but turned out, it was not only good, it went beyond my expectation.  

WAKING UP IN: GALAXY POD HOSTEL, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND

After camping out in the wilderness of Iceland for a full week, I’ve lived my wildest dream. Finally, it was time to get back into reality and I am glad that the Galaxy Pod hostel was there to help me with the transition. I stayed at the Galaxy Pod hostel for a day before catching my flight out of Iceland. I did quite an extensive research on the hostels in Reykjavik, the more I read, the more I felt assured that this was the best hostel to spend my last night in Iceland, and so, I clicked the "Reserve" button…