Langisandur Beach Travel Guide

Langisandur is the town beach of Akranes in West Iceland, a strip of light-coloured sand about 1.3 km long facing south-east across Faxaflói bay. The name is plain Icelandic: Langisandur means "Long Sand", and locals also call it the Long Beach.

Langisandur beach holds Blue Flag certification at the time of writing, one of three beaches in Iceland listed by the regional tourism office, and since 2018 it has been paired with Guðlaug, a free geothermal pool built into the sea defences at Jaðarsbakkar, part-way along the shore.

Key Takeaways About Langisandur

• Light-coloured sand Blue Flag beach, about 1.3 km long, on the south-east shore of Akranes
• Guðlaug, a free three-tier geothermal pool by Basalt Architects (completed 2018), sits on the sea defence at Jaðarsbakkar
• About 49 km / 45–50 minutes from Reykjavík via the Hvalfjörður tunnel and Route 51; Strætó buses also run
• Local sea swimmers meet three times a week and welcome visitors; no lifeguard
• Paved shore path, parking at the pool; town centre about 1 km away

Why visit Langisandur

Iceland has many black beaches and very few sandy ones you would want to walk barefoot on. Langisandur is one of them. The sand is light-coloured and fine, the beach is wide at low tide, and a paved walking and cycling path runs its full length along the top of the shore, so you can stroll it in any footwear.

The Blue Flag is an international award for beaches that meet standards for water quality, safety, facilities and environmental management. West Iceland's regional tourism office lists Langisandur as one of three Blue Flag beaches in the country, which makes it the obvious place in Iceland to try sea swimming in monitored water.

The other reason to come is Guðlaug. Designed by Basalt Architects, the Reykjavík studio behind several of Iceland's best-known baths, Guðlaug opened in 2018 as a three-tier structure straddling the rock sea defence.

The top tier is a viewing deck shaped like the bow of a boat, the middle tier is the main hot pool, and the lowest tier is a cooler beach pool fed by its overflow, where sea swimmers can adjust.

It is made of marine-grade concrete with a timber-formwork finish that refers to the old fishing boats. Entry is free. The project was funded by the memorial fund of Jón Gunnlaugsson and Guðlaug Gunnlaugsdóttir, after whom the pool is named, together with municipal and state grants.

Local sea swimmers meet at Langisandur three times a week and welcome visitors who want to join them; the usual routine is a short dip in the Atlantic followed by a long soak in Guðlaug. The beach also attracts plenty of birdlife, and on a clear day you look straight across the bay to Reykjavík and the Reykjanes peninsula.

How to get to Langisandur

Akranes is about 49 kilometres (30 miles) from central Reykjavík. Take Route 1 north through the Hvalfjörður tunnel (toll-free since 2018), then turn left onto Route 51 toward Akranes immediately after the tunnel. The drive takes 45–50 minutes.

In town, follow the shore road to Jaðarsbakkar, where Guðlaug stands; there is a car park at the pool and further parking along the shore road. Strætó public buses run from Reykjavík to Akranes (check straeto.is for times), and the beach is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the town centre.

The beach is at sea level with level paved access, so no walking or special vehicle is needed.

Best time to visit

Langisandur is open all year, and because it faces south-east it catches the morning and midday sun. June to August brings the warmest sea (still cold by any standard) and long evenings for a sunset dip.

Guðlaug is at its best on cold, clear winter days when steam rises off the pool and the sun sits low over the bay; it is also a quiet, cheap alternative to the big lagoons. Check visitakranes.is for Guðlaug's current opening hours before relying on a winter soak.

Safety and practical tips

• Only enter the sea when it is calm and you are comfortable in cold water. There is no lifeguard; the Blue Flag covers water quality and facilities, not supervision.
• Guðlaug is an open-air pool with minimal facilities; bring a towel and warm layers for the walk back to the car.
• The pool is free. The town's indoor swimming pool, Jaðarsbakkalaug, is next to it if you want full changing facilities.
• Winds across Faxaflói can be strong, and sand blows on gusty days.
• Toilets, cafés and shops are in the town centre, about a kilometre away.