It seems that Iceland has more lagoons than it can reasonably keep track of. New ones seem to pop up all the time, and the latest, the Forest Lagoon, might just be the country’s snazziest yet.
So how do you just find a whopping great big new lagoon? Well, in short, you don’t. You make one. In 2015 construction workers were drilling a tunnel through Vaðlaheiði mountain when they happened upon a source of geothermally-heated water. Seven years later, that water has been channelled into a new spa, creating the Forest Lagoon. Only in Iceland, right?
As you can probably guess by the name, the lagoon is in a forest filled with pine and birch trees. But what the name doesn’t tell you is that the spa also offers views out over both the gorgeous Eyja Fjord and city of Akureyri. Designed by Basalt Architects (who were also responsible for the country’s famed Blue Lagoon), the Forest Lagoon includes one ginormous, 5,700-square-foot pool; a smaller, hotter pool; and another bath designed for cold dips. There’s also a sauna, a relaxation room and an on-site restaurant, as well as locker space for up to 200 guests.
All of which is somewhat standard for a deluxe spa. But the Forest Lagoon’s real USP is that it holds not one but two swim-up bars. That’s right. Boil yourself into a shade of peachy red and gaze out over fjords and forest, all with a glass of local beer or wine in hand. If that ain’t the dream, we don’t know what is.
Prices for the Forest Lagoon start at a very modest 5,800 Icelandic króna (£33) per guest, and it’s due to open next month. It’s best accessed via Akureyri, a small city around 45 minutes by air from Reykjavik. Find out more about the lagoon here.
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