Iceland for 3 days in July
Jun 28th, 2002, 06:38 AM
#1
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Iceland for 3 days in July
We're heading to Reykjavik for 3 days in July. I've got the guesthouse reserved and am now looking for advice on activities.<BR><BR>It looks like you can visit the Blue Lagoon via bus from Reykjavik for much cheaper than the tours. Is there any benefit to a tour over the bus?<BR><BR>I'm debating over the Golden Circle tour vs. driving on our own. Any thoughts?<BR><BR>For the third day, I'd like to do something where we can see some wildlife-whales, puffins, etc. What is the best day trip from Reykjavik to do this?<BR><BR>Is there another recommended company besides Reykjavik Excursions?<BR><BR>Any recommendations for a good place to have a fish dinner?<BR><BR>Any recommendations for shops to buy silver jewelry?<BR><BR>Thanks for any advice, I'm planning with a short time frame and trying to get as much info as possible!
Jul 2nd, 2002, 02:34 PM
#2
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Been there several times - the bus should be just about the same price. Most of the tours do more than the lagoon itself. (and include the entrance to swim which the bus would not)<BR><BR>Unless you plan on driving past the geothermal area and Gullfoss, as in stay over night some where further on down the coast, then it doesn't make sense. You have some time, but at 3 days I wouldn't think enough to do that. The Golden Circle tour is very good and has lots to do.<BR><BR>Whale watching you need to travel up north for the most part, check into some of the tours, but I suspect it may be a longer trip than you want to do. For puffins, depending on time of year, ask one of the tour guides about what's best. The southern coast trip is generally a very good puffin watching place. (second most popular trip after the Golden Circle) It's more expensive but a plane ride to some of the more remote islands would be the best wild life watching.<BR><BR>Many things are nationalized in Iceland - travel is one of them, in one way or another Icelandair, Reykjavik Excursions, the bus transfers to the hotels, and even some hotels themselves are all government owned.<BR><BR>You can get good fish just about everywhere. For a real interesting dinner (but not cheap) try the hotel top restaurant in the Saga Hotel or maybe Perlan.<BR><BR>Sorry, don't know anything specific about buying silver there.<BR><BR>PS Do try riding the Icelandic horses, it's an easy thing to do just after you get to your hotel. Buy sweaters or other wool items, one thing that's comparatively cheap in an expensive country.
Jul 3rd, 2002, 06:37 AM
#3
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Thanks for the response Geoff!<BR><BR>It appears to be about twice as much to do the Blue Lagoon tour with Reykjavik Excursions over the bus (4900 ISK vs. 2380 ISK) based on what I'm seeing on the websites. I just wondered if the bus tours went anywhere interesting besides the Blue Lagoon.<BR><BR>There's another company, Destination Iceland, (www.dice.is) that looks like it has an interesting blue whale watching trip. Has anyone heard of them? It is an all day trip but that's OK.<BR><BR>Any other advice would be appreciated!
Jul 3rd, 2002, 04:32 PM
#5
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There's iceland excursions at www.icelandexcursions.is<BR>They have 4 buses that go the blue lagoon. It's 2100kr but doesn't include the 800kr entrance fee. <BR><BR><BR>On my recent trip to Iceland we did the Blue Lagoon and Reykjanes tour. We spent about 1 1/2 hours at the lagoon. I enjoyed the scenery but the tour guide didn't talk much.
Jul 5th, 2002, 05:40 PM
#7
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hi...The tour to the blue laggon you mentioned usually includes a tour of the rekayanes peninsula...and a tour of the geo thermal plants near bye. I recentlt was there in May.. Reykavic excursions were very good for Whale watching remember if you see no whales which is a deffinate possibilty you recieve a ticket for next day..Dont laugh my freind went twice to see whales and saw none also puffins may be out of season or only on the westman islands we saw a few and it was mating season in may.....Ps you will love it i sure found iceland to be fun and exciting
