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Comment by silenced_trope | Hacker News Reader

I liked my time there, but yes it's a tourist trap.

Is there a comparable experience elsewhere (in Iceland or not) that's not overpriced, overcrowded, or out of the way? (a lot to ask I know)

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Depends on what you mean by comparable. Pretty much every midsized town in Iceland (and many of the small ones) have hot springs for the locals to frequent. If you want the whole trifecta of fancy hotels, crowds, and high end dining, there aren't that many. Myvatn meets the criteria though.

If you simply want a nice view with some hot water, my family says that sky lagoon in Reykjavik is just as nice for less.

When I spent a week in Selfoss, the landscape was littered with natural hot pools. Local guides could help you navigate them safely. It was sublime to be in them mid-day, mid-winter, with nothing around you for miles in every direction.

As a sibling commenter said, Sky Lagoon may be worth a look. It’s still a tourist destination, but my experience there was very quiet and tranquil. I think if people want to show off and take selfies, maybe party a little bit the Blue Lagoon might be the place, but for relaxation and an experience, sky lagoon really ticked the boxes for me.

You need to drive or get a bus there, but it wasn’t too far a journey from Reykjavik city centre.

There’s a in-spring bar there, which is practically the only time I was in close proximity to other people, except my party. The rest of the ritual and ‘journey’ space you go through was all really roomy, quiet and clean.

I think it was around £60, or ~$70 including the journey there and back, and a drink.

I recently stayed at the sister resort, the Silica Hotel, and found it quite pleasant. It has its own lagoon and it’s a much quieter experience. It’s a 5 minute walk from the main resort so you can still take advantage of all the accommodations.

https://www.bluelagoon.com/accommodation/silica-hotel

Yes. It's a short flight to a colony of Iceland called Japan. The locals call them onsen there. The local Icelandic dialect is very different but there are signs in English.

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