Tourist Goes for Relaxing Thermal Bath Experience—Things Take a Turn
A tourist wanted to have a relaxing experience at Iceland’s popular Sky Lagoon, but it was far from what she had hoped for.
Niki Nonkovic, who lives in London, planned the trip for November, when Iceland was experiencing 40-50 mph gusts, she told Newsweek. “We’d already booked the Sky Lagoon, so we went but it was windy to say the least,” she said.
In a video posted on TikTok, which has received 1.9 million views since it was shared on November 12, Nonkovic can be seen in the baths of the Sky Lagoon as the rain pours down and the strong winds make it difficult to enjoy.
People can be seen in the water while the wind makes waves, making for an experience that looks far from relaxing.
Nonkovic wrote in the caption of the short clip: “Yeah no worries we didn’t want to relax anyway.”
Newsweek has contacted Sky Lagoon via email for comment.
Niki Nonkovic bathes in Iceland’s Sky Lagoon, an ocean-side hot springs spa last month, despite the strong winds. Rain and gusts made the experience less relaxing than she had hoped.
@niknonkontiktok/TikTok
Sky Lagoon is an ocean-side hot springs spa near Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital. The spa offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy Iceland’s geothermal baths, a tradition there and a popular activity for tourists visiting the country.
As well as the outdoor baths, Sky Lagoon has other amenities, including a steam room as well as a snack bar, where visitors can try traditional Icelandic food and drinks.
Guide to Iceland, a travel agency in the country, says these geothermal pools are heated by underground lava. The island nation is geographically unique in a number of ways, including its natural hot springs and active volcanoes.
Iceland has been growing in popularity as a tourist destination. In 2022, it drew nearly 460,000 U.S. tourists, making Americans the most frequent visitors to the country.
People took to the comments section of Nonkovic’s video to share their reactions.
Jim LaBatt commented: “Wear your wool hat in like we did. Or go in the sauna and steam cave. Or suck it up and get another beer.”
Ms. Snow wrote: “Wow!! This is wild. We were there last December and it was snowing so hard. Honestly unforgettable!”
“Next time remember to go at night like I did. Then too dark to see what is happening around you,” said @Timberr52.
“Looks fun though,” said @nin9.
Responding to one commenter, Nonkovic said that the water was still warm, despite the rain and the wind.
Maggie commented: “Love Iceland, everything about it, weather included.”
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