Chongqing’s travel route to Iceland and related precautions

Why travel to Iceland?

Because it has the purest air and water in the world, as well as the best hot springs. Or maybe it’s because Iceland is a mysterious country: Compared with other Nordic countries, Iceland seems very primitive, and people are very close to nature. But in some areas they are very avant-garde and advanced, such as Icelandic music. Bjork can only be said to be the most famous musician in Iceland. Compared to the extremely high-level musicians and groups in Iceland, she is not even the best! Icelanders seem to be very silent people, but their celebrations can last at least one day and one night. Everyone has their own special skills, music, dance, juggling, and poetry. Or, if you're tired of traveling anywhere on Earth, you could choose Iceland: As the most lunar-like terrain on our planet, central Iceland was where Neil Armstrong, the first man to land on the moon, trained.

When traveling to Iceland, you can generally fly to Reykjavik via Icelandair via Frankfurt, because there are many flights to Frankfurt and the possibility of discounts is high. Some airlines can connect and stop in Iceland during their flights from London to New York. This arrangement is more suitable for business guests.

When arriving in Reykjavik, the first stop for tourists is usually the blue lagoon, which is 20 kilometers away from the airport. It is a sapphire-like hot water surrounded by black volcanic rocks. Spring, the mud around it is white. Because the water quality and the soil around the pool are rich in rare minerals, this hot spring in the west of the earth is not only as beautiful as a fairyland, but is also regarded as a holy spring that restores youth and maintains beauty.

Although Reykjavik is the capital, it looks more like a small town. Due to the cold climate most of the year, there are far fewer cafes than in other European countries. Icelanders regard home as the best place for entertainment and rest, so it is wise to stay in a good hotel in Iceland. Worth recommending is icelandica, a European castle-style building located in District 101 of the city center. The interior of the house uses a large amount of hardwood and bay windows, and is decorated with stained glass and paintings. The price is about 140-200 euros per night. (The price of an ordinary hotel in Iceland is 80-90 euros). Reading a book by the fire in icelandica's living room, drinking coffee with liqueur, and chatting with other tourists can make you imagine the leisurely daily life of a real Icelander.

The Hot Springs City, which is relatively close to Reykjavik, is a place worth visiting. The various flowers, trees and buildings here are simply a wonderland reappearance in Nordic fairy tales.

Many experienced tourists may not necessarily go on the famous "Golden Ring Tour" to Iceland, but Skaftafell National Park is a must-see. Skeidarasandur, close to the National Park, is one of the largest plains in Iceland, covering an area of ??nearly one thousand square kilometers. It is a vast plain washed out by the snow water of the Vatnajkull Glacier. This endless black plain has a heavenly silver-white glacier on one side close to the mountain, and a steaming geothermal fountain on the other side, making people feel like they are at the end of the world.

Iceland is very famous for its wool because of its cold climate and low pollution. Necklaces with ancient Nordic characters are also special souvenirs worth bringing back.

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The financial crisis made the country of Iceland almost bankrupt. Strangely, an authoritative magazine commented that Iceland is "the happiest country in the world", and this is indeed the case. Iceland is a country with high welfare, high treatment and high taxes. There is not much difference between the rich and the poor in Iceland, and the crime rate is almost zero. Its GMP ranks fourth in the world, far ahead of the United States and the United Kingdom. They treat people quite sincerely, warmly and generously. When we were guests at local people's homes, their hospitality was no less enthusiastic than our Northeastern people's invitation to drink. If you eat with the concept of eating Western food in China, you may be in trouble. Due to the pollution-free environment and relatively low social competitiveness, Icelanders usually live a long life. Icelandic women are the longest-lived women in the world, with an average age of 80 years old. The retirement age for Icelanders is 70 for men and 65 for women. This is why we can see white-haired old men racing cars on the streets.

Iceland Travel

Flight: Due to the agreement reached between Iceland and other Nordic countries, Icelandair’s aircraft are responsible for picking up passengers from abroad. That is to say, except for Icelandair, other countries Aircraft are not allowed to fly into the mainland of Iceland. Therefore, Chinese people who want to travel to Iceland can only transfer flights in countries with air links to Iceland, such as the United Kingdom, France, and Nordic countries. For example: Beijing-Copenhagen-Reykjavik, 9 hours + 1.5 hours, the price is about 12,000 yuan.

Price: Due to geographical reasons, Iceland’s prices are the most expensive among the Nordic countries. The French tourists we met there felt that the consumption was ridiculously high. The currency of Iceland is measured in Icelandic Krona. Generally, 1,000 Icelandic Krona is equivalent to about 100-110 yuan in RMB.

Weather: Because Iceland is close to the North Pole, there are usually 10 hours of daylight in summer, and the temperature is around 15 degrees, which is cool and pleasant. It is recommended to wear a jacket or other clothing in case of light rain or cloudy weather. Winters in Iceland are long, snowy and windy, and there are generally few tourists. But for tourists who like the Northern Lights, Iceland in winter is the best choice.

