The sand can be not only yellow or almost white, but also completely black.
Reynisfjara beach is formed by absolutely black volcanic sand - an unforgettable sight.
How does black sand form?
This Icelandic beach owes its black color to the volcanoes that are nearby. During a large number of eruptions, a huge amount of lava poured onto the surface. This lava formed the entire island of Iceland. For many thousands of years, sea waves have been destroying coastal rocks made up of lava. And over time, some of the stones crumbled to the state of sand. And since the lava had a black color, the sand turned out to be black.
A black sand beach is not a unique phenomenon that is found only in Iceland. Such beaches can be found on our planet where volcanoes and the sea are quite close. There is black sand, for example, in Kamchatka and the Philippine Islands.
Iceland has many black sand beaches, but Reynisfjara Beach is one of the most easily accessible. In addition, there are many other attractions nearby. And that is why the black beaches near the village of Vik are the most famous.
What else is there near the beach Rainisfjara
Troll Fingers
In addition to the beach itself, there are also rocks of bizarre shape. They are located a few dozen meters from the shore.
These black basalt rocks are called "Reynisdrangar" or "Troll Fingers". According to legend, trolls lived here, and one day they tried to steal a ship with sheep on board. They wanted to pull him out of the sea to the shore, they almost succeeded, but then the sun rose. And, as you know, trolls immediately turn to stone in the sun. They all jumped into the ocean, but one of the trolls did not manage to hide from the sunlight. His hand turned to stone and remained towering above the water.
Reynisdrangar Basalt Columns
Very close to the parking lot, right on the beach there is another very interesting place - hexagonal basalt columns. They look like a pack of huge pencils stuck in the ground.
These columns can also be found in several places in Iceland, but here they are the most spectacular and easily accessible.
The columns were also formed due to volcanic activity - during the solidification of lava. Upon cooling, the volume of lava decreases slightly and this causes a solid piece to crack into separate fragments, often they are hexagonal in shape.
360 photo from the beach:
Cape and rocks of Dyrholaey
A few kilometers from Reynisdrangar there is Cape Dyrholaey with huge stone arches and rocks of bizarre shape. It offers stunning views of the black beaches that stretch from both sides. Also, a huge number of birds nest on the coastal cliffs, including puffins.
How to get to the black beaches
As already mentioned, Reynisfjara beach is located near the village of Vik, on the southern coast of Iceland. The ring road runs right here, so it will be difficult to miss this place.
The distance from Reykjavik is about 180 kilometers to the southeast.
GPS coordinates of the black beach of Reynisfjara: 63.404271, -19.049165.
You can view the position on the map here
Due to the sufficient distance of the beach from the capital of Iceland and major cities, it is most convenient to get to it by rented car or with a tour
Car rental in Iceland - tips and tricks
Rent a car in Iceland - how to choose proper car, what is the cost of renting a car, is it worth taking full insurance, where you can drive a car, and where you have t...
