Earth Lagoon Mývatn (Jarðböðin við Mývatn)

What to expect

If you have read about Mývatn Nature Baths, this is the same place under a new name. The lagoon at Jarðbaðshólar, a low hill east of Lake Mývatn, opened as Mývatn Nature Baths (Jarðböðin við Mývatn) in 2004. It now trades as Earth Lagoon Mývatn. The operator’s own pages still describe it as “formerly Mývatn Nature Baths”, and the phone number and jardbodin.is email have not changed. So if an older guidebook or map sends you to the Nature Baths, you will end up here.

The site closed on 1 January 2026 so a new building could go up, and it reopened in summer 2026. There was a soft opening first, with a discount code valid until 15 July. Then on 27 July the operator announced the finished facilities. The new building covers just under 4,000 square metres and was finished in rock dug out during construction, which suits the lava setting.

The water is the main reason to come. It comes from the Bjarnarflag borehole, which the National Power Company runs nearby, and reaches the site at around 266°F130°C. It is then cooled to 97-104°F36-40°C. The operator describes it as alkaline and rich in sulphur, with no chlorine or other disinfectant. It has the same pale, milky blue as other geothermal lagoons, and it smells faintly of sulphur. In all, the lagoon and its basin hold about 3.5 million litres.

The pools and facilities

The rebuild added a lot. The operator’s figures:

• More space: about 35% more lagoon surface and room for roughly 580 guests at once, about a third more than before.
• A fissure section: a new part of the lagoon is built around a tuff pillar island, with lava-rock walls and passages that copy the local Grjótagjá and Stóragjá fissures. You swim through cave-like gaps into a larger open area.
• Steam cave: you can swim into a natural steam bath fed by vents in the rock. It averages about 113°F45°C at 100% humidity, and it gets hotter or cooler with the weather.
• Hot tubs and bars: two new hot tubs and swim-up bars selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Earth Lagoon Bistro: about 150 seats with views over Lake Mývatn, plus outdoor seating in summer.
• Massages: offered here for the first time. You can book one with or without lagoon entry.

The changing rooms hold up to 630 guests and have lockers, showers and Icelandic-made body wash, shampoo and conditioner. The lagoon is wheelchair accessible, and staff have a wheelchair to take you from the showers to the water.

Prices and booking

Prices below are from the operator’s site in October 2026. They change with the time of day and how busy it is, and the booking engine shows the real price.

• Earth Essential, ISK 7,900-11,900 per adult: lagoon, hot tub and steam bath, standard changing rooms, a locker and a private shower. Teens 13 to 15 pay from ISK 3,900, children 6 to 12 from ISK 2,500.
• Earth Signature, ISK 9,900-15,900 per adult: the same water areas plus the lava changing rooms, a towel, one free drink and a bistro discount. Teens pay from ISK 4,900 and children from ISK 3,500. There are no private showers on this ticket.
• Earth Exclusive, from ISK 52,000: a private changing room for up to two people, a separate lagoon and lounge with a fireplace, towels and robes, Prosecco on arrival and another drink. Guests must be 20 or older.

Children aged 5 and under go free with an adult. If you forget something, swimsuits rent for ISK 1,100 and towels for ISK 1,200.

Booking ahead is recommended, but walk-ins get in while lockers last. Groups of 10 or more should book. If you cancel more than 72 hours ahead you get a full refund, 24 to 72 hours ahead gets you 50%, and inside 24 hours only 10%.

Hours: From 1 September 2026 the lagoon opens 12:00 to 22:00 daily. Bathing ends at 21:40 in winter and 22:40 in summer, and you need to be out of the building by closing. The operator warns that hours vary by season. It has also closed early for one-off events, so check the website on the day.

Getting there

The lagoon sits just off Route 1, the Ring Road, on the east side of the Mývatn area.

• From Akureyri: 89 km (55 miles) east on Route 1, roughly an hour’s drive. You pass Goðafoss on the way.
• From Reykjahlíð: about 4 km (2.5 miles). Reykjahlíð is the main village on the lake.
• From Húsavík: 58 km (36 miles).
• From Egilsstaðir: 164 km (102 miles) west on Route 1, about two hours.
• From Reykjavík: 473 km (294 miles), so treat this as a North Iceland stop, not a day trip from the capital.

The lagoon is on Jarðbaðsvegur, a short side road off Route 1. In winter, check umferdin.is for Route 1 conditions before you drive, especially on the stretches east of Mývatn.

When to go

This is a busy stop on the Diamond Circle and the Ring Road, and summer afternoons are the peak. Evenings and the shoulder seasons are quieter. On a clear winter night you have a chance of seeing northern lights from the water, though nothing is guaranteed.

The steam cave depends on outside conditions, so on a very cold, windy day it can feel cooler than the posted average. Weather in North Iceland can change quickly in winter. Plan some slack in your schedule if you are driving in from Akureyri or Egilsstaðir.

Rules and etiquette

• Shower without your swimsuit first. The operator requires everyone to shower thoroughly before entering, as at every Icelandic pool. Soap and shampoo are provided.
• Wear a swimsuit in the lagoon. You can rent one at the front desk.
• Take off silver and copper jewellery. The sulphur in the water can tarnish or discolour it. Use your locker.
• Children are welcome, and under-6s go free with an adult.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging at the lagoon itself. The obvious base is Reykjahlíð, about 4 km (2.5 miles) away, and the shores of Lake Mývatn have more guesthouses and hotels. The operator points visitors to visitmyvatn.is for local accommodation and food. Akureyri, about an hour west, and Húsavík, 58 km (36 miles) north, have a much wider choice. From Húsavík you can pair this with the sea baths at GeoSea. From Akureyri, the Forest Lagoon is five minutes out of town.

Safety notes

• Heat and drinks: 104°F40°C water with drinks from the swim-up bar can leave you dizzy or dehydrated. Drink water and take breaks.
• The steam cave: full humidity at around 113°F45°C is hard work. Keep your visits short.
• Footing: wet stone and lava surfaces get slippery, especially when frost settles on the paths in winter.
• Winter driving: check umferdin.is and safetravel.is before you set out, and do not push on into a storm to make a booking.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Námafjall geothermal area, with its mud pots and steam vents, is just over the hill from the lagoon. The Grjótagjá and Stóragjá fissures, which inspired the new lagoon section, are a short drive away. So is the lake itself, with its pseudocraters and birdlife.