Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Iceland in November - what do we need to know?

37 replies

feetheart · 09/05/2016 12:11

We have an extended autumn half term this year and want to go to Iceland for a week - DH and I, DD (13), DS (10 though will have his 11th birthday there :))

Easyjet flights are currently cheap and I've started looking at AirBnB for accommodation but what hints, tips, advice and recommendations do wise MNetters have to help us plan our trip?
TIA

OP posts:
nmg85 · 12/05/2016 19:45

It is frowned upon to not shower naked and only an occasional tourist would risk it.

prettybird · 12/05/2016 19:48

Not that I've ever noticed - but then no-one is really looking. The signs are very obvious though.

This is probably the appropriate time to tell the embarrassing story about seeing the sign after I'd put my swim suit on, having to take it off and shower and then hurriedly put it back on again. I then went out and joined my two (male) work colleagues. It was only while we were sitting in one of the hot tubs that I realised that I'd put it back on inside out Blush - to my colleagues' great amusement GrinBlush

However, we all had embarrassing stories: one of my colleagues had forgotten to bring his swimmies so had to hire very tight speedos Grin. The other had boxer type trunks which, shall we say, inflated in one of the bubbling hot tubs Wink

OhYouBadBadKitten · 12/05/2016 20:30

the showers are honestly fine. We went to all sorts and even my teen dd coped. Just pretend you are invisible.

RomComPhooey · 12/05/2016 21:51

I'd say it is embarrassing for the first couple of days & then you get over it.

Original poster
feetheart · 12/05/2016 22:26

This is all brilliant, thank you so much. There is no way we would get such an insight with a guidebook and Google Flowers
The rest of us won't have a problem with the showering but DD has always been self-conscious and is at 'that age' as well. She's going to have to get over herself though (said in true caring mother fashion :o) as it won't stop us. Actually it might help her in the end.

OP posts:
nmg85 · 12/05/2016 22:55

Usually the thought of it and worry is worse than the actual task.

prettybird · 12/05/2016 23:05

Ds - 10 when we went - still occasionally mentions the man mountain that dh and he saw in the changing room - sooooooo fat that you couldn't even see any genitals due to the rolls of fat. But it was his size that he found surprising, not his nakedness.

Trifl32016 · 15/05/2016 00:13

Iceland is very cold, but beautiful

Wear lots of layers, good shoes or boots, hat, gloves, scarf, water and wind proof jacket

If you are staying near Reykjavik public transport is good and there are plenty of tours that you can join to visit Blue Lagoon, Golden circle, northern lights, south coast. Most tours pick you up and drop you at your accomodation

I would not recommend driving a car

There are plenty of food choices, you dont have to eat puffin or whale, you will find; pizza, Indian, Thai etc, but no Macdonalds. There are supermarkets if you want to self cater. Soups were warm and welcoming in restaurants

Worth a visit

Godstopper · 15/05/2016 00:27

We got married in Thingvellir Park. Anyway,

  • Northern Lights early on as will be able to go again if not visible.
  • Golden Circle must.
  • Take note of exchange rates so you don't spend £80 on a moisturiser in the Blue Lagoon like me.
  • Maybe trip to the James Bond lagoon (cannot spell it) if companies running it.
  • Puffin watching.
  • Whale watching.

Reykjavik v.small. Try Viking museum, the tall church.

You'll love it Smile

katonic · 15/05/2016 09:28

Just one thing to check before you book dates, there's a massive music festival which takes over the whole of Reykjavik in the first week of November called Iceland Airwaves. If you're there while it's on it will be really buzzy with lots of people and impromptu gigs in shops and bars and cafes so great atmosphere and you won't need to buy tickets specifically as a lot of events are free. However accommodation might be much more expensive and booked up and restaurants will be busy. Depends what you like! Of course if you don't stay in Reykjavik long then it won't really affect you. Iceland is amazing, we went in November (to the festival) and while it was freezing, we did see the northern lights right over Reykjavik and it was very easy to hire a car for a couple of days, the roads are all kept free of ice by the geothermal heat I believe, so very easy to get around. Cheaper than paying for tours for 4 people! The roads are very quiet and there aren't many, so easy to find your way! Just don't stray off road....

RomComPhooey · 16/05/2016 22:51

Is the James Bond place Jokulsarlon? If so, it is majestic! Well worth a trip, but quite a way from Reykjavik - might be better with an overnight stay.

RomComPhooey · 16/05/2016 22:52

You get fined for straying off the road because the local flora/ecosystem is so fragile - €1000 IIRC.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page