Explore Iceland on a Budget: Just 35M VND!
Iceland boasts breathtaking nature with majestic volcanoes, powerful waterfalls, towering canyons, massive glaciers, and magical northern lights under polar nights—truly the Land of Fire and Ice.
I had one week to discover this incredible country. Here's my personal experience and tips for your trip.
1. Visa
A Schengen visa lets you enter Iceland—no extras needed.
2. Flights
Flights from Europe to Iceland aren't too pricey right now. I snagged a round-trip for about 6M VND including 26kg checked baggage on Wizzair: Budapest to Reykjavik outbound, Reykjavik to Gdansk return. Flights from the UK are also affordable, but you'll need a UK visa for those.
3. Accommodations
Hotels here are super expensive, so I stuck to hostels and Airbnbs to keep costs down. Here's where I stayed (prices for two people):
- Reykjavik: Guesthouse Pavi, 76€/night (two nights)
- Grundarfjordur: Skjolsteinar, 81€/night
- Hella: Welcome Riverside Guesthouse, 83€/night
- Vik: The Barn, 82€/night
- Hrifunes: The Fox Hostel, 65€/night
Total for my six nights: 463€ (231.5€ per person, about 7.1M VND).
4. Getting Around
Sights in Iceland are spread far apart with limited public transport, so you need to rent a car for a self-drive road trip or join a land tour. Tours cost more but save you the driving hassle.
I went for self-drive to save money. Costs split two ways (even better for four people). Driving here is like a New Zealand road trip—lug your gear from spot to spot.
Renting is easy: Book online, pick your car and insurance, pay up (prepay for better rates). I chose local fave Lava Car Rental—reliable, quick paperwork, no deposit. At the airport, hop the shuttle to their lot (tell them your arrival time ahead).
I got a Hyundai Tucson Plug-in SUV (gas-electric hybrid—uses electric first, then gas). Seven days/six nights: 49,000 ISK (about 10.8M VND per person) with top full insurance.
Gas for nearly 2,000km: 38,300 ISK (4M VND per person). Refuel every 400km or so.
Most spots charge parking: 800-1,500 ISK. Pay at the kiosk with your license plate (or the rental company charges triple later!). My total parking: 8,200 ISK (about 1M VND per person).
How to Fuel Up in Iceland
All stations are self-serve. Here's the drill:
- At the kiosk, pick English, swipe the rental company's discount card.
- Swipe your credit card (holds 20,000 ISK temporarily), select your pump, and match fuel type to your car.
- After pumping, it shows the real amount—your card gets charged exactly that (don't panic at the initial hold on your statement).
Self-Drive Tips
- Get a big SUV for space, power on hills, and high winds.
- Check manual vs. automatic transmission upfront.
- Opt for max insurance to avoid big repair bills.
- Never off-road—voids insurance and risks fines.
- Gusts can slam doors—hold tight or pay out-of-pocket.
- Watch speed limits (cameras everywhere). Over by 5km/h? Fines emailed to the renter—pricey, so drive safe.
Total transport per person: 15.8M VND
5. Food
Eating out is insanely pricey—a restaurant meal tops 1M VND per person. Save big by shopping at supermarkets. All my stays had kitchens. Grab ready meals, microwave, and eat cheap and easy.
My week's food: 4.4M VND total.
6. Sightseeing
No land tours for me, just two paid spots:
- Crystal Ice Cave at Jökulsárlón: 4.4M VND (3-hour tour, outer cave. Longer deeper tours cost more.)
- Blue Lagoon: 3.3M VND basic (entry, one volcanic clay mask, free drink). Hit it last for post-road-trip relaxation. A must-do!
Total activities: 7.7M VND
Chasing Northern Lights
No need for tours with a rental car—auroras are Iceland's specialty (Aug-Apr, nightly if clear skies). Visible even in Reykjavik, but head to dark spots away from city lights for the best show. Use the Aurora app; higher KP index means stronger lights.
Phone pics: 30s exposure mode with tripod. Camera: 10-15s shutter (6s for strong aurora), manual focus to infinity on stars, 2s timer, F2.8 aperture.
7. My 7-Day Itinerary
Day 1
- 19:00: Land, grab bags, pick up car at Lava (5-min shuttle).
- 20:00: Drive to Reykjavik hotel (~45 min).
- 21:00: Dinner.
- If energy left: Grótta Lighthouse (10 min from center) for aurora hunting.
Day 2
Morning: Head northwest to Kirkjufell (~2.5-3 hrs, 180km).
- 10:30: Kirkjufell Mountain & Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall.
- 11:30: Lunch, then Búðir Black Church (35km, 30 min)—iconic church in grassy fields.
Afternoon: Arnarstapi–Hellnar (22km, 22 min): basalt cliffs, Gatklettur cave.
Back to dinner and overnight in Grundarfjörður (55km, 50 min). Evening aurora at Kirkjufellsfoss—epic reflection off the mountain, super close to lodging.
Day 3
Morning: Grundarfjörður to Thingvellir National Park (~3 hrs, 190km)—tectonic rift between Eurasian/North American plates.
- Geysir Hot Springs–Strokkur (60km, 55 min): 30m eruptions every 5 min.
- Gullfoss Waterfall (10km, 10 min): massive twin falls, southwest icon.
Afternoon: Kerid Crater Lake (56km, 46 min)—fiery red volcanic crater lake (skip if tight on time).
Check in Hella (51km, 41 min). Evening aurora in nearby meadows.
Day 4
Morning:
- Seljalandsfoss (34km, 27 min)—walk behind the falls.
- Gljúfrabúi—hidden falls in a rocky crevice nearby.
- Skógafoss (30km, 28 min): 60m drop with morning rainbows.
Afternoon: Dyrhólaey for black sand sea views (26km, 24 min). Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach (18km): basalt columns, big waves. Vik í Mýrdal town and church sea view.
Aurora: Reynisfjara or Dyrhólaey (if clear), or right at The Barn. Overnight Vik.
Day 5
Morning:
- 09:00: Vik to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon (76km, 1 hr drive + 1 hr explore)—Game of Thrones vibes.
- 11:00: To Diamond Beach (130km, 1.5 hrs).
- 13:00: Crystal Ice Cave tour (~3 hrs).
Afternoon:
- 16:00: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon—floating icebergs.
- 16:30: Diamond Beach—sparkling ice on black sand.
- Back to Kirkjubæjarklaustur (155km, 2 hrs). Aurora onsite.
Day 6
Morning: 09:00 Vik to Reykjavik (~3.5 hrs, 264km).
Afternoon:
- 11:30: Blue Lagoon soak.
- 13:30: Check in (49km, 46 min). Stroll Reykjavik: Hallgrimskirkja church, Rainbow Street.
Aurora: Sun Voyager beach or nearby.
Day 7
Drive to airport, return car, fly home.
Total Costs (Per Person, No Flight)
- Accommodations: 7.2M VND
- Food: 4.4M VND
- Transport: 15.8M VND
- Car rental: 10.8M VND (21.6M total)
- Gas: 4M VND
- Parking: 1M VND
- Activities: 7.7M VND
- Crystal Ice Cave: 4.4M VND
- Blue Lagoon: 3.3M VND
Grand total (excl. flights): 35.1M VND. Add ~6.6M VND Europe flights for ~42M VND full trip.
Cre: Thành Công Lê
