When traversing Iceland’s South Coast, all roads lead to the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón. The vast spit of sand that stretches from the lagoon, approximately 18 kilometres west to the foot of Kvíárjökull Glacier, is Breiðamerkursandur, a glacial outwash plain in the municipality of Hornafjörður.
The icebergs on the Jökulsárlón lagoon have broken off from Vatnajökull, the largest ice cap of the country. Three of its outlet glaciers, Breiðamerkurjökull, Hrútárjökull and Fjallsjökull formed the outwash plain over the course of the last few centuries. The beach boasts a variety of birds, including the great skua and Arctic tern, as well as seals and Arctic foxes.
You have most likely heard of the Diamond Beach, where the icebergs from Jökulsárlón gather on a strip of black sand to glisten in the sun like gemstones. In reality, what the tourist industry calls the Diamond Beach is simply the fracture of Breiðamerkursandur that sits right by the famed lagoon. The name turned out to be so befitting that it stuck—and let’s be honest—it’s much easier for English speakers to pronounce.
