Iceland road trips are all the rage right now — bloggers share the 5 things you "shouldn't bring"

▲ The 5 things you "shouldn't bring" when traveling to Iceland. (Photo /Authorized by UNLOCK ICELAND. No unauthorized reproduction. The same applies below.)

By UNLOCK ICELAND

Traveling isn’t about finding a new world, but seeing the world through new eyes. Imagine the thrill of setting foot in an unfamiliar place — even just thinking about it can get you dancing with excitement before you’ve even left. While travel sounds romantic, putting it into practice requires a lot of practicality. Preparing for an adventure often brings a sense of insecurity, as you worry about not being fully prepared. How to pack varies from person to person and depends on the destination. Deciding what to bring and what not to bring is always a tough call when packing.

If you’re not able to travel like a backpacker — with just one bag and a minimalist approach to life — then at least there are some items you can definitely leave behind. When traveling to Iceland, UNLOCK ICELAND believes there are five “completely useless” items that you don’t need, or even shouldn’t bring at all. Be brave and leave them behind when packing your bags.

1 – Umbrella
Iceland doesn’t really have a rainy season, as it’s a country that experiences rain all year round. Most of the time, the rain is light and intermittent — it comes and goes, rarely lasting long, though occasionally there are sudden downpours.

On rainy days, take a stroll through downtown Reykjavik, and you’ll find that 100% of the people using umbrellas are tourists from out of town. That’s because real Icelanders never use umbrellas. Many locals don’t even own one.

The reason Icelanders don’t use umbrellas is simply because they’re not effective. The cold in Iceland might not be unbearable, but the wind is absolutely unforgettable. The strong North Atlantic winds here are often outrageous, and you really have to experience it to believe how terrifying it can be. When the wind is raging, it can be hard to even move forward, let alone stand steadily — and holding up an umbrella is out of the question. In Iceland, using an umbrella either means it inverts or the frame breaks. If you don’t want to ruin your umbrella, don’t bring one to Iceland.

So what do Icelanders do when it rains? Many local brands design functional yet stylish outerwear, so even in the rain, you can still explore the scenery with your hands in your pockets, looking cool and chic. High-performance clothing is the secret to why Icelanders aren’t afraid of strong winds and rain.

2 – Anti-diarrheal and stomach medicine
Getting an upset stomach is one of the most dreaded travel mishaps. Usually, if you’re traveling to Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines or Thailand, or places like India, the Middle East, South America, or Africa, many people are advised to carry stomach or anti-diarrheal medicine to avoid getting sick from contaminated food or water.

One common health issue while traveling is related to water quality. But in Iceland, you don’t need to worry about that. In most European countries, you can drink tap water straight from the faucet, and Iceland is no exception. In fact, Icelandic water is considered some of the purest and highest quality in the world. What’s the difference? Icelandic tap water tastes fresher than anywhere else and is incredibly cool and refreshing. Once you’ve tasted Icelandic tap water, you’ll notice a clear difference when drinking tap water in other countries.

Moreover, Icelandic restaurants are very particular about the quality and freshness of their ingredients. In this country with no food safety scandals, although the average cost isn’t cheap, the chances of experiencing discomfort due to food or water issues are extremely low. Unless you have a sensitive digestive system, you really don’t need to bring stomach medicine.

However, what many travelers to Iceland do experience is discomfort or colds due to the extreme climate, such as cold temperatures and strong winds. So it’s a good idea to pack some cold medicine, fever reducers, or painkillers just in case.

3 – Cash
The currency used in Iceland is the Icelandic Króna (ISK). Taiwanese Dollars and Hong Kong Dollars cannot be directly exchanged for Icelandic Króna at banks in Taiwan or Hong Kong. You’d need to first exchange your money into US Dollars, British Pounds, or Euros, and then exchange it for Icelandic Króna at a bank at Keflavík Airport after arriving in Iceland. It might sound a bit troublesome — couldn’t you just use a credit card and avoid exchanging money altogether? Absolutely.

“Cashless transactions” are the mainstream payment method in Iceland’s consumer market. Iceland is a country that heavily relies on plastic money — almost everything is paid for with debit or credit cards, and cash is almost never used. Even for small everyday purchases, like a 100 ISK postcard or a 70 ISK chocolate bar, you can use a credit card at even the smallest shops.

If you’ve been to the US, you’ve probably struggled with how much tip to give. Fortunately, Iceland doesn’t have a tipping culture, so you don’t need to worry about getting cash or coins for tips.

However, before coming to Iceland, it’s still a good idea to check or ask about the payment methods accepted by your accommodation. Although plastic money is widely used in Iceland, there are still a very small number of guesthouses that only accept cash. Unless you encounter the latter, it’s recommended to exchange a small amount of cash at Keflavík Airport or carry a debit card with international withdrawal enabled. That way, you’ll have no trouble getting around in Iceland.

4 – Mosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are many people’s worst summer enemy and can turn an outdoor trip into a nightmare. But did you know? There’s only one inhabited country in the world without mosquitoes — and that’s Iceland. Interestingly, in other countries with similar geography and climate to Iceland, such as Norway, Denmark, or Greenland, mosquitoes thrive — which is quite puzzling.

There are many theories as to why Iceland has no mosquitoes: some attribute it to the cold and dry climate, while others, including entomologists, speculate it has to do with hydrology, geology, or even the active volcanic chemicals in Iceland.

However, the most plausible explanation currently is Iceland’s highly variable temperatures. Unlike other Nordic countries, Iceland’s winter temperatures fluctuate dramatically — it might warm up one day, melting all the snow, and then plunge the next, freezing everything again. These extreme temperature shifts don’t give mosquitoes enough time to complete their life cycle, preventing them from surviving and reproducing in Iceland.

Iceland truly has no blood-sucking mosquitoes, but in summer, you might encounter some harmless “flies.” So in nature-filled Iceland, mosquito repellent is completely unnecessary.

5 – Warm long-sleeve pajamas
Iceland’s summer is different from the summer we Asians are used to. The average temperature in Icelandic “summer” is just over 10°C — the same as Taiwan’s winter “cold snap” alerts. Even on warmer days when it feels a bit stuffy, Icelanders have the (bad) habit of opening windows instead of turning off the heating, which is why many homes in Iceland have heating on all year round.

Like many European countries, Iceland doesn’t have air conditioning indoors, but it definitely has heating. Whether you’re in a car, restaurant, shop, hotel, or guesthouse — as long as you’re not outside — you can stay warm. When visiting Iceland, you should invest in proper outdoor clothing, but for pajamas, simple and lightweight is all you need.

Wearing long-sleeve pajamas in a heated room can actually be uncomfortable—if you dress too warmly, you might even feel dizzy from the heat. That’s why Icelanders usually opt for short-sleeve T-shirts or lightweight sleepwear at home. Thick, fleece-lined winter pajamas or those marketed as “extra warm” that we often wear at home during winter should definitely not be packed—they’ll only take up valuable weight and space in your luggage!

● Author: Unlock Iceland. It is the only travel brand in Iceland operated locally by Taiwanese people and certified by the Icelandic Tourist Board, offering comprehensive information on Icelandic culture, lifestyle, and travel on its website through rich local experience. The above views do not represent the stance of this publication, which reserves the right to edit. This article is fromthe Unlock Iceland blog.. 88 Forum welcomes diverse voices and perspectives. Submissions can be sent to: editor88@ettoday.net.