Shelter from the storm in the Laugarvatn Fontana Spa

What to do in Iceland on a cold and stormy winter night? Dip into the comfort and safety of a geothermal pool, of course!

On the last day of Christmas – January 6th in Iceland – I took off with a Reykjavík Excursions tour to the Laugarvatn Fontana Spa, south Iceland's main attraction for locals and tourists alike. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes from Reykjavík but in rough winds it was 1,5 hours. So if driving there by yourself, be sure to reserve enough time according to the road and weather conditions.

As everyone in the bus stared into the darkness, tour guide Jóhannes told stories about the Icelandic elves and ghosts and the history of the Laugarvatn region. Laugarvatn, located in south Iceland, has been a steam bathing hot spot for the locals since 1929 and has now been modernized to serve up to 200 visitors at any given moment. It has steam rooms built on the hot springs, heated by exactly the amount of steam naturally rising up from them – and also one steam room with a stove.

Upon arrival to the Fontana Spa, the winds are so strong they almost whisk everyone straight inside the main building. Everyone is given a key to a locker and the option to rent a towel or a bathing suit if needed. Then, it´s off to the dressing rooms and the pools.

There are not many outdoorsy things as exhilarating as stepping out from the warmth of the shower room into gale winds shooting into your skin, then quickly pacing into a geothermally heated hot spring and staring into the pitch black night sky. It´s a surreal experience, really, sitting amidst natural rocks, the warm mineral water (said to have healing and beautifying effects!) and witnessing people from all around the world having their first hot spring experience.

A Japanese tourist had defied the horrible weather conditions of the day and recapped his drive through the dark roads, while relaxing in the sauna. He was wondering how to drive back safely and a young American couple recommended he drive behind the bus. An Italian group discussed the possibility of seeing northern lights that evening in one corner of the geothermal pool. An American couple sitting in the steam room were excited by the flow of the steam rising from the spring below them.

After a soothing spa experience the Laugarvatn Fontana Spa treats their visitors to a buffet dinner, with traditional Icelandic foods from seafood to meatballs to vegetarian alternatives – and of course desserts. The unique item in the buffet, though, is the famous rye bread.

The rye bread is baked fresh every day by the geothermal heat from the ground. Yes! The Fontana employees go hunting for good places in the surroundings to dig holes into the ground where they leave the bread to bake for 24 hours. Fontana employee Snorri Elís says the facility bakes at least three loafs of rye bread a day – and it gets harder to find good places to bake them, because the demand is rising and the hot springs can actually die out or move around.

Even though the Laugarvatn Fontana is located on the popular Golden Circle route and has a lot of visitors all year round, the spa is usually not overcrowded. There are tours to the Fontana Spa (also ones just to see the making of the rye bread!) and it´s an easy drive away from Reykjavík for those who have a car. I was so lucky to be on one of those northern lights tours which gave me the oppurtunity to marvel at the amazing northern lights while soaking in the geothermal pools of this wonderland.

As the tour bus started off again into the darkness, the happy and relaxed faces of the people leaned on the bus windows. Up until our tour guide said „BOO“ into the microphone. In Iceland, you never know if a ghost got on board as well.

Sini Koskenseppa

for Berjaya Hotels