Is it the waterfalls that make Iceland so unique? Or the volcanoes, the vastness or the sparsely populated areas, where large areas are free from human activity and its hustle and bustle. If there is one thing that makes Iceland so unique, it is the endless coastline, so incredibly diverse. Long indeed, just under 8,500 km, which is as far as the crow flies as Nairobi, the capital of Kenya on the equator, or all the way east to Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
The coast is our wealth. North of Hornstrandir, we have two of the largest bird cliffs in the northern hemisphere, Hælavíkurbjarg and Hornbjarg. On the endless landlocked southern coast, we have Reynisfjörður (Black beach) and Fellsfjörður (Diamond beach) by Jökulsárlón, beaches that are both among the most popular tourist attractions in the republic. Then we have north on Skagi, and on Melrakkaslétta, exceptionally beautiful rocky beaches, where the ocean waves have polished the rocks in their own unique way. Or bright Rauðasandur, west of the fjords. There and east of the fjords, the mountains plunge into the fjord, while at Reykjanes, there is recent lava that meets the Atlantic Ocean. Yes, Iceland’s coastline is and will always be our treasure.
Ljósmyndir/Texti : Páll Stefánsson
Ísland 13/10/2025 – A7C R, RX1R II : FE 1.2/50mm GM, FE 2.8/100mm GM, FE 1.4/24mm GM, 2.0/35mm Z
