Myvatn Nature Baths

The Myvatn Nature Baths opened in 2004 on a ridge above the lake, using water drawn from the Bjarnarflag geothermal field nearby - alkaline, mineral rich and warm enough that it has to be cooled in a holding basin before it reaches the lagoon. Because of the chemistry, the water needs no chlorine, and it turns the familiar milky blue. The site looks north over Myvatn and the surrounding lava, and the steam and the view are most of what people come for. There are steam baths built over the ground, a bar in the water and a restaurant, and it is markedly cheaper and quieter than its southern equivalent.

What you actually see

• Water straight from a borehole - cooled before it reaches the lagoon.
• No chlorine needed - the alkaline chemistry does the work.
• A view over Myvatn - lake and lava from the ridge.
• Steam baths over the ground - built onto the natural heat.

When to go

Year round; winter evenings with aurora are the strongest. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

The water strips silver and damages some hair, as at all these lagoons. It fills in the evening when the day tours arrive. There is sulphur in the air, which some find unpleasant. Booking is sensible in summer.

Nearby

Reykjahlid and the Myvatn sites are minutes away; Krafla is north.