8 Tourist Traps to AVOID in Iceland 🇮🇸❌ Tips from a Local Icelander💡
2024 ж. 16 Мам.
20 408 Рет қаралды
8 Tourist Traps to AVOID in Iceland ❌
For the best small group adventures in Iceland, check out wakeupreykjavik.com/tours
00:00 - intro
00:17 - Sun Voyager
01:27 - Exchanging money at airport
02:29 - Avoid Lundabúðir
03:09 - Fake Wool Sweaters
04:33 - Bottled Water
05:19 - South Coast Plain Wreak
06:23 - Big Bus Tours
07:33 - Shopping at 10-11
08:29 - Outro
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For any assistance with tours, our restaurant recommendation list or just with planning a trip to Iceland, send us an email at info@wakeupreykjavik.com 📧🧡
I bought my button up sweater at the Handknitting Association. It's gorgeous and has eliminated most of my coats. They have all sizes and the variety is amazing. Plan to spend a lot of money for them. They are quite expensive - mine was $350 and worth every penny. You can't beat native wool, hand knit by Icelanders. Take care of it and it will last forever. I also picked up a scarf that was so soft and beautiful. It was only $20. One dead giveaway on the fake sweaters is seams. If any part of the sweater has seams of any kind, it's fake, and the price will be just as high as a real one. Real ones are all one piece with sewing almost exclusively limited to the buttons and tag. Places to find fakes include attractions that have gift shops or just general souvenir stores and some boutiques. Be very careful.
A great way to remember a great holiday! Thanks for watching and commenting! 🥳🧡
I loved the Sun Voyager sculpture, walked to it twice from the hotel I was staying at (no wind). ... Once during the light, once during darkness.
I went on your company foodie tour in Iceland last week ( the tour guide was Dave) I would recommend it, and Dave was a great tour guide.
So did we! He was great 👍🏼 😊
You forgot the Blue Lagoon/Sky Lagoon. They are only filled with tourists, no one from Iceland would go there because it is a ripoff, IMO. Every city has its own spas, which are cheaper, with multiple tanks, and even rent you swimwear. Bonus can be found all over but if you can go to Costco. Your choices seem to be focused on Reykjavik.
I totally agree. The Blue lagoon is over commercialised and expensive. They don't even dare to show the prices. You have to ask for it. And it's not even natural. The bottom is concrete and water is surplus water piped from the powerplant.
I appreciate your honesty. I'd rather spend time visiting with farmers and fishermen.
As a nine-time visitor to Reykjavík, I agree with everything you said except for #1. As a public art work, Sun Voyager is stunning, day or night. With Faxaflói and Esja as a backdrop it is wonderfully situated, and the brisk walk makes you feel like you have earned it. I’ve had some very nice interactions with tourists there as well. And it doesn't cost anything, a rarity in Iceland!
😂
Thanks for excellent insider insights! For me, the Sun Voyager sculpture worked out because I simply happened upon it while walking, and it made for a good photo to post on Facebook 😅. It’s beautiful and there are nice ocean views. I agree it does seem overhyped and I’m glad I didn’t go out of my way to see it!
Just returned from Iceland, if you are passing the Sun Voyager take a photo, but I wouldn’t make a special trip to see it.
The sun voyager is beautiful , a wonderful piece of work, in a wonderful position
For an art lover like myself the sculpture would be something I would love to see. Especially if the artist is Icelandic. The sculpture is beautiful against the backdrop of the mountains.
See you on Monday!
I liked the Sun Voyager, both during daytime and at night with Aurora above
Avoid the Blue Lagoon!
Than you. Great video. We are heading to Iceland in August
Thanks for watching! 🧡
Shop at the Handmade shops in all the towns. Real icelandic made products. Bought our sweaters at the Knitting Assoc shop and also Handmade boutique in Husavik.
