Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon: The Rules and What to Bring

Built from each venue’s own published pages, not from a personal visit. Sources at the foot.

Most Blue Lagoon packing lists are written as though you were going camping. In practice both lagoons hand you most of it at the door, and the short list of things they do not supply is not the list you would guess.

This page separates the two. First what each venue states it provides, then the four things you genuinely have to carry in, then the one piece of preparation that is a published instruction rather than a tip.

What the venue already provides

Blue Lagoon. A towel is included in all three entry packages. Shampoo and conditioner are in the showers — the venue’s own hair page tells you to “rinse your hair with fresh water and apply shampoo and conditioner, which are both provided in the shower.” A bathrobe comes with the Premium and Signature packages but not with Comfort. Changing is in individual shower cubicles.

Sky Lagoon. “Towels are free of charge for all guests” — on both the Saman and the Sér pass. Robes are the difference: “Sky Lagoon does not offer robes or slippers.” The two passes differ in the changing rooms rather than the water: Saman gives you “shower cubicles and a shared changing area”, Sér gives you “private showers and private changing areas”.

So the towel question, which dominates every packing list written about Iceland, does not arise at either lagoon. It arises at the municipal pools, which is a separate page.

The four things you do have to bring

A swimsuit. The one thing not included in any ticket. Both lagoons rent and sell them at reception, so forgetting it is an expense rather than a disaster — but it is an avoidable one. Geothermal seawater is mineral-heavy and salty and is not kind to elastane over repeated visits, so bring the costume you are least attached to rather than the newest one.
A waterproof case, if the phone is coming in. Blue Lagoon permits photography in the water and advises “protecting your device with a waterproof case”. It also draws a hard line at the changing rooms: “We do not allow photography in or around the locker rooms.” Sky Lagoon allows phones and asks guests to “be very mindful with your photography”.
Glasses you can afford to keep dry, or nothing at all. Blue Lagoon is blunt about eyewear: do not submerge them, because “silica might damage the lenses.” On contacts it goes further — “if you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you remove them before entering the lagoon.” Plan for the walk from the locker to the water without them.
A hair tie, if your hair is long. Not a rule, but it is the practical half of the hair instruction below, and it is the item people most often wish they had.

Leave these at the hotel

Jewellery. Blue Lagoon: “We recommend that you remove any jewelry before entering the lagoon. This will ensure that you don’t lose your items and that they don’t get tarnished.” Silver in particular does not survive the visit unchanged.
A towel, unless you are also doing the city pools on the same trip.
Your own shampoo and conditioner for use on site — both lagoons stock the showers.
A robe, if you booked Blue Lagoon Premium or Signature. If you booked Comfort, or either Sky Lagoon pass, there is no robe, and you walk from the changing room to the water in a towel.

The hair instruction, which is not optional advice

Blue Lagoon publishes this as a recommendation on its own etiquette page, and it is the single most useful sentence on this page: “We recommend that you apply conditioner to your hair before entering the lagoon and leave it in your hair while experiencing the water.”

The reason is on the venue’s hair page: “The mineral-rich geothermal seawater isn’t damaging, but it can leave hair feeling dry or stiff — similar to swimming in the ocean due to its high mineral and salt content.” The conditioner is a barrier, not a treatment.

And if you get it wrong, the venue says so plainly: “If your hair is immersed for more than a few minutes, have no fear: it will return to normal after 2-3 washes.” The stories about permanently ruined hair are not coming from the operator.

The conditioner in the showers is free, so this costs nothing except remembering to do it before you get in rather than after.

The shower rule, before you plan anything else

Blue Lagoon states it without qualification: “All guests must shower, without a swimsuit, before entering the Blue Lagoon.” It is not a suggestion, it is not negotiable, and it is the part of an Icelandic visit that surprises people most. Blue Lagoon’s showers are individual cubicles, which takes most of the sting out of it; at the municipal pools the arrangement differs by venue. We went through what each venue publishes on the Iceland pool shower rules page.

If the city pools are also on the itinerary

This is where the packing list changes. The municipal pools are not spa venues and do not hand you a towel with the ticket, so a towel belongs in the bag on those days — and a fast-drying one is worth more than a thick one if you are moving between pools. A microfiber travel towel is the version of this that packs down. What each city pool requires is on the Reykjavík city pools guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to bring a towel to the Blue Lagoon?

No. A towel is included in all three Blue Lagoon packages, and Sky Lagoon states that towels are free of charge for all guests. Bring one only if you are also visiting the municipal pools.

Should I put conditioner in my hair before the Blue Lagoon?

Yes — the venue recommends it itself, and says to leave it in while you are in the water. Conditioner is provided free in the showers, so it costs nothing. The water is not damaging; it leaves hair dry or stiff, and the venue says normal texture returns after two or three washes.

Can I wear jewellery in the lagoon?

Blue Lagoon recommends removing it, both so you do not lose it and because the minerals tarnish metal. Leave it in the locker or at the hotel.

Can I wear glasses or contact lenses?

Glasses are permitted but must not be submerged, because silica can damage the lenses. Blue Lagoon recommends removing contact lenses before entering.

Do I have to shower naked before the Blue Lagoon?

Yes. Blue Lagoon states that all guests must shower without a swimsuit before entering. The showers there are individual cubicles. The full Blue Lagoon shower rules, and how they compare with Sky Lagoon and the public pools, are on our shower-rules page.

Can I rent a swimsuit if I forget mine?

Yes. Sky Lagoon rents and sells swimsuits at reception, and Blue Lagoon and Secret Lagoon offer rental too. It is a paid extra at every venue, so it is worth packing rather than relying on.

Is a bathrobe included?

At Blue Lagoon, with the Premium and Signature packages only. At Sky Lagoon, no — the venue states it does not offer robes or slippers on either pass.

Booking

Both lagoons sell timed entry and both sell out in peak periods, so the slot is worth settling before the packing is. The matching listings with free cancellation are Blue Lagoon admission (optional transfer) and Sky Lagoon entrance including the seven-step ritual. Booking direct with the venue is equally fine; check which package or pass a listing includes before you pay, because that is what decides whether a robe is in the price.

Sources and verification

Every quoted sentence above comes from a page the venue publishes itself. We have not visited either lagoon and make no claim of personal testing.

Last verified: 27 September 2026. Package contents, prices and rules change without notice; the venue’s own current page is the authority. This page is a starting point for planning, not a substitute for it.

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What to Bring to the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon (and What You Do Not Need)