Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Diamond Beach (Fellsfjara) is the black sand beach where icebergs from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon wash ashore, on the south side of the Ring Road in Southeast Iceland. It is about 375 km, or around 5 hours' drive, from Reykjavík, open all year with no entrance fee, and most people spend 30–45 minutes there. It is easiest to see on a South Coast tour or a self-drive trip with a night near Skaftafell.
Diamond Beach in Iceland is the name travellers give to Fellsfjara, the stretch of black sand next to Jökulsárlón. Ice breaks off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, drifts across the lagoon and floats out to sea through the short channel under the Ring Road bridge. Waves and currents then push many of the pieces back onto the beach, where they sit on the dark sand like scattered jewels and slowly melt.
The ice ranges from small, glass-clear fragments to blocks the size of a car. Some pieces are deep blue, others white or streaked with black volcanic ash that was trapped in the glacier long ago. No two visits look the same, because the amount of ice depends on recent calving at the lagoon, the wind and the tide.
The beach and the lagoon are really one system, and both are part of Vatnajökull National Park. Jökulsárlón, just across the road, has grown quickly over the past century as the glacier has retreated, and it is now one of the deepest lakes in Iceland. Plan to see the two together: the lagoon for the floating icebergs and seals, the beach for the ice on the sand and the open Atlantic behind it.
Is it worth the long drive? For most visitors, yes. Together with Jökulsárlón it is one of the highlights of the south coast. But it is a long way from Reykjavík, so it works best with a night in the Skaftafell or Kirkjubæjarklaustur area, or on a guided day tour where someone else does the driving.
You can walk between the lagoon and the beach along the shore, passing under the Ring Road bridge, rather than over it. The national park asks visitors not to walk across the bridge itself, as it is narrow and busy. Many people simply drive between the car parks.
Diamond Beach is a nickname. The real name is Fellsfjara, and it is part of Breiðamerkursandur, the wide plain of black sand and gravel laid down by glacial rivers in front of Breiðamerkurjökull. Sandur means sand, and the glacier tongue is an outlet of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.
As the climate warms and the glacier retreats, ice breaks off its front into Jökulsárlón every day. The icebergs drift around the lagoon, sometimes for years, until they are small enough to float down the short river, under the Ring Road bridge and out to sea. The surf then throws many of them back onto the sand on either side of the river mouth.
By the time they land, the waves and the wind have polished and carved them into smooth, clear shapes. Clear ice on black volcanic sand catches the light like cut glass, which is where the name comes from. How big the pieces are depends on how long they spent in the lagoon and in the sea: some days it is thousands of small 'diamonds', other days large blocks sitting high on the beach.
The ice washes up all year round, but there is no guarantee on any given day. Low tide usually leaves the most ice on the sand.
The beach and the lagoon are at the same spot, so you can park at either. There are three car parks, and one parking fee covers all of them for the day.
You can come on a day tour, a private tour, a multi-day tour or in your own rental car. Which one suits you depends mostly on how much time you have.
The beach is full of life. Seals are often seen swimming in the river mouth and in the lagoon, and sometimes resting on the sand or on the ice. The path between the beach and the lagoon is a good place to watch them. Keep your distance and do not get between a seal and the water.
Seabirds are everywhere in summer, including Arctic terns and great skuas, which nest on the sands around the lagoon. Both will defend their nests, so stay on the paths. It does not happen often, but orcas have been seen from the shore here. One of us has seen it once, and it is still the best moment we have had on this beach.
How much ice is on the beach changes from day to day and cannot be predicted in advance, since it depends on calving at the lagoon, the wind and the tide.
There are no services on the beach itself. Across the road at Jökulsárlón there are toilets and a café, and the national park has information about the area. The nearest fuel is at Skaftafell to the west or Höfn, about 80 km to the east, so fill up before you go.
There is no village at the lagoon. Most visitors stay at hotels and guesthouses between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón, around Kirkjubæjarklaustur, or in Höfn about an hour east. Hotels near the beach can be added in our trip planner, and our 5-day South Coast and Glacier Lagoon self-drive package includes two nights near Skaftafell, so you have a full day for the lagoon and the beach.
On the south-east coast, next to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and south of the Ring Road (Route 1), inside Vatnajökull National Park. Its local name is Fellsfjara.
A black sand beach where icebergs from Jökulsárlón wash back ashore after floating out to sea. The ice on the dark sand looks like scattered diamonds, which gives the beach its name.
About 375 km, roughly 5 hours by car without stops. Most people visit on a 2-day trip or a long full-day tour.
Drive east on Route 1 to Jökulsárlón; the beach car parks are just past the bridge. Without a car, join a guided tour from Reykjavík.
Tides change daily, so check a tide table for the south coast before you go. The amount of ice depends more on calving and wind than on the tide, so a visit at any time can be good.
There is no entrance fee for the beach. A parking fee applies in the Jökulsárlón area, charged by Vatnajökull National Park.
Between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón, around Kirkjubæjarklaustur, or in Höfn about an hour east. Book early in summer, as there are few places to stay.
Yes for most visitors, especially combined with Jökulsárlón. If you only have a day or two, a guided tour saves you about 10 hours of driving.
Tours and trips that include Diamond Beach, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
PRIVATEPrivate Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Tour from ReykjavikFrom 279,900 ISK per group
MULTI-DAY2 Day South Iceland TourFrom 77,361 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY2 Day South Coast TourFrom 80,404 ISK per person
SHORE EXCURSIONGlacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach Tour From Djúpivogur PortFrom 29,990 ISK per person
MULTI-DAY2 Day South Coast Private TourFrom 659,980 ISK per group
PACKAGE6-Day Iceland Winter PackageFrom 238,500 ISK per person
