Diving South Iceland | Vestmannaeyjar & the Atlantic Coast

About South Iceland – Vestmannaeyjar & Atlantic Coast

South Iceland spans the wild Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) and the exposed Atlantic coast. Vestmannaeyjar was reshaped by the 1973 Eldfell eruption, and its underwater world is black lava flows, caves, swim-throughs and the luminous Sólmundarhöfði crystal caves. Kelp forests, massive cod, wolffish and grey seals make it a top ocean destination. On the mainland, Þorlákshöfn’s Kelp Cathedral is a dense kelp forest on a sandy plateau with flatfish, skates and lumpsuckers, while Vík’s Reynisdrangar sea stacks offer powerful swells, lava boulders and rich invertebrate life for advanced divers. Surtsey nearby is protected, but its waters are a living reference for marine colonisation. Dramatic and productive, this region is pure North Atlantic diving.

Highlights

• ✓Vestmannaeyjar: 1973 lava flows, caves and the Sólmundarhöfði crystal caves
• ✓Sæfell Wall & Laxa Gorge: dramatic underwater walls and gorges
• ✓Þorlákshöfn Kelp Cathedral: a dense kelp forest with flatfish and skates
• ✓Vík Reynisdrangar: sea stacks with swell and invertebrate life
• ✓Grey seals and abundant cod around the Westman Islands

Getting There

Take the Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahöfn to Vestmannaeyjar (30 min), or drive the coast to Þorlákshöfn and Vík. Boat dives launch from the islands’ harbour and the mainland beaches with local guides.