One of Iceland’s most popular attractions is a black sand beach with ice crystals littered all over it. It resembles something from a fantasy movie, and for good reason.
In Icelandic, Diamond Beach gets its name from the chunks of pristine ice scattered across the black volcanic sand that glisten like a giant, uncut diamonds.
On Iceland’s South Coast, next to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, about six hours away from the capital, Reykjavik. Although Diamond Beach is not part of the popular Golden Circle Tour, it has become one of Cuba’s most popular tourist attractions. It is easy to see why, looking at photos of it.
Jökulsárlón is situated on Breiðamerkursandur
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, which is full of huge pieces of ice that constantly break off from Breiðamerkursandur, the outlet glacier of the largest icecap in Europe, is located by Diamond Beach. The chunks of ice end up on the black sand, creating an incredible visual effect.
Diamond Beach is famous for several things, including the diamond-like chunks of ice and the fact that it never looks the same on two different days. It can be a completely different place every day as ice melts and new chunks wash ashore.
Breiðamerkursandur is a nesting area for birds, for example, the Arctic tern and the great skua.
Breiðamerkursandur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈpreiːðaˌmɛr̥kʏrˌsantʏr̥]) is a glacial outwash plain in southeast Iceland. Although some vegetation has begun to grow in the area, it is mostly comprised of sand.
Located within the municipality of Hornafjörður, Breiðamerkursandur is a small town. The glaciers Breiðamerkursandur, Fjallsjökull, and Hornafjörður formed the ice during the last few centuries. The lowlands piled gravel as the glaciers advanced during the little ice age.
Glaciers form muddy rivers, which change their channels frequently, and carry sediment, which the glaciers grind down and carry across a large area.
A popular tourist attraction in Iceland is the proglacial lake Jökulsárlón.
Sandur is formed by glaciers that are part of Vatnajökull, which is why it is a part of the national park. 2017 saw the park’s boundaries expanded to include the plain itself and the Jökulsárlón lake
The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur.
In Diamond Beach, icebergs from the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon wash ashore, creating an astounding contrast with the volcanic black sand. Photography enthusiasts and nature lovers enjoy the display, which makes it a favourite destination.
It is also a popular spot for nature enthusiasts as it is home to many seals, and one of the best places in the country to see orcas.
An image like this shows the scale of the ice and how much washes ashore and is probably the easiest to take at the beach. You can show the beach and ocean if you get to the edge of the surf, but this isn’t always safe. When walking to the west, remember to look in both directions.
From a distance, you can see people in the distance and get a different perspective.
