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Voykit pocket guide · Iceland
Höfn
Höfn í Hornafirði
Stay one night in Höfn as a Ring Road stop between the south coast and the East Fjords; two nights only if you add a glacier or ice-cave day.
Höfn is a harbour town of about 2,000 people on the south-east corner of Iceland, sitting between Vatnajökull and the sea. It is the natural overnight stop between the south coast and the East Fjords, and the base for glacier walks, ice caves and Jökulsárlón. The town itself is small: one evening, one lobster dinner and a walk around the harbour covers it.
- Country
- Iceland
- Local name
- Höfn í Hornafirði
- Best months
- Jun–Aug for the Ring Road and midnight light; Feb–Mar and Oct–Mar for ice caves
- Avoid
- Nov–Jan for driving the east (short daylight, storms, road closures)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- ISK
- Money
- Currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK, kr). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including remote petrol stations and toilets. About 145 ISK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget 8,000–13,000 kr excl. bed · Mid 13,000–22,000 kr excl. bed · High 22,000 kr+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU/EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Emergency 112 · Non-urgent doctor 1700
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Not expected.; Tour guide: Optional; ISK 1,000–3,000 for an excellent guide.; Taxi: Nothing.
- Water
- Cold tap water is excellent; hot tap water is geothermal and smells of sulphur — do not drink it.
- Toilets
- Few on long drives; petrol stations and paid toilets (ISK 200–500) at sites.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 500–800 kr |
| Lobster (langoustine) main course | 5,000–9,000 kr |
| Petrol, per litre | about 300 kr |
| Swimming pool entry | 1,000–1,500 kr |
| Museum entry | 1,000–2,000 kr |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 2,000–4,000 kr |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HFN · Hornafjörður Airport
- About 6 km north of town; domestic flights from Reykjavík, and no way into town except by car — check current schedules.About 3.7 mi north of town; domestic flights from Reykjavík, and no way into town except by car — check current schedules.
Typical fares
- Coach Reykjavík → Höfn
- 8–9 h, may need a transfer at Hvolsvöllur
- Coach Egilsstaðir → Höfn
- transfers at Reyðarfjörður and Breiðdalsvík, possibly an overnight
- Höfn → Jökulsárlón by car
- about 80 km, about 1 habout 50 mi, about 1 h
Get around
The town is small enough to walk: harbour to the far guesthouses is about 15 minutes. A hire car is the practical way to reach the glacier, the lagoon and the ice-cave meeting points. Public transport is a single taxi (check locally); the coach stop is at the N1 station.
See and do
Known for
- Langoustine (lobster) restaurants
- Vatnajökull glacier and ice caves
- Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
- Hornafjörður lagoon and bird reserve
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach | Drive Route 1 west about 80 km; or a guided coach from HöfnDrive Route 1 west about 50 mi; or a guided coach from Höfn | About 1 h each way |
| Vatnajökull glacier walk or ice cave | Guided tour from Höfn or from the Skaftafell / Jökulsárlón meeting points | Half day to full day |
| Þórbergssetur at Hali | Drive Route 1 west about 75 kmDrive Route 1 west about 47 mi | About 1 h each way |
| Lónsöræfi | Guided or well-prepared hike northeast of town, access via tracks | Full day or overnight |
| Djúpivogur | Drive Route 1 east about 100 kmDrive Route 1 east about 62 mi | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Harbour and Hafnarbraut
- Guesthouses, the art museum and the lobster restaurants within a 10-minute walk; best for one night without a car.
- Víkurbraut (main road in)
- The larger hotels, the pool and the N1 station where coaches stop; 5–10 min walk to the harbour.
- Farms west towards Jökulsárlón
- Guesthouses on working farms 30–80 km west; quieter, and closer to the glacier for an early start.Guesthouses on working farms 19–50 mi west; quieter, and closer to the glacier for an early start.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallóha-LOH |
| Thank you | Þakka þérTHAH-ka thyer |
| How much is it? | Hvað kostar það?kvath KOS-tar thath |
| Can I pay by card? | Get ég borgað með korti?get yeg BOR-gath meth KOR-ti |
| Where is the toilet? | Hvar er baðherbergið?kvar er BATH-her-ber-gith |
| I need help | Ég þarf hjálpyeg tharf yalp |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Using titles or surnames — there usually is no family name
- Pools: Shower naked first, keep the hot pot conversational; avoid: Swimwear in the showers
- Driving: Pull into lay-bys for photos, dip lights on single-lane bridges; avoid: Stopping on the road
- Nature: Stay on paths, carry litter out; avoid: Stone stacks, walking on moss
- Conversation: Ask about books, music, weather and the elves with good humour; avoid: Lecturing on whaling
Scams and watch-outs
- Fuel up in Höfn before heading east or west: the next stations are far apart.
- Glacier and ice-cave trips run only with licensed guides — never walk onto the ice alone.
- Winter storms can close the Ring Road east of town with little notice: check road conditions and keep a buffer day.
- Single-lane bridges and gravel tracks are common; headlights on at all times.
Very safe for tourists; the real risks are driving in winter storms, unguided glacier travel and long empty stretches between fuel stops. 112 for emergencies.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Höfn yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Langoustine (lobster) restaurants
- Vatnajökull glacier and ice caves
- Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
- Hornafjörður lagoon and bird reserve
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Vatnajökull — Höfn and the Vatnajökull Region: www.rikivatnajokuls.is/ferdathjonusta/english
- Hornafjörður municipality: www.hornafjordur.is/
- Strætó — long-distance coaches: straeto.is/en
- Wikivoyage: Höfn, revision 5243666 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243666
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
HöfnHöfn í Hornafirði
Á þetta heimilisfang, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Höfn; the US embassy and most others are in Reykjavík.
Fuel, food and lodging are the only things you need cash-free — cards work almost everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/hofn). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.