Shopping: There are many kinds of perfumes and cosmetics at the Icelandic airport, and the prices are at least one-third cheaper than in China. Some brands are not available in China, so it is recommended to buy more. Icelandic souvenirs are usually very expensive, so you can choose a few selectively. It is recommended to buy a well-made key chain with patterns such as Iceland's national bird and polar bear. Icelandic wool is very famous in Northern Europe. You can buy sweaters woven from cashmere wool, but the price is very expensive compared to domestic prices, and the styles are limited. Iceland's main industry is fishery, so deep-processed fish products can also be listed on the purchase list, such as fish skin wallets, document bags, hats, gloves, etc. And there are many types of fish skin. Just say that your friends have never seen a wallet made of three-striped fish skin. If you have ample financial resources, you can purchase the PUPPIN specimens mentioned above, wood carvings native to Iceland and unique astrological pendants.

Travel season

The best seasons for traveling are June to September and January to March. The tourist season starts in early June, but bus tours in some Highlands do not start until July. Every year after mid-August, Iceland's tourism popularity decreases, and hotels, inns and bus routes are closed. By September, almost all of Iceland, except for Reykjavik, seems to be in hibernation. Between January and March, exciting activities such as ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiles, and off-road hunting tours can be arranged in Reykjavik.

How to get there

Aircraft: International Airport: Keflavik Airport (Keflavik is about 55 kilometers away from the city), KLM and SAS Scandinavian Airlines have flights To the major capitals of Northern Europe. However, traveling from Beijing requires a transfer at a third destination in Northern Europe.

Food Guide

Traditionally, Icelanders lack ingredients and therefore lack imagination for delicious food. However, there are always cafes and restaurants that offer a variety of tastes. There is a food called Hákarl, which is putrid shark meat that has been buried in the sand for 3 to 6 months to completely disintegrate. Its stench can make foreign visitors scornful. Icelanders usually like to clean and air-dry haddock, turn it into strips, and serve it with cream as a snack. Skyr is an Icelandic specialty, a delicious mixture of skim milk and yeast, similar to yogurt.

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Iceland is a faraway country for most of us. In the imagination of many people, this country should be like its name, an island covered in ice and snow, with vast whiteness. I was fortunate enough to visit this country in the autumn of 2006. It is said that seeing is worth seeing. Iceland is not just ice and snow, but also has many gentle, rough, magnificent, strange, weird and unreal scenery. As a person who has traveled all over the country, I also admire it. Amazing.

We stayed in Iceland for three days. We arrived in the afternoon on the first day and left at noon on the third day. The tour lasted almost two full days. We mainly visited the Blue Lagoon, The golden circle and some buildings and streets in the city. The main scenic spots are introduced as follows:

Golden Circle: It is the essence of Iceland tourism, just like our one-day trip to West Lake.

It is mainly composed of three major and three small scenic spots. These scenic spots are scattered like pearls on a circular country road in Iceland. This circular road is called the Golden Circle.

The three major attractions are:

The former site of the Parliament (Fault Zone): The so-called former site of the Parliament is mainly for its natural scenery. This is where the Eurasian plate and the American plate break. According to Wegener's continental plate drift theory, the two plates continue to separate outward at a rate of 2 centimeters per year. Perhaps tens of thousands of years later, Iceland will be split into Two Icelands. The rocks on both sides of the fault zone are like two black stone Great Walls, stretching for several kilometers. Standing on the mountain and looking down the mountain, you can see the beautiful Parliament Lake and the colorful autumn colors.

Because Icelanders held annual parliament meetings hundreds of years ago, members brought tents from all over the island for the meeting. After the meeting, the tents were dismantled and nothing was left. This is also the place where the President of Iceland declared independence in 1944. The President stood on the hillside and shouted to the people below: Iceland is independent, and the Icelandic people have stood up. Then the people at the foot of the mountain danced happily, and there was another country in the world. An Icelandic flag now flies where the president once stood, and beneath it is a monument so small that it is almost invisible when buried in the grass. It has been included in the World Heritage List.

Geyser: The English name Geyser is based on the name of the fountain here, but perhaps because of its unbearable reputation, this natural fountain, which was once the second largest in the world and can erupt up to a height of 50 meters, has become It no longer erupts. Not far from her, there is another small geyser that still erupts every 3 or 5 minutes with a height of about 20 meters. It makes people feel that the trip is worthwhile.

