Secret or Blue Lagoon?

Which is better, the Blue Lagoon or the Secret Lagoon?

Neither wins outright. The Secret Lagoon is the natural, simple and cheaper soak on a Golden Circle day; the Blue Lagoon is the polished spa with treatments, near Keflavík airport.

Think about what you want from the hour in the water. Here is how it usually falls out:

• You want something old and natural. The Secret Lagoon. It is the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, made in 1891, and hot springs around it supply 100% of the water.
• You want a spa day. The Blue Lagoon. Even its Comfort admission includes a towel, a Silica Mud Mask and a drink, with a sauna, steam bath and a colder lagoon.
• You are doing the Golden Circle anyway. The Secret Lagoon, which many Golden Circle tours from Reykjavik include in the day.
• You land or fly out the same day. The Blue Lagoon, on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the airport.
• You are watching the budget. The Secret Lagoon: ISK 4,500 against the Blue Lagoon's from ISK 12,990.

Is the Secret Lagoon as good as the Blue Lagoon?

For a natural hot-spring soak, yes, and many people prefer it. It is a different kind of good: a small, old pool with a gravel bottom and geysers by the path, not a resort.

The Secret Lagoon is fed by the springs of Hverahólmi: Vaðmálahver, Básahver and Litli Geysir, which spouts every few minutes. The water flows all the time and is fully replaced in 24 hours, and the lagoon adds no chemicals, which is why the naked shower before you go in is strict. You sit at 38-40°C on gravel and lava pebbles, with steam drifting off the springs and, in winter, snow on the hills around Flúðir. Gillian, Apr 2026: "Lovely relaxing and natural surroundings."

The Blue Lagoon is geothermal seawater from the nearby Svartsengi power station, per Wikipedia, in a lava field near Grindavík. Its own figures: an area of around 8,700 square meters, an average of 37-40°C, and depth under 1.3 m. It is bigger, bluer and built around treatments. Two good places; pick the mood.

What are the differences between the Secret Lagoon, Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon?

Location and style. The Secret Lagoon is a natural pool in the countryside, Sky Lagoon a designed oceanside spa in the capital area, and the Blue Lagoon a large seawater lagoon on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

All four lagoons people compare run at much the same temperature, so the real differences are price, place and feel. The figures below are the ones each lagoon (or Wikipedia, where marked) publishes. Prices are the cheapest admission; the Sky Lagoon price is the GetYourGuide from-price for its entrance pass with the 7-step spa ritual.

Which lagoon in Iceland is the best?

The one that fits your route and your budget. By style, the Secret Lagoon suits a natural soak; by convenience, Sky Lagoon suits a Reykjavik evening and the Blue Lagoon an airport day; Laugarás suits a spa stop with lunch on the Golden Circle.

Weigh it on four things:

• Style. Old and natural (Secret Lagoon) or designed spa (Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Laugarás).
• Price. Of the ISK prices the lagoons print, the Secret Lagoon is lowest at ISK 4,500, then Laugarás from ISK 6,900, then the Blue Lagoon from ISK 12,990. Sky Lagoon's pass is from $118 on GetYourGuide.
• Location. On the Golden Circle: the Secret Lagoon and Laugarás. In the capital area: Sky Lagoon. Near the airport: the Blue Lagoon.
• Time. Whatever you choose, you need an hour and a half to two hours in the water to settle in.

Our view: if you only have room for one lagoon and you are spending a day on the Golden Circle, take the Secret Lagoon. It costs little, it comes with the day, and nothing else in Iceland feels quite like that old pool.

Which is better, the Secret Lagoon or Laugarás Lagoon?

They are neighbors on the Golden Circle with opposite characters: the Secret Lagoon is old, simple and cheaper; Laugarás is newer, with saunas, a cold pool and a restaurant.

Laugarás Lagoon sits in the village of Laugarás on the banks of the Hvítá river. Its own FAQ lists a two-story lagoon at 38-40°C, a cold pool, two saunas, swim-up bars, a grotto and the Ylja restaurant. Admission comes in four levels: Birki from ISK 6,900 to 9,900, Lerki (with a towel and a drink) from ISK 9,400 to 12,400, and two packages with a meal. Children under 5 are not allowed in the lagoon.

The Secret Lagoon keeps it plain: one price, three pools, the hot springs and Litli Geysir, and a café. Want both? Some people pair the old pool with a second, spa-style soak; the Laugarás Lagoon ticket is from $54, and our Laugarás comparison goes deeper.

Is 2 hours enough at the Secret Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon?

For the Secret Lagoon, yes: the lagoon itself says the average stay is 1.5 to 2 hours. At the Blue Lagoon, every admission gives unlimited access, so plan for the spa extras on top of the soak.

At the Secret Lagoon, 2 hours lets you do a slow lap of the main pool, sit in the hot paddling pool, take the cold plunge and walk the path to watch Litli Geysir go off. Individual guests have no time limit, so with the entry ticket you can stay until closing. Tours set the time: 1.5 hours on the Golden Circle, Kerid and Secret Lagoon tour, 2 hours on the day trip and the aurora combo.

The Blue Lagoon has more to fill the time: a mask bar, sauna, steam room, steam cave and an in-water bar. People doing it before a flight should leave room for the drive to the airport as well.

Can you get your hair wet in the Secret Lagoon?

Yes. The Secret Lagoon says its sulphur-rich water does not damage hair, so you can put your head under after washing it in the shower. Take off silver jewellery: it can change color.

The lagoon's FAQ adds a second reason to leave rings at home: the bottom is a deep layer of gravel, and anything dropped is very hard to find. Soap and hair dryers are provided in the changing rooms.

The Blue Lagoon is the one with the hair question, and its own advice on bluelagoon.com is clear: the water is not harmful, but its minerals can leave hair dry and tangled. Put conditioner in before you go in and leave it there, tie long hair up, and rinse, shampoo and condition afterwards. If your hair spent more than a few minutes under, the Blue Lagoon says it returns to normal after 2 to 3 washes.

Can you visit the Secret Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon on one trip?

Yes, on different days. The Secret Lagoon fits a Golden Circle day from Reykjavik; the Blue Lagoon fits the day you land or fly home.

They sit on opposite sides of Reykjavik, so trying both in one day means a long time in a car. Split them: a Golden Circle day with the old pool, and the Blue Lagoon tied to the airport run. Both ask you to book: the Blue Lagoon says pre-booking is essential, and the Secret Lagoon says it is highly recommended.

For the Golden Circle day, the Golden Circle, Kerid and Secret Lagoon tour is the most booked option, rated 4.8 from 6,610 reviews, and the guided tour with hotel pickup is the highest rated of the bus tours (rated 4.9 from 232 reviews). Our guide to getting there from Reykjavik compares every option.

The most booked way to the Secret Lagoon: Kerid crater, Geysir, Gullfoss and Thingvellir by bus, with the lagoon entry in the price.

★ 4.8 · 10 hours · from $133

Explore the Golden Circle, Kerid and Secret Lagoon tour → Tour details

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