8 Things to know before visiting Iceland

1. The currency is Icelandic Krona and they accept SGD. You probably have to change some USD/Euro if you really want to. Alternatively, credit cards are accepted almost everywhere except for some petrol station. So, do activate your debit card if you are planning to drive.
2. Northern light can be seen from August to February but do not place high hope in seeing them. We went for 5N and only saw them one 1 night. if you are really going for the northern night, perhaps spending 7-10 days should increase the chances. 
3. Eating out in Iceland is expensive because most of the stuff is imported. We ate out twice and it cost us ($130-$140) SGD for 2 persons per meal at a restaurant. Despite the high cost, we went ahead and try Icelandic Food. Read the food to try when you are in Iceland here 
4. The water from the tap is clean to drink. We brought our own bottles and refill from the tap.
5. There are not many trees in Iceland. Forest was converted to pasture until almost all the trees were gone. Plus, the only tree species is birch. The trees were not able to grow back after they were cut down because sheep and cattle ate the seedlings.  
6. The best time to visit Iceland is None. However, the peak season in Iceland is during summer (Mid-June to August) to avoid the cold and more daylight. Personally, I feel that there are plenty of things to do during all season. So why not? Plus, the price during winter is lower compared to summer. Read our full Iceland trip report here 
7. No tipping is required in restaurant. There is once, I got death stares by the waitress in Germany for being late on the tips. She assumed that we are not tipping so she refused to come over when we waved. We ended up passing the tip to her colleagues. If tipping is required, why not just put it officially in the restaurant or the restaurant could just charge an additional 10% for its service charge? I was a waitress during school days and I didn’t give the death stare or bad service to diners who didn’t tip.
8. The weather changes dramatically during winter. So be prepared and leave lots of buffer time. It can be a clear day today and the snow storm tomorrow. If you are planning to book tour to any of the activities in Iceland, do remember to check out the terms and condition

If you are planning to drive during winter, read the article on my Iceland trip below

Read our full Iceland trip report here 
Read Tips for Selfdrive in Iceland here
Read our tips for Blue Lagoon here
Read the food to try when you are in Iceland here