Guide de Voyage : Plage de Sable Noir de Fauskasandur

Fauskasandur is a hidden black sand beach in East Iceland characterized by a huge rock on its shore.

Photo from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, by Gerd Eichmann No edits made.

Travelers who want to visit the eastern region can explore Fauskasandur on a ten-day self-driving tour along Route 1 or a self-drive camping trip of Iceland's finest spots. Those who want to go on a road trip and visit the surrounding areas of Fauskasandur may also rent a car.

Fauskasandur black sand beach is situated in East Iceland, where one can find steep mountains, beautiful fjords, highland farms, otherwordly basalt rock formations, and Nordic fishing towns. This region is also home to the reindeer in the wild, originally from Norway. 

What Makes Fauskasandur Beach Special

Fauskasandur beach is notable for its black sand and an enormous monolith rising from its shore. The almost rectangular giant rock looked out of place, jutting like a missing piece of the surrounding mountain bases.

With its top covered in green foliage that crawls down the rocky sides, like the traditional Viking homes of old, this natural rock formation adds a unique element to the dark shoreline.

The striking contrast between the white breaks in the waves and the black sand is also worth mentioning. Overall, the unique appearance of Fauskasandur makes it a particularly ideal spot for photographers.

Black sand beaches are common in Iceland due to the country being a volcanic island. Volcanic eruptions in the past produced molten lava that flowed directly to the sea and instantly cooled down and solidified into basalt lava rocks once mixed with the freezing waters of the North Atlantic Ocean.

The rough waves then eroded the lava rocks into smaller pieces and eventually into black sand. 

However, unlike the other black sand beaches in Iceland, which are very popular among tourists, such as Diamond beach and Reynisfjara, Fauskasandur is lesser known and visited by few. This doesn't mean that Fauskasandur is less beautiful than its more famous counterparts, it's just more remote.

As such, Fauskasandur is less crowded, so visitors can freely explore the place as much as they want. They can dip their toes in the pristine water and feel the grains of black volcanic sand beneath their feet.

Fauskasandur black sand beach is open to the public and free to access any time of the day or night.

Summer and Winter in Fauskasandur

Fauskasandur can be visited all year round. During summer, when the weather is nice and the daylight hours reach their peak length, visitors can enjoy long walks along the sandy shore while looking at the waves crashing into the dark sand under the midnight sun for 20 hours a day. 

The summer also makes the surrounding areas greener and more vibrant, whereas winter brings out the mesmerizing contrast between the white snow and the black sand. 

How to Get to Fauskasandur

Situated on the eastern coast of Iceland between the towns of Djupivogur and Hofn, this hidden gem is approximately 315 miles (507 kilometers) from Reykjavik via the Ring Road. Since Fauskasandur is about as far east as it gets from Reykjavik, visitors need to plan a multi-day trip from the capital to visit this black sand beach. 

It's not hard to spot Fauskasandur as the beach lies directly along the Ring Road. Upon reaching the parking lot, visitors must walk just a few meters and descend from the clearing to get to the shore.

Other Notable Places Nearby

Fauskasandur black sand beach is located near other famous sites in the eastern region, such as Hofn village, Eystrahorn and Vestrahorn mountains, Folaldafoss waterfall, and another black sand beach named Stokksness.