Hidden Gems of the South Coast Most Tourists Miss
- South Iceland
- 25 Sep 2026
Most South Coast day tours stop at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Reynisfjara. The hidden gems on Iceland’s south coast, including a couple of secret waterfalls, are rarely far from those three, and most visitors miss them because nobody told them where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Several of the best-known “secret” spots sit within walking distance of stops you are already making.
- Fjallsárlón is a quieter glacier lagoon than Jökulsárlón and is a photo stop on the full-day route when the weather is clear.
- Gljúfrabúi and Kvernufoss are the two most commonly walked past.
- What you can reach depends less on the operator than on how long the coach stops.
Which Secret Waterfalls Are Hiding in Plain Sight?
Gljúfrabúi is the clearest example. It sits a few minutes’ walk from Seljalandsfoss, tucked inside a cleft in the rock, and it is barely visible from the parking lot. Most people photograph the famous waterfall, get back on the coach, and never know it was there.
Kvernufoss works the same way near Skógafoss, reached by a walk of about 20 minutes from the Skógar Museum. Both are a short walk from stops the coach already makes. Our guide to South Coast waterfalls covers each of them in detail, including the approaches.
What Counts as Off the Route?
Two places qualify on this stretch. Fjallsárlón is the strongest of them: a glacier lagoon about 10 km west of Jökulsárlón, fed by the same ice cap, with a fraction of the visitors. The full-day glacier lagoon route stops there for photos on clear days, and the Fjallsárlón guide is worth five minutes before you go.
Stjórnarfoss, near Kirkjubæjarklaustur, is another regular surprise. It is the first scheduled stop on that same route, and most guests have never heard of it before the coach pulls in.
Why Do Guided Groups See More of Them?
A guide decides where the coach stops and for how long, so the 10 minutes you would otherwise spend finding parking can be spent walking to Gljúfrabúi.
Meal stops also put you in places you would otherwise drive through. The South Coast routes break in Vík, and the dinner stop on the way back from the glacier lagoon is likely there too, which is how most visitors end up seeing the village properly instead of photographing the sea stacks from the road.
Seeing Them Without a Car
Gljúfrabúi and Kvernufoss sit beside stops on the standard South Coast tours, while Stjórnarfoss and Fjallsárlón are on the full-day glacier lagoon route. With the extra walks, three waterfalls become five on the same ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gljúfrabúi included on South Coast tours?
It is usually not listed separately, since it sits beside Seljalandsfoss and shares the same stop. Whether you reach it depends on how long the group stops and whether you walk. Wear boots, as the approach involves shallow water.
How far is Fjallsárlón from Jökulsárlón?
About 10 km west along the same stretch of coast, fed by the same ice cap. It is considerably quieter, though it still has toilets and a café by the parking lot. Full-day tours stop there briefly for photographs on clear days.
Do I need a 4×4 to reach the quieter spots?
No. Every place covered here sits on or beside Route 1 and is reachable by coach. The highland tracks further inland are a different matter.
