WHALE WATCHING GUIDE – PART 3 OF 3
How to plan the perfect day for whale watching in Húsavík
How to pick the best tour, find the nicest harbour restaurant and tips for things to do in Húsavík.
Welcome to irresistibly charming Húsavík! Or as we say in Icelandic: “Velkomin til Húsavíkur!” Read further, and let’s enjoy your time in the whale watching capital of Iceland to the fullest!
Pick your whale watching tour
North Sailing offers an exciting variety of whale watching tours, and each emphasises watching whales in their natural habitat in Skjálfandi Bay. You can choose what suits you best according to your personal preferences.
- Our most popular tour is the 3 hours Original whale watching tour on a traditional Icelandic oak boat.
- The combination of whale watching and sailing around Puffin island is perfect for families. Puffin Island is known for its incredible bird-watching opportunities and obviously as a home of puffins.
- We are very proud to offer eco-friendly whale watching onboard electric boats – sailing without any disturbance around whales in total silence is a mesmerising experience!
- Newly we offer exciting Whales and Science tour together with local NGO Ocean Missions. Become a part of the microplastic research project and get deep knowledge about marine life and the thrilling ecosystem of Skjálfandi Bay.
- If you want to experience the traditional way of whale watching, then step aboard on one of our iconic sailboats, hoist the sails and participate in a real sailing adventure onboard one of our authentic sailing ships.
We recommend booking in advance but if you are already in Húsavík feel free to check our website for availability and you can always call or drop by the ticket centre as well.
Húsavík Whale Museum
Before or after the memorable experience of seeing the whales on our tour, we can’t recommend enough to visit the Húsavík Whale Museum. The museum is located in the harbour area and is solely dedicated to whales. You can find many interesting exhibitions, numerous different whale skeletons on display and learn fascinating facts about whales! You can also see a 25m long skeleton of a blue whale, the only one of its kind in Iceland.
Restaurants by the harbour
Start your morning by grabbing a coffee and pastries at the local bakery before the whale watching tour. If you would like to enjoy lunch or dinner at the most beautiful restaurant in Iceland with amazing views, we can’t recommend enough Gamli Baukur located in the centre of the harbour. The menu is lovely, you’ll find local sea products and great vegetarian options. This place has magical atmosphere, built of driftwood with nautical collection on display, exhibition of local handicraft and photos from old times. From the dinining terrace you can admire the most beautiful boats and sailboats in Iceland with mesmerizing Kinnarfjöll mountains in the background. Here you are in the center of the traditional Icelandic coastal culture. Bon appetit!
GeoSea – Geothermal Baths with infinity views over Skjálfandi Bay
Húsavík has it all, from dipping in geothermal sea baths to whale watching onboard a traditional sailing boats with North Sailing! Geosea is a great place to relax and calm your mind and body by soaking in the infinity pools overlooking the Skjálfandi Bay. Thanks to the underground heat, the seawater in the baths is warm and comfortable, and the mineral-rich water will caress your skin. This is an ideal place to relax after the whale watching tour.
Tip: Infinity view over Skjálfandi Bay
You have an incredible view of the whole Skjálfandi Bay from Geosea, and if you stay on the lookout, you may see a blow in the distance or even dolphins playing close to the cliffs!
Húsavík harbour area – a living museum
Húsavík harbour is a unique place with a charming atmosphere! You will feel like entering a living museum with renovated traditional oak boats, authentic wooden schooners, colourful old houses and fishermen drinking typical black coffee and discussing the catches of the day.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Húsavík harbour is one of the locals’ favourite places.
Other things to do in Húsavík
If you would like to read more about what to do in Húsavík and the surrounding area, we have two great blogs for you:
Are you ready for your whale watching day in Húsavík?
Thanks for reading through our complete guide to whale watching in Húsavík. Hopefully, this has been helpful in planning your visit to Húsavík and preparing for a fantastic whale watching experience. If you missed our first two parts of the guide make sure to check them out so you will know everything about whale watching in Húsavík and how to prepare for your tour.
We wish you the best of luck with your holiday in Iceland and are looking forward to welcoming you onboard.
If you have any further questions feel free to get in touch with our whale watching experts.