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Rifsmalir

North Iceland, Iceland

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BeachNorth Iceland

Rifsmalir

North Iceland, Iceland

About

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Plan your visit to Rifsmalir

Build an itinerary — full days, multi-stop routes, drive times, alternatives.

Map of Rifsmalir

Rifsmalir is in North Iceland at 66.5144°N, 16.1782°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Rifsmalir on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Getting there: Road 870 (Melrakkaslétta)
Off the main road: 25.4 km from Route 85
Nearest town: Raufarhöfn — 12.4 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 375 km in a straight line
What else is close: 18 mapped places within 20 km

Rifsmalir weather and conditions

At Rifsmalir in North Iceland, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 06:45 (Iceland time): 5°C (feels like 1°C), overcast, wind 5 m/s. Daylight today: 15 h 01 m (sunrise 05:35, sunset 20:35). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 1 September 2026, 06:45· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

Driving conditions

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Daylight today

Visit now · Open year-round · 30 min stop · Visibility —

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North Reykjavík South Coast West East Westfjords Reykjanes Highlands

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Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellation

KEF airport pickup 24/74.8

SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic

12,750 kr15,000 kr/day

Reserve −12%

Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

Tours near Rifsmalir

Free cancellation

Small groups

Sightseeing

(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

Duration6 hours 30 minutes

HighlightsNorth Iceland

(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

Duration6 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

Duration5 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

Photos & videos

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Reviews

Frequently
asked
questions

Is it safe to swim at Rifsmalir?

No. Like most Icelandic beaches, the water at Rifsmalir sits near 10 °C and exposed coasts here carry strong currents and sneaker waves. Treat it as a look-only beach — stay well back from the surf and never turn your back on the ocean.

How do I get to Rifsmalir?

Rifsmalir is on the coast in North Iceland. Check live road and weather conditions on this page before you drive — winter storms and wind can make coastal roads and the beach itself hazardous.

What is the sand like at Rifsmalir?

Rifsmalir is a beach in North Iceland. Sand type varies along Iceland’s coast; most beaches are black volcanic basalt, with a few red or golden exceptions in the Westfjords.

Does Rifsmalir cost anything to visit?

Rifsmalir is free and open year-round. Some Icelandic beaches have paid parking — check locally. Conditions change with weather and tides, so plan around the forecast.

Nearby

Waterfalls

#1.Geldingafoss

52 km·~62 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#2.Skeifárfoss

65 km·~78 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#3.Hólmárfossar

70 km·~84 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#4.Réttarfoss

72 km·~86 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

4 waterfalls near North Iceland

Hot Springs

#1.Natural hot pot near Norðurþing

50 km·~60 min drive

Swimming_pool hot spring

#2.Ostakarið

73 km·~88 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#3.Geothermal hot spring near Húsavík

74 km·~88 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#4.Goldfish Pond

77 km·~92 min drive

Natural hot spring

4 hot springs near North Iceland

Campsites

#1.Raufarhöfn

13 km·~15 min drive

The camp site is located next to the elementary school and sport center.

#2.Tjaldstæði Raufarhafnar

13 km·~15 min drive

North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…

#3.Kópasker

26 km·~32 min drive

The camp site in the village Kópasker is located by the entrance to the village. The…

#4.Lundur Tjaldsvæði

50 km·~60 min drive

A family friendly campsite in Öxarfjörður, playground and swimmingpool within walking…

4 campsites near North Iceland

Supermarkets

#1.Verslunin Skerjakolla

27 km·~32 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#2.Kjörbúðin

51 km·~62 min drive

Kjörbúðin supermarket — supplies

#3.Krambúð

74 km·~88 min drive

Krambúð supermarket — supplies

#4.Nettó

74 km·~89 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near North Iceland

Gas stations

#1.Raufarhöfn

12 km·~15 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#2.Kópasker

27 km·~32 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Þórshöfn

51 km·~62 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#4.Ásbyrgi

56 km·~67 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near North Iceland

Tours

#1.(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

6 hours 30 minutes

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

from 25.300 ISKView tour →

#2.(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

6 hours

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

from 25.900 ISKView tour →

#3.Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

5 hours

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

from 166.750 ISKView tour →

3 tours near North Iceland

Data & sources

Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.

VegagerðinVisitor access & practical facts
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community