7 Places in Iceland That Look Like Another Planet
7 Places in Iceland That Look Like Another Planet
There's a specific moment that happens to most people somewhere in Iceland. You're looking at something - a lava field, a crater lake, a glacier - and your brain just sort of stalls. Not because it's pretty. Because it doesn't look real. That's not a metaphor. The landscapes here genuinely don't match anything most of us have a reference for. Seven places in particular do this better than anywhere else.
1. Landmannalaugar
Rhyolite mountains - green, pink, red, and yellow, sometimes all four in the same eyeline. The colours are real, not edited. Something about how the lava cooled here over thousands of years did that to the minerals, and the result is that every photo looks fake even when it isn't. People actually argue about this in the comments. Highland road. Late June to September only, then it closes.
2. Kerio Volcanic Crater
Driving from Reykjavik, you hit Kerio in about an hour. The story is that a volcano caved in on itself instead of blowing up, and what's left is a circular crater with a lake sitting at the bottom. The colour of the lake changes - sometimes turquoise, sometimes more green. It depends on the time of year, maybe the light; nobody really gives a straight answer on why exactly. The geometry of it is almost too neat. Steep red walls, that colour, that shape - it looks constructed, not natural. One of the quieter otherworldly places in Iceland that doesn't always make the big itineraries, which is honestly a mistake.
3. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Black volcanic sand, basalt columns stacked in hexagonal formations, and sea stacks rising out of rough Atlantic water. The contrast of black sand, white surf, and dark rock is enough. But it's also loud. The waves hit hard and come in further than people expect. Watch your footing. Several people have been caught out here. It appears in films for a reason. Stand there on a grey day, and it looks like the edge of the world.
4. Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Vatnajokull glacier drops icebergs directly into this lagoon. Some are white. Others are streaked blue or black from volcanic ash trapped in the ice. They drift slowly. The whole place is quiet in a way that feels slightly unnerving. And then ten minutes down the road is Diamond Beach, with smaller ice pieces that wash onto black sand and just sit there, translucent and blue. Two completely different Iceland photography spots, basically next to each other. Neither one prepares you for the other.
5. Geysir Geothermal Area
Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes, about 30 metres. You've seen the videos. It's still better in person - partly because of the silence before it goes and partly because of what's around it. Boiling pools, steaming ground, and orange mineral deposits along the water's edge. Walk away from the main crowd and it gets stranger. The ground hisses. The mud moves. The sulphur smell fades after a few minutes. One of the more genuinely alien Icelandic landscapes you can access without any specialist gear.
6. Fjaorargljufur Canyon
Most people miss the sign. It's right off the Ring Road but easy to drive past, and the canyon itself is two kilometres long, dropping about 100 metres down to a river that runs an improbable turquoise colour - which just appears when you get to the edge. The walls are all moss and old rock. Glacial meltwater carved this out thousands of years back. There's a walking path. You'll stay longer than you meant to.
7. Snaefellsjokull
Jules Verne sent his characters into the earth through this glacier. A glacier on top of a volcano. The western tip of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is already about as far west as Iceland goes. Some days you can spot it from Reykjavik across the water. Most days you can't. When you drive out to it properly, the peninsula does this thing with the light - angles you don't get elsewhere - fishing villages, lava fields, and the glacier just sitting there above all of it, looking completely unbothered. It earns the description \"otherworldly\" without needing any help from a travel writer. For the South Coast locations and Snaefellsnes especially, going with a private guide makes the difference - not just for logistics but because the best spots at these places aren't always the obvious ones. Enjoy Iceland Tours runs private day tours covering several of these landscapes, with local guides who know the timing, the light, and the viewpoints that don't show up on the standard maps.
FAQs
Why does Iceland look so different from other countries?
Iceland's volcanic landscapes, glaciers, lava fields, and black sand deserts create scenery that feels almost unreal in many areas.
Which place in Iceland looks the most like another planet?
The Highlands are often compared to another planet because of their empty landscapes, volcanic terrain, and colourful mountains.
Can you visit Iceland's volcanic areas safely?
Yes, most popular volcanic sites are safe to visit when conditions are normal and local travel warnings are followed.