West Iceland Beaches

5 beaches in West Iceland, led by Rauðasandur Beach and Ytri-Tunga. All mapped with drive times, directions, and live road conditions.

Top beaches in West Iceland

The region's stand-outs — each with photos, facts, and its own page. Distances on the cards are straight-line from Reykjavík.

Rauðasandur Beach

174 km from Reykjavík

Red/golden sand beach in Westfjords - unusual for Iceland. Remote but beautiful. Near Látrabjarg cliffs. 10km long, peaceful.

Golden sand

Ytri-Tunga

91 km from Reykjavík

A gold-sand beach on the south shore of Snæfellsnes where seals haul out on the rocks offshore. Visit West Iceland says they can be seen there all year round. The sand is pale gold rather than the black volcanic sand most of the Icelandic coast is made of, and it lies in pockets between low black lava rock and shallow pools left by the tide. The seals rest on the skerries a little way out, which is why binoculars do more for you here than walking closer does. The car park is signed off Snæfellsnesvegur (road 54). Visit West Iceland describes the route from the car park to the shore as 1.67 km and about 27 minutes, graded easy to moderate, over small rocks, mixed materials and grass with steps along the way; it is marked and open all year.

5 beaches in West Iceland

Langisandur

20 km from Reykjavík

Beach in Akranes, West Iceland. Popular local beach. Good for walking, views of Reykjavík across bay.

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Melanesrif

174 km from Reykjavík

Icelandic beach shaped by volcanic activity and Atlantic forces. Swimming in Iceland's ocean is for the brave - temperatures rarely exceed 10°C.

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Skógarströnd

98 km from Reykjavík

Icelandic beach shaped by volcanic activity and Atlantic forces. Black sand beaches are Iceland's signature - formed from volcanic basite.

Rauðasandur Beach

174 km from Reykjavík

Red/golden sand beach in Westfjords - unusual for Iceland. Remote but beautiful. Near Látrabjarg cliffs. 10km long, peaceful.

Golden sand

Ytri-Tunga

91 km from Reykjavík

A gold-sand beach on the south shore of Snæfellsnes where seals haul out on the rocks offshore. Visit West Iceland says they can be seen there all year round. The sand is pale gold rather than the black volcanic sand most of the Icelandic coast is made of, and it lies in pockets between low black lava rock and shallow pools left by the tide. The seals rest on the skerries a little way out, which is why binoculars do more for you here than walking closer does. The car park is signed off Snæfellsnesvegur (road 54). Visit West Iceland describes the route from the car park to the shore as 1.67 km and about 27 minutes, graded easy to moderate, over small rocks, mixed materials and grass with steps along the way; it is marked and open all year.