Iceland, travel, explore, lagoon, beaches, getaway, beaches, waterfall, arctic, snow 

Some research suggests geothermal springs, often filled with silica, algae, and minerals, have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4324962/" target="_blank">anti-inflammatory</a>, <a href="https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/ijmm.2012.917" target="_blank">skin</a>, and relaxation&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10941665.2016.1276946" target="_blank">benefits</a>. But in Iceland, bathing is a way of life. &ldquo;People go to the hot tub just to get news from one and another,&rdquo; Hjartarson says.
 
Seek advice from a handful of people and half might suggest skipping the famed waters of <a href="http://www.bluelagoon.com/" target="_blank">Blue Lagoon</a>&nbsp;in lieu of lesser-known spots. But during cold winter months, when the sun doesn&rsquo;t rise until 11 a.m., you can catch a stunning sunrise. Come April, travelers can stay in luxury, too. <a href="http://www.bluelagoon.com/retreat/" target="_blank">The Retreat at Blue Lagoon</a>, with an underground spa and 62 suites overlooking the waters, will open.
 
For something quieter, an hour or so north of Reykjav&iacute;k is <a href="http://www.krauma.is/#/frontpage" target="_blank">Krauma</a>, a collection of five geothermal pools, a cold bath, saunas, and a glass-enclosed relaxation room with a fireplace; or in the Golden Circle area, the steamy <a href="http://secretlagoon.is/" target="_blank">Secret Lagoon</a>, the oldest pool in Iceland, is a spot to take in the dancing Northern Lights.&nbsp;
 
Many of the capital city&rsquo;s thermal <a href="http://reykjavik.is/en/swimming-pools" target="_blank">pools</a>&nbsp;stay open at night, too, welcoming travelers and locals looking for a post-work soak.

Iceland&rsquo;s many waterfalls are sights to be seen. You can hit two of them in one&nbsp;90-minute trip due south&nbsp;from Reykjav&iacute;k. Seljalandsfoss is a 197-foot drop that&rsquo;ll awe you from the road. ​At the second,&nbsp;the&nbsp;famed falls of Sk&oacute;gafoss, climb hundreds of steps for panoramic views of the country&rsquo;s southern coastline.&nbsp;In warmer months, walk the path to stand behind it.

Thirty minutes south of&nbsp;Sk&oacute;gafoss&nbsp;is the sleepy beach town of Vik, a postcard-worthy place where a hillside red-topped church overlooks pastel-painted buildings and the ocean below. Here, you&rsquo;ll find a wind-whipped black sand beach. However, it's more for admiring columns of volcanic rock jutting out of the sea than for swimming.

In the wild, remote Westfjords, where only a small percentage of Iceland&rsquo;s visitors trek, nature&mdash;craggy coastlines, loud ocean waves&mdash;is the star. (<a href="https://www.westfjords.is/en/town/index/general-information/tour-operators" target="_blank">Local guides</a> can help craft custom adventures.) But hikers, cross-country skiers, and sea kayakers can all find relief at the <a href="http://djupavik.is/en/krossnes-pool/" target="_blank">Krossness Pool</a>, one of the country&rsquo;s most awe-worthy bathing spots. It has prime beachfront real estate overlooking the ocean and the Icelandic landscape.
 
If a road trip through the region brings you to Drangsnes, a tiny fishing village on the coastline, slip into one of the <a href="https://www.westfjords.is/en/moya/toy/index/town/drangsnes" target="_blank">Drangsnes Hot Pots</a>, which are just as they sound: thermal tubs with ocean views.

Swirling under <a href=/articles/2016/01/iceland-roadtrip>Iceland</a> are plumes that give way to the volcanic hot spots and geothermal <a href=/articles/2011/10/bath>baths</a> that exist all over the country. In other areas, it’s glaciers and <a href=/articles/2016/02/future-of-snow>snow</a>; and elsewhere, black sand beaches and waterfalls.“Water means a lot to us. We have a lot of it. Other lands are not as lucky,” says Jónas Friðrik Hjartarson, the manager of<a href=http://www.krauma.is/#/frontpage>Krauma</a>, a newly-opened geothermal bath resort in western Iceland.If you find yourself in the Nordic nation, soak—or take in other water-filled sights—here:

Iceland is for water lovers

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