Forest Lagoon is a geothermal spa built into the forest above the fjord just outside Akureyri, in Northeast Iceland. Two large outdoor pools hold water close to 40 °C, and the temperature of each zone is marked at the edge. Bars serve straight into the water, and there are tables and seats in the pools. A sauna faces the water, looking out to the sea and the mountains, and a small cold pool beside it runs at about 11 °C. The trees behind the pools are left standing, and the building is set low among them.
Forest Lagoon
Local name: Skógarböðin
The sauna looks out over a 40 °C pool to the ocean and the mountains, with an 11 °C plunge pool beside it.
- Entrance
- Paid entry, sold as packages — the cheapest assumes you bring your own towel. Recent visits put a ticket at over €50 per person, and around $95 with a towel and a drink included.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance, toilets, seating and parking.
- Parking
- Car park about 150 m from the entrance, on the lower side of the site, free for guests. Wheelchair-accessible spaces available.
- Transport
- Free shuttle van from Akureyri, picking up at the harbour, where the timetable is published. Nearest bus stops, Skautahöll and Minjasafn, are about 2 km away.
- Advance booking
- Booked online in advance; 36 hours' notice was enough for a weekday morning slot.
- Hours
- Daily 9:00–24:00.
- Address
- Vaðlaskógur, 605 Akureyri, Iceland
What makes it special
The draw is the water and what you look at from it. The two main pools sit close to 40 °C, and they face out over the fjord towards the sea and the mountains. Different zones are held at different temperatures, and each one is marked at the edge. Tables and seating stand in the water, and the bars serve swimmers without anyone getting out. The sauna looks over one of the hot pools; the cold plunge next to it runs at about 11 °C.
What the place does not have is anywhere to lounge out of the water. There are no sunbeds and no sun terrace — you leave the changing room and get straight in. Treat it as a long soak, not an afternoon spent beside a pool.
Good to know
- Shower first: naked showering is required before entry. There are five private cubicles, and shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are provided.
- No drinks of your own: bottles, cans and cups are all turned away. Tap water is free, everything else is bought at the bars, and bar prices are high.
- Bring a towel if you want the cheapest package — otherwise it comes with a dearer one. Leave it in the cubby matching your locker number.
- Nowhere to lie down: there are no sunbeds and no lounging areas out of the water.
- A wristband opens the locker and pays for drinks. You settle up by card or phone before leaving, so carry a payment method.
Getting there
This is a drive-in site: the road runs to the entrance, and the car park sits below the lagoon, so the walk in is uphill and the walk out is downhill. Anyone without a car can use the free shuttle from Akureyri. Nothing else has to be walked — it is the car park, then reception.
Best time to visit
Best: first thing on a weekday morning, when the pools are quiet.
Avoid: a rushed stop squeezed between other sights.
Around two and a half hours covers the pools, the sauna and the cold plunge without hurrying. In summer the forest behind the water is in full leaf, and the light holds late into the evening.
Things to do nearby
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need to book in advance?
Slots are booked online before arrival. A weekday morning stay was booked about 36 hours ahead. Reception explains what the package covers at check-in.Is showering before the pools compulsory?
Yes, and it is done without a swimsuit. Staff check that everyone showers properly. Five individual cubicles are available for privacy, and shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are provided.Can you bring your own drinks?
No. Bottles, cans and cups are not allowed in. Tap water is free. Everything else comes from the bars, which serve into the water, and bar prices are high.Is there anywhere to eat?
There is a bistro on site and a coffee van in the car park. Drinks inside the lagoon are charged to the wristband and paid for by card or phone on the way out.Is it suitable for wheelchair users?
The entrance, toilets, seating and car park are wheelchair accessible.