Hauganes Village

Home to a population teetering around 150, Hauganes is an idyllic retreat, made more so by its iconic cottages, which seem to have leaped from the pages of a fairy tale. Surrounded by snowcapped mountains and perched on the edge of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland, it’s hard not to be taken by this village’s natural beauty…or its Jacuzzis.

Embracing the spa-like aura of the fjord, Hauganes is home to pay-what you-can hot tubs, open year-round for anybody to enjoy this glorious setting from a bubbly throne. In a nod to the village’s fishing heritage, one of the many hot tubs is even built into a wooden sailboat.

Resting in these thermal baths, you should not be alarmed by aquatic visitors to the village, as humpback whales make frequent stops in the waters here. Whale watching is a favorite activity, with the bonus of almost certainly spotting a few white-beaked dolphins and minke whales bobbing alongside the humpbacks.

Try not to stay in the tub for too long, but if you’re feeling lightheaded when you emerge, it just might be due to the whimsy of the cottages dotting the landscape. Luckily, some are available as accommodation, on the off chance you want to wake up with a distinct sensation that you are trapped within a postcard.

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