Last updated September 16, 2026

Reykjahlíð village on the shore of Lake Mývatn, with the green-roofed church, low houses, and snow-capped mountains behind

Hansueli Krapf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Iceland

Where to Stay in Mývatn

Mývatn is what most travelers call this stretch of North Iceland, but the name actually belongs to the lake — a shallow, 37 km² volcanic lake formed by a basaltic eruption around 2,300 years ago — and the place visitors actually spend the night is Reykjahlíð, a village of about 227 people (2021) on the lake's north shore. At roughly 292 meters above sea level, Reykjahlíð is Iceland's highest-situated town. It's the natural fourth overnight stop on a Ring Road loop for travelers coming from Egilsstaðir, about 166 km (roughly 2 hours) to the east, typically after a detour to Dettifoss — Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume, about 68 km (a 40-minute drive) from the village via the paved west-side road. Akureyri, North Iceland's main city, is about 84 km (a little over an hour) further west. Reykjahlíð itself is small and functional — a cluster of guesthouses, a supermarket, a filling station, and a white church with a green steeple, rebuilt in 1972 after the original was spared, according to local legend, when the 1729 Mývatn Fires' lava flow parted around the churchyard rather than destroying it — but it sits within a few kilometers of some of Iceland's most dramatic volcanic and geothermal scenery. Dimmuborgir's twisted lava-tower 'dark castles' are about a 10-minute drive (roughly 6-6.5 km); the Hverfjall tephra crater, about 2,500 years old, is a similar 10-minute drive; the steaming mud pots and fumaroles of the Hverir/Námaskarð geothermal field sit about 6 km east; and the geothermal Mývatn Nature Baths are about 4 km away. None of it is walkable from the village — every one of these sights is a short drive, not a stroll — so Reykjahlíð functions purely as a base for exploring the wider lake and volcanic area around it.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Summer (June-August) brings Iceland's mildest weather, nearly round-the-clock daylight around the solstice, and the easiest road conditions for reaching the surrounding sights — but it's also midge season: Mývatn's name literally means 'midge lake,' and the shallow, nutrient-rich water breeds large non-biting midge swarms that peak in calm, warm weather from June through August, especially near the lakeshore. A head net, sold locally, makes a real difference on still days. Late June and August tend to offer a better balance of good weather and lighter midge activity than the height of July. Shoulder season (September-October) trades some daylight and mild weather for midge-free visits and thinner crowds; winter brings short days, a real chance of snow and road closures on the mountain passes in and out of the area, and good odds for the northern lights given the region's dark, clear skies.
Renting a car
Mývatn is a Ring Road stop people reach by car, and a car is what actually gets you to the sights once you're there — Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir, the Nature Baths and Krafla are short drives apart rather than any kind of walking network. There's no practical way to see the area without one.

Where to stay

Best for road-trippers who need a compact, walkable base for one or two nights near Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir, and the Nature Baths, and for nature and geology enthusiasts happy to spend an evening in a small, quiet service village between days of exploring the wider lake area.

Reykjahlíð's white church with a green steeple, lit in golden evening light beside the shore of Lake Mývatn with mountains behind

Andreas Tille / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Reykjahlíð Village

Best for: Road trips, Nature lovers, First-time visitors

Our picks for Mývatn

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickFosshotel MývatnReykjahlíð Village📍 Best locationMývatn - Berjaya Iceland HotelsReykjahlíð Village

A couple of hotels in Reykjahlíð Village

Reykjahlíð Village is the top-recommended area to stay in Mývatn.

Fosshotel Mývatn

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick

Our take The most comfortable room at Mývatn, in an area with little hotel choice — floor-to-ceiling glass onto the lake, a proper restaurant, and a sauna after a day on the lava fields.

Highlights

  • Directly on the lake shore, with the water framed from the restaurant
  • A restaurant and bar on site, in an area with few evening options
  • Sauna, bike hire and free parking, with Hverir about 10 km away

What to know

  • It's at Grímsstaðir, about 3.7 km by road from Reykjahlíð village and its supermarket
  • It's the priciest bed on the lake, and rooms are modern rather than characterful
Check availability on Booking.com

Mývatn - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take The pick for setting and amenities — a lakefront hotel with hot tubs, a proper restaurant, and design-forward rooms, in a village where none of that is a given.

Highlights

  • Sits directly on Lake Mývatn's shore with water views from many rooms and public areas
  • An on-site restaurant and adjoining tavern, more dining than anywhere else in the village
  • Outdoor hot tubs to end a day of driving between Mývatn's sights

What to know

  • At Reynihlíð on the village's eastern edge, and the largest hotel here — busiest in peak summer
  • Rooms are comfortably sized rather than spacious, with the larger Junior Suites the exception
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

Iceland uses the Icelandic króna (ISK); cards are accepted almost everywhere. Nearly every visitor arrives by rental car on a Ring Road itinerary. Reykjahlíð has a small local airstrip used for sightseeing flights, not scheduled passenger service — the nearest airport with regular flights to Reykjavík is in Akureyri, about 84 km (just over an hour) west. The village itself has a supermarket, a filling station, a bank machine, a swimming pool, and a small number of restaurants and cafés, plus a tourist information center. Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir/Námaskarð, the Mývatn Nature Baths, and Krafla's volcanic crater Víti all require a short drive rather than a walk from the village.

Tips

  • Bring or buy a head net if visiting between June and August — midge swarms near the lake are harmless but can be genuinely unpleasant on calm, warm days, and a net (sold locally for a few hundred ISK) solves the problem.
  • Dettifoss has two viewing sides reached by different roads — the west side (Route 862, paved, closer to Mývatn) is the more accessible option most Ring Road travelers use; the east side road is gravel and slower.
  • Book a Mývatn Nature Baths time slot ahead in peak summer — it's a popular stop for Ring Road travelers and can sell out entry windows on busy days.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mývatn a town, or is that the name of the lake?
Mývatn is the lake — a 37 km² volcanic lake in North Iceland. The village most visitors actually stay in is Reykjahlíð, on the lake's north shore; 'Mývatn' is used loosely to mean the whole area around it.
Can I walk to Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, or the Nature Baths from Reykjahlíð?
No. All of the area's best-known sights — Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir/Námaskarð, and the Mývatn Nature Baths — sit several kilometers from the village and require a short drive, roughly 5-10 minutes each.
How far is Mývatn from Dettifoss?
About 68 km via the paved west-side road (Route 862), roughly a 40-minute drive. Many Ring Road travelers visit Dettifoss on the way into Mývatn from Egilsstaðir.
How many days do I need at Mývatn?
One overnight is the norm on a Ring Road itinerary, usually paired with a half-day or more exploring Dimmuborgir, Hverfjall, Hverir, and the Nature Baths before continuing toward Akureyri or Húsavík.
Do I need to worry about midges at Mývatn?
In summer (June-August), yes — the lake's name literally means 'midge lake,' and warm, still days bring large non-biting midge swarms near the water. A head net, sold locally, makes it a non-issue; wind and cooler weather also reduce them.

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