Gullfoss Waterfall: It is one of the famous waterfalls in Europe. It is divided into two levels. The upper level has a drop of 11 meters, and the lower level has a drop of 21 meters. It is more than 100 meters wide. I can't tell that the waterfall is gold in color. The rushing river water seems to be a bit grayish white, like the color of lime water. The water droplets splashed by the pouring waterfall fill the sky, forming rainbows under the sunlight. The scenery is quite spectacular and gorgeous. A monument was erected next to the waterfall in memory of a common woman. In the 1930s, the local government took a fancy to this waterfall and planned to sell its resources to foreign investors to build a hydropower station here. This incident alarmed a woman who lived nearby. She insisted that this would destroy the natural landscape and insisted on filing a lawsuit with the government. As a result, she won the lawsuit and left this spectacular waterfall for future generations.

The three small attractions are:

Little Pony Falls: The height and width are smaller than Gullfoss Waterfall, but the water of the waterfall is blue, like a smooth silk. Jitter.

Crater: A large round pit with water in it.

Garden of Eden, Hot Spring Town: Taking advantage of the rich geothermal resources, local people use greenhouses to grow vegetables and fruits, and you can also see some tropical plants here.

In addition to the scenic spots recommended by these travel agencies, the scenery on the road is also worth seeing. On both sides of the road are volcanic lava, blue lakes, tenacious grass and moss, and the steam from the local geothermal heat rises into the sky and connects with the clouds. As well as the glaciers and mountains in the distance, the ever-changing scenery will make you stop to take photos from time to time. We stopped three times on the way just to see the scenery, which resulted in the day's trip ending 2 hours later than scheduled.

Blue Lake: It is an artificial lake and the largest open-air hot spring in the world. In 1976, when workers were building a power plant, they injected seawater into the surrounding low-lying volcanic rock formations, but accidentally dissolved the minerals on the surface of the rock formations. Experts discovered that these mineral spring waters were helpful in treating skin diseases, and the hot spring center was developed. There is a saying that if you haven’t visited the Blue Lagoon, you haven’t been to Iceland.

The light blue lake is shrouded in mist, like a fairyland. The best way to enter wonderland is to jump into the hot springs and merge yourself with the beautiful scenery. The white mud at the bottom of the Blue Lake is the best natural facial mask. Your skin will feel smooth after using it. After taking a hot spring bath, you will feel refreshed and all your worries will disappear.

City sightseeing: Presidential Palace, the site of the 1986 US-Soviet Summit, City Hall, Prime Minister's Office, Parliament Building, Cathedral, Pearl Tower (overlooking the panoramic view of Reykjavik), the overall style of the building It’s similar to other cities in Northern Europe. There are only two streets in Reykjavík, and it only takes less than an hour to visit them.

Because there are few people and friendly people, all kinds of animals live happily. We stayed for a long time by the lake (Lake Tjorning) in front of the city hall, feeding the swans and seagulls, and experiencing the harmony between humans and animals.

Other tourism projects: Because this is a group tour, there is no opportunity to experience other tourism projects. From the introduction of local tourists in Iceland, Iceland generally has the following tourism content: horseback riding travel, Northern Lights Tours, glacier tours, winter (ski) tours, and yacht harbor tours (including whale watching) are all worth a visit from the pictures in the introduction. I can only find one travelogue online about Chinese self-guided travel: .tw/spot/diary_country.asp?cgrfnbr=69.

Visa: Iceland is a Schengen country and anyone with a Schengen visa can enter. Therefore, if you have a visa from some Nordic or Western European countries, you do not need to apply for a new visa.

Transportation: Iceland does not have direct flights to China. It usually transfers from London, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen. It is said that because Chinese people travel more now, direct flights from China to Iceland are being negotiated. We flew into Iceland from Helsinki, Finland, and left Iceland for Copenhagen, Denmark. It took about 3 hours one way.

Time difference: The time difference between Iceland and China is 8 hours, and daylight saving time is not used.

Group travel guide: Domestic travel agencies generally arrange Nordic tours with Iceland as a bonus, usually for one to two days. It is recommended that you go to the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle. Blue Lagoon is generally a self-funded project. The cost of a hot spring bath is about RMB 150. It is best to bring your own swimming suit.

Shopping: Basically everything in the local area is imported. The local specialty is wool products, and the consumption level is very high, so don’t buy it if you can. Our tour guide didn’t take us to a shopping spot. Many souvenirs were made in China, so it’s okay not to buy them.

Other notes: The local socket has a round hole, so you should prepare a conversion plug; the local hotel only supplies direct drinking water, not boiled water. If you need to make tea, you need to bring your own electric kettle.

Iceland, nestled in the northwest corner of Europe, never flatters the outside world. When you are in this land, it seems to be hidden from the world. The entire population of Iceland is only 300,000. Icelanders do not have the pressure of GDP, nor do they work overtime. They live a quiet and peaceful life. The peak tourist season in Iceland is generally June, July, and August. In September, all we see in Iceland at tourist attractions are compatriots who speak Chinese. This year, 3,000 Chinese people have visited Iceland, more than double the number last year. , and this growth trend will continue for several years. I hope that the arrival of a large number of Chinese people will not break this tranquility and harmony.