Vadlaheidi Hot Springs is a group of natural geothermal pools on a hillside in Northeast Iceland. Geothermal water from inside the mountain feeds a stream, and the pools step up alongside it, getting warmer the higher they sit. The main pool lies at the head of a small waterfall, with a view down over the fjord. The water is mild rather than hot, at about 25–30 °C, and bathers come for the temperature and the setting rather than for facilities.
Vadlaheidi Hot Springs
Local name: Vaðlaheiði
The bathing water comes from inside the mountain — it surfaced here after the road tunnel was dug through it.
- Entrance
- Free — there is no ticket.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access: neither the parking nor the approach to the pools is adapted.
- Parking
- Free: a car park and roadside parking, plus space to pull in by the road just below the waterfall.
- Difficulty
- Short. From the roadside pull-in below the waterfall the water is about a minute away; from the exit marked on Google Maps the walk is uphill along the slope.
- Transport
- Self-drive (off Route 1 near Halland)
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Hallandsnes, 606 Akureyri, Iceland
What makes it special
A chain of natural pools steps up a hillside stream, and the water gets warmer the higher you go. The main pool sits right at the head of a small waterfall, looking down over the fjord. The temperature is mild rather than hot, which is why people stay in for a long stretch instead of a quick soak. Most of the pool is shallow, and one deeper section beside the stream is the only place to get a full body under water. Nothing is built here and nothing is charged for: the pools are the stream and the rock it runs over.
Good to know
- The water is lukewarm. It runs at about 25–30 °C — comfortable to sit in for a long time, but not a hot pot.
- There are no toilets. Nothing is provided at the pools, so deal with that before you set off.
- Most of the pool is shallow. One deeper section next to the stream is the only spot for a full-body dip.
- The main pool fills up. Shallow pools continue up the river above it, and walking a little higher usually finds space.
Getting there
Access is by car, and there are two ways in. The exit marked on Google Maps leaves a walk up the hillside to reach the top pool. The alternative is to carry straight on past that turn: the waterfall is visible from the road, and there is space to pull in just before it. From that pull-in the water is about a minute on foot. The springs sit on the edge of town, roughly a ten-minute bike ride away.
Best time to visit
Better: first thing in the morning. At 8am the pools can be empty.
Avoid: peak visiting hours, when the main pool is shared and the fallback is to walk upstream to the shallow pools.
The main pool is small and takes only a handful of bathers at once, so the hour you arrive decides whether you get it to yourself.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
How warm is the water?
About 25–30 °C. It is warm enough to sit in for a long time, but it is not a hot pot. The water gets warmer the further up the slope you go.Can you swim there, or only sit?
Mostly sit. The pools are shallow. One deeper area next to the stream is the only place where a full-body dip works.Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The pools are shallow and the water is mild rather than hot.What do you do if the main pool is taken?
Walk up. Shallow pools carry on up the river above the main one, and there is usually room in them.