Scuba Diving Regions in Iceland

    From world-class walls to muck diving havens, discover the unique character of each regional cluster.

    Regional Diversity

    Diving in Iceland is possible year-round, as the water temperature at Silfra and many other sites remains constant regardless of the season. However, the summer months (June to August) offer the longest daylight hours—the midnight sun—and more pleasant air temperatures. The winter months (November to March) provide a magical experience with snow-covered landscapes and the chance to see the Northern Lights after a dive, though daylight is limited.

    9
    Regions
    39
    Total Sites
    4
    Day Limit

    Planning Tips

    Many regions are seasonally dependent. For Iceland, the best diving conditions are usually spread across different months depending on the archipelago or coast.

    Updated: June 2026

    East Iceland – Seyðisfjörður & Fjords

    coastal
    4 dive sites

    East Iceland’s deep fjords hold some of the country’s best wreck and reef diving, anchored by the famous El Grillo tanker in Seyðisfjörður. This 94 m British oi...

    Base Towns

    Seyðisfjörður for El Grillo
    Eskifjörður for wrecks
    Reyðarfjörður for the pinnacle
    Borgarfjörður Eystri for puffins
    Egilsstaðir for the hub

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    Freshwater Lakes & Glacial Outflows (Inland)

    inland
    4 dive sites

    Iceland’s inland freshwater offers a gentler, surreal side of diving away from the cold ocean. Þingvallavatn, the wide lake above Silfra, holds submerged lava c...

    Base Towns

    Reykjavik for the west sites
    Laugarvatn for geothermal dives
    Selfoss for the hub
    Höfn for Jökulsárlón
    Hella for the south

    North Iceland – Eyjafjörður & Hydrothermal Vents

    coastal
    6 dive sites

    North Iceland is the only place on Earth where recreational divers can explore living hydrothermal chimneys. Off Akureyri, Strýtan rises from 65 m to 15 m, vent...

    Base Towns

    Akureyri for the capital of the north
    Hjalteyri for wrecks
    Dalvík for whale fjords
    Grímsey for the Arctic Circle
    Varmahlíð for the way in

    Reykjanes Peninsula & South-West Iceland

    coastal
    5 dive sites

    The Reykjanes Peninsula is Iceland’s geothermal frontier, a windswept lava landscape fringed by the North Atlantic and threaded with volcanic heat. Just south o...

    Base Towns

    Reykjavik for flights and dining
    Keflavik for the airport
    Garður for seals
    Sandgerði for harbours
    Hafnir for quiet coasts

    Reykjavík & Capital Area

    coastal
    3 dive sites

    The Reykjavik capital area proves you can dive world-class cold water within sight of the city. Sundahöfn harbour hides sunken tugboats and fishing wrecks encru...

    Base Towns

    Reykjavik city centre for everything
    Grandi harbour district
    Seltjarnarnes for quiet coasts
    Kópavogur for suburbs
    Hafnarfjörður for harbour

    South Iceland – Vestmannaeyjar & Atlantic Coast

    island
    3 dive sites

    South Iceland spans the wild Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) and the exposed Atlantic coast. Vestmannaeyjar was reshaped by the 1973 Eldfell eruption, and its...

    Base Towns

    Vestmannaeyjar for the islands
    Þorlákshöfn for kelp
    Vík for sea stacks
    Hvolsvöllur for waterfalls
    Selfoss for the hub

    West Iceland – Snæfellsnes & Breiðafjörður

    coastal
    6 dive sites

    West Iceland pairs the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, nicknamed "Iceland in miniature," with the vast Breiðafjörður bay, one of the country’s richest marine areas. Snæf...

    Base Towns

    Stykkishólmur for Breiðafjörður
    Grundarfjörður for Kirkjufell
    Ólafsvík for the glacier
    Borgarnes for the way in
    Snæfellsnes for fissures

    Westfjords – Wild & Remote Fjords

    coastal
    4 dive sites

    The Westfjords are Iceland at its wildest: remote peninsulas, deep fjords and virtually untouched cold-water reefs. Ísafjarðardjúp offers pristine visibility of...

    Base Towns

    Ísafjörður for the hub
    Patreksfjörður for reefs
    Bíldudalur for the museum reef
    Tálknafjörður for scallops
    Hornstrandir for expedition

    Þingvellir National Park – Silfra & Freshwater Fissures

    inland
    4 dive sites

    Þingvellir National Park sits on the rift where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart, and it is the spiritual home of Icelandic div...

    Base Towns

    Reykjavik for tours and flights
    Selfoss for the Golden Circle
    Laugarvatn for geothermal pools
    Hveragerði for hot springs
    Þingvellir for early starts
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