Diamond Beach

Diamond Beach sits at the edge of Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where chunks of ancient ice — some hundreds of years old — wash up on a black volcanic sand shore. The contrast is genuinely surreal: crystal-clear and electric-blue ice against obsidian sand, with the Atlantic crashing behind it. You can walk right up to the ice, crouch down beside pieces the size of armchairs, and watch the light shift through them as the tide moves everything around.

The beach changes by the hour. Icebergs calve from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier into the lagoon, drift slowly to the sea, and end up here — so no two visits look the same. Come in winter and you might find ice glowing faintly under the northern lights. Come in summer for nearly 24 hours of light to photograph in. Either way, arrive early morning to beat the tour buses and have the shore mostly to yourself.

Diamond Beach is about 370km from Reykjavík along the Ring Road — a long drive, but most visitors combine it with a glacier hiking tour on nearby Sólheimajökull or a boat tour on Jökulsárlón itself. If you're planning a South Coast day trip, build in at least 45 minutes here. You'll want them.