Húsavík Whale Watching
ExpensiveTraditional oak boat wildlife sailing
Sail out across Skjálfandi bay on restored Icelandic oak cutters to encounter feeding humpbacks, minke whales and harbour porpoises.
Húsavík HarbourBoat tourWhales
Húsavík & Dettifoss, Iceland
Ideal: 2 daysBest: Jun–Aug for optimal whale sightings and open mountain roads; Sep for autumn colours in ÁsbyrgiPrice: Expensive
In 60 seconds
Húsavík & Dettifoss in 60 seconds
Sheltered along the eastern curve of Skjálfandi Bay, Húsavík is celebrated as Iceland's whale-watching capital, where restored wooden oak boats take passengers out towards Arctic waters to spot humpbacks and blue whales. Eastward along the Diamond Circle route, the landscape deepens into the monumental Jökulsárgljúfur gorge, harbouring the thundering cataract of Dettifoss and the horseshoe cliffs of Ásbyrgi.
WhalesWaterfallsCoast
Best for
- Nature
Known for
- Húsavík whale watching
- Dettifoss waterfall
- GeoSea geothermal sea baths
Skip if
You are severely prone to sea motion sickness and plan to skip boat trips entirely.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Húsavík & Dettifoss fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Dettifoss Waterfall
Europe's most powerful waterfall
A 44-metre drop spanning 100 metres wide, discharging hundreds of cubic metres of grey glacial meltwater every second into a canyon.
JökulsárgljúfurDramaticFree
Ásbyrgi Canyon
Horseshoe canyon & birch woodland
A colossal horseshoe-shaped depression sheltered by 100-metre vertical cliffs, carpeted in native birch woods and tranquil ponds.
KelduhverfiCanyonFree
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Local
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Naustið
ExpensiveFamily seafood restaurant in a yellow townhouse
A charming yellow-timber family restaurant known for hearty seafood soup, pan-fried cod and seasonal fish skewers.
HúsavíkCosyFish soup
Gamli Baukur
ExpensiveHarbour-side timber tavern & seafood
Built from driftwood and weathered planks beside the whale watching piers, offering Arctic char and local draft beers.
Húsavík HarbourHarbour viewLocal fish
More places to eat
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Fish & Chips Húsavík
ModerateHarbour fish hut & crisp haddock
A small dockside trailer turning out fresh beer-battered haddock and potato wedges overlooking the sailing boats.
Húsavík HarbourFish & chipsQuick bite
Hvalbakur Café
InexpensivePier-side coffee & waffles
A friendly harbour-front café serving freshly made Icelandic heart-waffles, hot chocolate and coffee before morning boat departures.
Húsavík HarbourCoffeePier
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths
ExpensiveCliff-edge mineral sea baths
Infinity geothermal pools filled with warm seawater perched on the headland cliff edge, looking across the bay to snowy mountain ridges.
Húsavík CliffGeothermalOcean view
Húsavík Whale Museum
ModerateMaritime exhibition & full blue whale skeleton
An informative non-profit research museum featuring authentic whale skeletons, including an intact 25-metre blue whale specimen.
Húsavík HarbourEducationMuseum
Tungulending Guesthouse & Café
ModerateSecluded seaside cove café
A restored former fish-freezing house situated on a quiet pebble beach on the Tjörnes peninsula serving homemade soup and bread.
TjörnesCaféSeaside
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Jaki Bar & Lounge
ModerateHarbour hotel lounge & drinks
A modern lounge bar situated near the harbour offering regional craft beers and mixed cocktails after an evening at GeoSea.
HúsavíkCocktailsDrinks
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Húsavík
Whale harbour centre
Wharf docks, boat tour ticket offices, the wooden church and cliff-top walking paths.
Jökulsárgljúfur & Ásbyrgi
Canyon national park
The northern sector of Vatnajökull National Park featuring hiking trails, basalt cliffs and waterfalls.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Húsavík Town
ExpensiveHarbour base for sea tours
Best choice for walking to whale watching piers, evening seafood dinners and the GeoSea baths.
HarbourTown
Ásbyrgi Area
ModerateRural canyon lodges & camping
Secluded guesthouses and campgrounds surrounded by canyon walls, ideal for trail enthusiasts.
CanyonNature
Practical
Know before you go
- Diamond Circle route
- Húsavík anchors the Diamond Circle connecting Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi, Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss.
- Dettifoss access
- Road 862 (west side) is fully paved and open year-round; Road 864 (east side) is gravel and seasonal.
- Whale tour gear
- Tour operators supply heavy thermal suits; wear sturdy shoes, warm hats and gloves even in midsummer.
- Warm baths booking
- Reserve evening time slots at GeoSea ahead of time, especially during sunny July and August evenings.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 870
Swedish Viking Garðar Svavarsson overwintered at Húsavík, building the houses that gave the town its name.
- 1907
Húsavík Church is consecrated, built of Norwegian timber in a distinctive cruciform architectural style.
- 1995
Commercial whale watching launches from Húsavík, quickly growing into an internationally recognized hub.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Hafragilsfoss
Downstream gorge cascade
A 27-metre canyon waterfall downstream from Dettifoss offering panoramic views of the red-and-black basalt gorge.
10 min drive from DettifossCanyonWaterfall
Tjörnes Peninsula Fossil Cliffs
Coastal geological strata & puffins
Sedimentary sea cliffs containing million-year-old fossil shell layers, with summer puffins nesting on the grassy headlands.
15 min north of HúsavíkGeologyPuffins