Diving West Iceland | Snæfellsnes & Breiðafjörður

About West Iceland – Snæfellsnes & Breiðafjörður

West Iceland pairs the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, nicknamed "Iceland in miniature," with the vast Breiðafjörður bay, one of the country’s richest marine areas. Snæfellsnes offers Bjarnagjá, a cold freshwater fissure like a smaller, quieter Silfra, and lava tubes such as Sönghellir and the narrow Rauðfeldsgjá gorge. Across the bay, Stykkishólmur opens onto Breiðafjörður’s kelp forests, giant sea stars, king crabs, wolffish and scallops, with 19th–20th century shipwrecks. Grundarfjörður beneath Kirkjufell gives dramatic talus slopes and winter night dives under the Northern Lights, while peaceful Flatey island is ideal for drysuit training. The region is scenic, less crowded and supplies a satisfying mix of freshwater fissures and prolific ocean life.

Highlights

• ✓Bjarnagjá: a Silfra-like freshwater fissure with 30–50 m visibility
• ✓Stykkishólmur – Breiðafjörður: kelp, king crabs and wrecks
• ✓Grundarfjörður: Kirkjufell backdrop and winter night dives
• ✓Sönghellir & Rauðfeldsgjá: flooded lava tubes and gorges
• ✓Flatey Island: calm bays for drysuit training and macro

Getting There

Drive 2–3 hours north-west from Reykjavik along Route 1 then 54/56 to Snæfellsnes, or take a domestic flight to Bifröst. Stykkishólmur and Grundarfjörður have harbours for boat dives across Breiðafjörður.