When staying in the old city, that 10-11 is so convenient, but the prices really are a trap. There is a Bonus to the west near the traffic circle by the harbor and there is Kronan to the east not far from the Rainbow Street. One thing I will say for the 10-11, if you are staying the old city and you have an early tour pickup, breakfast can be a challenge and will likely be fairly pricey in that area. So a couple days we picked up a sandwich roll from the 10-11 for the next AM. We were surprised at the quality and how good the Icelandic sandwiches and rolls were everywhere we found them. That way you can have a bite in the AM while heading out to meet your local small group tour and guide. Wake up Reykjavik is an amazing company! Cannot recommend them enough.
We hope to visit from the UK sometime soon,great video......am hoping the eather will be a bit warmer when we visit..Lol!!! Great tips and recommendations.....cheers!!!!
Believe me we hope so too! 😅 See you soon! 🧡
I went to the plane crash in 2015 when it was free and you could drive there. I still thought it was over hyped. 😎
About some points: 1. I saw it, made a photo and get to explore the city. Noting special. 2. I was one week in Iceland doing road trip adround the whole island and I was paying everywhere by my card. And I actually never had iclandic money in my hand. So you really do not need iclandic currency. 5. I am used to drink a tap water back in my home country but once you are in Iceland you need at least one bottle that you will be able to refill. 6. Yeah... I was on that parking spot and realized that I can spend that time around something more amazing. 7. I totally agree... I had rentend car... The best think I could do.
Whatever Dan says is gospel, y'all hear? I did two Wake Up Reykjavik tours last year and I honestly couldn't be happier. Avoided the puffin stores like the plague and while I loved the Sun Voyager, I could never get it all for myself for that perfect photo... My Mum also told me not to do drugs. I wonder what she knows that I don't.
No sky??
If I booked a tour with you guys would you do hotel pickups, if there was a cost would be more than happy to pay I very much dislike the bus stop queue and that whole scene?
Hey there! It depends on where you book a hotel. Many streets in Reykjavík are so narrow that the sprinters are not allowed leagelly to drive them (or any car for that matter) so a great tip is to look at the booking page of our tours and there you can see a full list of hotels with pick up! If if does NOT have direct pick up, then a bus stop will be listed on the back of the hotel like (Go to Bus Stop #8) if it does not have that, then you have direct pick up there! Hope that helps! 🥳
Oh no i already booked and paid for the bus tours wish id watched this video first 😵
Oh no! Some companies have flexible cancellation policies like we have! But don't hesitate sending us a email if you need any assistance ☺️
We will be doing some day trips and would like to tip the guides. In your opinion do we need krona for that? (We are from the USA)
I have just returned from Iceland, tipping is not a “thing” in Iceland , but obviously entirely up to you.
I’ve visited 10 times since 2010, once on a 10 day tour and the other times alone. The 10 day tour had the same guide and same bus driver throughout and we all tipped both at the end of the tour. But I think the decision to tip a guide/driver for a day tour can be a personal choice, especially if it’s a smaller tour and you receive exceptional service.
Icelanders never tip. It is not part of the culture here
10-11 is pricey but saved us from a hungry night once. But VERY pricey. I’d add the Geysur to this list too. Too many ppl there and not that impressive compared to so many other incredible things to see.
Is it safe to visit right now?
It sure is! 🥳
Thank you for your tips ❤ newly subbed 😊
Thanks for subbing! 🧡
nice list. Although I'd say buying water bottles is unavoidable for people roadtripping around Iceland where you're gonna be mobile for long stretches of road
Unavoidable? Why not just bring some reusable bottles and fill them with tap water along the way? That was the normal thing to do in a lot of places before bottled water became a thing. What do you think the Icelandic people do?
@@snowangelnc I'm not gonna fill my luggage with reusable bottles lol I'll just buy it when I get there. Most of us don't live in Iceland. That's why we tourists buy the bottles when we get there (so we don't have to pack them onto our airplanes). Someone from Iceland isn't flying into Iceland so it makes sense that Icelanders already have bottles when they're in Iceland. They already live there lmao
@@PrinceofMacedonVlogs It's pretty easy to pack 1 in a backpack and use it in Iceland like you would at the airport or anywhere else. Regardless, it seems worthwhile to buy a pack of larger bottles to keep in the car while driving around.
Icelandic men are the most good looking and attractive in the planet earth 👍 👑.