Reykjavik - Blue Lagoon or Secret Lagoon?

[AlwaysWantedToBeATenenbaum]

Hello! I'm off to Reykjavik at the end of October and am looking at tours - obviously the most famous is the Blue Lagoon but a lot of Golden Circle tours tie in the Secret Lagoon. I keep thinking I'll book it but may regret not going to the Blue Lagoon!
Any one ever been and can recommend?

I've been to the Blue Lagoon and it was honestly one of the best days I've ever had. Couldn't recommend it enough!

The blue lagoon is far superior IMO (I have done both on two different trips). The blue lagoon is stunning to look, almost breathtakingly so and feels like something out of another world where as the secret lagoon kind of just looks like a lake. Plus there are banks of silicone mud in the blue lagoon which is a great treatment for your skin, and the secret lagoon doesn’t offer this.

Is doing both an option? They’re both great for different reasons but I would recommend the blue lagoon more and think you might regret not going

I've only been to the secret lagoon. If your want luxury, spa facilities with jacuzzis, saunas and extras, then you need the blue lagoon, which will be busy.

If you just want the experience of a geothermally heated pool then the secret lagoon is just that, and way way cheaper than the blue lagoon. Less crowded, less money but less luxury.

If you're looking at yours out of reykjavic, I can highly recommend getting out along the south coast. About 4 hours from Reykjavik is the diamond beach, most amazing place ever. The icebergs carve from the glacier, float along the river and are then washed up on the black sand beach.

I could have stayed there all day. If you drive yourself you could spend a whole day between there and the lake just across the road and walk round it to the glacier.

The Blue Lagoon is amazing. I think you would regret not going, I'd go back to Iceland just to go there again.

Could you do both? I would have, if I'd had time.

The other thing we did was to visit one of the outdoor pools which are thermally heated in Reykjavik itself - that was fab too.

Thanks for all your replies - I'm just going to book the one as we're only there for 2 full days so want to pack in as much as we can. I think I'm swaying more towards the Blue Lagoon after reading lots of travel blogs this morning!
I've read about the outdoor pools Lord Emsworth so we'll maybe have a wee look into them if we have time!

The Blue Lagoon is not a natural hot spring. It's the run off from the power plant next door and they've just built a spa around it. it's ok but you have to pay to get in and then pay for all your treatments on top so if you're just swimming about in the Lagoon you wouldn't want to stay there for more than a couple of hours. It also gets very busy and you must book in advance. It's expensive for what it is. The good thing about it is that you can book it to go on your way from or back to the airport so if you do go for the Blue Lagoon then I wouldn't suggest using up time out of your days for it that you could use for something else. I've never been to the secret Lagoon but I would rather have gone to a real hot spring if I'd had the chance.

I’ve been to both. And I way preferred the Secret Lagoon. It was natural, less touristy & a very pleasant experience. We went in the evening & saw the Northern Lights whilst bathing. It was surreal.

Blue Lagoon left me cold tbh. Super regimented for tourists and we found it extremely stressful. But hey, whatever floats your boat

I have only been to the Blue Lagoon so can’t compare but it is amazing. Expensive but amazing!
I second the idea of going there on your way to/from the airport. They are pretty close together and a swim around the Blue Lagoon would be a good introduction/farewell to magical Iceland.
I am so jealous. One of the best holidays I’ve ever had. Hope you enjoy it too!

They were both amazing but the blue lagoon was so misty you could have been at any hot pool. However you get a free drink and free mud mask. The secret lagoon you can see the scenery, not a smooth bottom as natural hot spring. I preferred the secret lagoon I think.

Thanks all - It seems quite stressful actually getting to the Blue Lagoon so I've found a couple of tours that include a trip there for a couple of hours. I've printed out a map of all the pools in Reykjavik also so might give one of those a try aswell!

Then you want Laugardalslaug. It is awesome, and very clean.

My son and I went to one of the public pools in Reykjavik I really enjoyed it( and it was pretty cheap). My son (who has been to both the secret lagoon and one of the public pools) said he preferred the secret lagoon as it was quieter and he liked the pocks underneath his feet.
Also be aware in the public pools they make sure the you shower naked, as the pools have no chlorine in them.

From the Secret Lagoon website:

Do I have to shower without swimsuit before entering the pool?

YES. YES. YES!

Everyone have to do that. It is considered rude if you do not.

You have to shower and you have to be butt naked to properly cleanse yourself.

You have been warned!

I found the blue lagoon a real let down - overcrowded, overpriced and not very clean.

Try the public swimming pools - they don't have a spa feel but they're very reasonable, great mix of locals/tourists, no shrieking school groups, and super clean. We loved Vesturbaejarlaug.

Oh and do read up first on pool etiquette. Yes, you have to shower naked but it's fine. There are cubicles if you have shy teens with you.