IS · Southern Region · 64.25°N 15.22°W

höfn

A fishing harbour, glacier views and black sand below the peaks of Vestrahorn.

Best time
May–September is easiest, with long days for the scattered stops. Winter has short days and storm closures, but it's also the season for guided ice-cave tours.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Keflavík, usually via London, Amsterdam or Istanbul (about 19–21 hours all in). Höfn is about 6 hours' drive from Reykjavík, best split over a few days along the south coast; there are also domestic flights from Reykjavík's city airport. Iceland is 8 hours behind KL all year.
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IS · Southern Regionhöfn64.25°N 15.22°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A fishing harbour, glacier views and black sand below the peaks of Vestrahorn.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingHöfnIS, Southern Region
KLhöfn
≈ 10,947 km from KL, as the crow flies
20160627 020 021 Panorama IJsland Höfn

Photo: Jac. Janssen · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Höfn is a working fishing town on a spit of land, with Vatnajökull's glaciers on one side and the open sea on the other. It's the natural overnight stop between the glacier lagoon and the Eastfjords, and Iceland's langoustine capital.

Makan

  1. LangoustineHöfn's speciality, grilled with garlic butter or in a creamy soup that often has a splash of brandy or wine.Map ↗
  2. Local fishSimple fish plates in a town whose harbour still lands the catch.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Stokksnes and VestrahornBlack-sand dunes tufted with grass below the jagged Vestrahorn mountain, about 15 minutes east of town.Map ↗
  2. JökulsárlónA glacier lagoon full of drifting icebergs, about an hour west.Map ↗
  3. Diamond BeachChunks of glacier ice glittering on black sand, across the road from the lagoon.Map ↗
  4. HarbourFishing boats, a harbourside path and views of the glaciers across the bay.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Stay on shore at Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach; icebergs can roll and the waves are strong.
  • Stokksnes is on private land, so there's an entry fee, paid at the Viking Café.
  • There's no halal meat in town, so self-cater and make fish and langoustine the treat.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.