It is for tourists, but I would not categorize it as a trap.
However, I do wonder why this tidbit is hacker newsworthy
Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
31–40 of 52 posts
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#32If you've lived through even a tiny earthquake it's much like if you've experienced a solar eclipse: even when short and mild, they elicit an otherworldly body-terror. The people living on that peninsula right now are stressed out in a way most of us have never experienced.
Disagree: I lived through several short/mild earthquakes in California and Tokyo.
Visitors freaked a little, but locals looked up from their phones, confirmed with each other, then everybody guessed the magnitude and checked USGS to see who came closest.
Kinda like seeing a rat in NYC.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#33Soon to reopen rebranded as the Blue Lava Flow
[deleted]
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#34> The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa south-west of Reykjavík, announced it would close its doors on Thursday for a week This is temporary, not permanent. Short of the whole thing being swallowed by a lava fissure there's no way they will close Iceland's most famous tourist trap.
I liked my time there, but yes it's a tourist trap. Is there a comparable experience elsewhere (in Iceland or not) that's not overpriced, overcrowded, or out of the way? (a lot to ask I know)
Depends on what you mean by comparable. Pretty much every midsized town in Iceland (and many of the small ones) have hot springs for the locals to frequent. If you want the whole trifecta of fancy hotels, crowds, and high end dining, there aren't that many. Myvatn meets the criteria though.
If you simply want a nice view with some hot water, my family says that sky lagoon in Reykjavik is just as nice for less.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#35> The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa south-west of Reykjavík, announced it would close its doors on Thursday for a week This is temporary, not permanent. Short of the whole thing being swallowed by a lava fissure there's no way they will close Iceland's most famous tourist trap.
I liked my time there, but yes it's a tourist trap. Is there a comparable experience elsewhere (in Iceland or not) that's not overpriced, overcrowded, or out of the way? (a lot to ask I know)
I recently stayed at the sister resort, the Silica Hotel, and found it quite pleasant. It has its own lagoon and it’s a much quieter experience. It’s a 5 minute walk from the main resort so you can still take advantage of all the accommodations.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#36> The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa south-west of Reykjavík, announced it would close its doors on Thursday for a week This is temporary, not permanent. Short of the whole thing being swallowed by a lava fissure there's no way they will close Iceland's most famous tourist trap.
I liked my time there, but yes it's a tourist trap. Is there a comparable experience elsewhere (in Iceland or not) that's not overpriced, overcrowded, or out of the way? (a lot to ask I know)
Yes. It's a short flight to a colony of Iceland called Japan. The locals call them onsen there. The local Icelandic dialect is very different but there are signs in English.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yep. But: the upcoming eruptions could limit or destroy access routes, change geothermal patterns, create other nearby health risks – or even, as you put it, result literall in "the whole thing being swallowed by a lava fissure".
I'm not sure why this is being downvoted since there is considerable evidence that a new fissure might open very close to this area. The three eruptions in the last few years on the peninsula have not been far from Blue Lagoon.
There's a gentleman who came across my radar, who follows this kinda stuff much like a 'storm chaser' might in the US. He has a recent (Wednesday) video where he found hotspots on the surface with a thermal camera - close enough to the Blue Lagoon that it's in-frame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV75cDceExw&t=115s
It's worth noting the area is surprisingly flat. Flat like sandpaper - it's not at all smooth, but there's not much of a gradient either. Essentially whatever the volcanic version of a flood plain is. So a surface fissure here could be quite problematic. It's very close to the power station, very close to the resort, and there's not a lot of geography to channel it away.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#38I always found it interesting that Iceland has no indigenous population (like the inuit), prior to Scandinavian and British immigration. Like, what if it's because it is regularly buried in lava or something.
The 1783 Laki eruption killed roughly a quarter of Iceland's human population via famine & majority of its livestock via poisoning. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laki
Thanks for the mention. That was an interesting read!
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#39I had read that they believe a volcanic eruption is imminent. The resort is in the path of a lava flow if the eruption occurs.
Re: Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland closes after series of earthquakes
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure why this is being downvoted since there is considerable evidence that a new fissure might open very close to this area. The three eruptions in the last few years on the peninsula have not been far from Blue Lagoon.
There's a gentleman who came across my radar, who follows this kinda stuff much like a 'storm chaser' might in the US. He has a recent (Wednesday) video where he found hotspots on the surface with a thermal camera - close enough to the Blue Lagoon that it's in-frame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV75cDceExw&t=115s It's worth noting the area is surprisingly flat. Flat like sandpaper - it's not at all smooth, but th…
Yep. I was lucky to visit to see the nearby 2021 eruption – and also got in a Blue Lagoon stop.
Peninsula / coast / power / airport / key roads all pretty close, and an eruption could be bigger & longer.
I do have immense confidence in Iceland's ability & expertise to adapt no matter what. They know their land, & the geo science, very well and can coordinate/cooperate on a rapid, large scale.