Breiðamerkursandur – Iceland’s Stunning Diamond Beach
A black sand beach littered with huge chunks of glistening ice has become one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, and for good reason, it looks like something out of a fantasy movie.
Known as Breiðamerkursandur in Icelandic, Diamond Beach takes its name from the chunks of pristine ice scattered across the black volcanic sand and glistening like giant, uncut diamonds. It is located next to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland, about six hours away from the country’s capital, Reykjavik. Although it’s not part of the popular Golden Circle Tour, Diamond Beach has become one of the country’s top tourist attractions in recent years, and looking at photos of it, it’s easy to see why.
h/t: odditycentral
Diamond Beach is located by the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, which is filled with huge pieces of ice that constantly break off from Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, the largest icecap in Europe. Bits and pieces of these chunks of ice end up on the black sand and create a stunning visual effect.
Apart from the diamond-like chunks of ice, Diamond Beach is famous for never looking the same on two different days. As the ice melts and new chunks are washed ashore, this place can look completely different from one day to the next.
