5 Safety Tips for Traveling in Iceland

1. Beware of sneaker waves.

This is an actual thing! There are signs pointing out the dangers of sneaker waves, and numerous blogs, news articles, and Icelandic travel guides have talked about this, but we still saw other tourists standing really close to the water edge to get the perfect photo. Both D and I love taking photos, so we understand sometimes you want to get that perfect shot. BUT it's not worth risking your life for one that one photo. During the time we were at the beach, we saw:

• People running away from an unexpected wave — some getting soaked because they couldn't run away fast enough; and

• Someone get completely knocked off the basalt columns into the water and try to climb out of the water while his girlfriend stared in horror.

2. Don't stand on cliff edges.

• It can get very windy.
• There are areas where rocks are a bit loose.
• There can be ice and water on the rocks that make cliff edges very slippery and dangerous.
• Basically, use common sense, and don't do what the woman in red is doing in the photo below.

3. Don't climb over the ropes or deviate off the trail. Basically, follow the signs.

• From the sign at Svínafellsjökull warning tourists not to climb glaciers without a guide: “Fatal accidents have occurred due to collapsing blocks of ice, falls into crevasses, and hypothermia. Some have never returned from a glacier visit, their fate still unknown."
• Wandering off the trails could also have a harmful impact on nature.
• Bottom line is, don't do anything Justin Bieber did in his “I'll Show You” music video.

4. Check the weather forecast before you leave each morning.

This is definitely a must in Iceland where the weather can change rather quickly. We saw rain, wind, fog, and some sun all in the span of a few hours.

5. Dress appropriately.

It's probably not comfortable walking around in wet jeans all day in the cold. Dress warmly. Don't wear sneakers on glaciers, etc. etc. You get the point.