PayMaya Travel 101: First Timer’s Guide to Visiting Iceland and Croatia

Many travellers and even non-travellers have dreamed of going off to the medieval and historical places that Europe has to offer. Most of the European cities on their bucket list consist of popular ones such as Paris, London, Berlin, and Barcelona.

Who wouldn’t want to visit these beautiful countries, right? But if you’re among the few ones who want to try something new and would love to visit Iceland and Croatia, you’re in the right place!

These two countries are both blessed with natural wonders and offer unique activities you must try. If you’re already planning to fly there soon, we can help you out! Here’s a quick guide on things you can do on your first visit.

#1 Take a dip in the Blue Lagoon

You’ve probably seen it on the ‘Gram! A person submerged in smoky hot pool of water with an enormous view. If you want to try it out yourself, Iceland got you covered. Geothermal heated pool is among this European country’s popular natural attractions and something that’s a must for both first time and returning tourists!

With Iceland’s cold climate, geothermal heated pools is the go-to activity for visitors who want to take a break from the freezing weather. One of the well-known spots is the Blue Lagoon located in Norðurljósavegur, which is just 20 minutes away from the Keflavík International Airport.

Aside from taking a relaxing and rejuvenating bath, you can also try to mask up with the natural silica mud that’s just beneath the pool. They say that this iconic healing element, deep-cleanses, strengthens, and reduces the visibility of pores! Skin care fanatics, rejoice

#2 Be amazed by the Aurora Borealis

No Iceland trip will be complete without at least trying to see the famous Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. But be prepared to chase this wonderful phenomena as not everyone who visits Iceland gets lucky enough to see it!

For a higher chance of seeing the Northern Lights, you should plot your visit between September and March as this is when the lights are the brightest. It’s also advisable to rent a car for transportation so you can drive to darker rural areas and it would be easier for you to move from one place to another in search for the best spot.

Chasing these dancing lights won’t be easy but it would be definitely worth the wait!

#3 Try unique Icelandic and Croatian dishes

If you love seafood, you’d surely like what Iceland and Croatia has to offer when it comes to food. With their locations being near the water, their popular dishes and delicacies are mainly ones with freshly caught seafood ingredients.

When in Iceland, you can try their infamous fermented shark and fish jerky. While grilled Adriatic squid, oyster, and mussel dishes are a must-try in Croatia.

If you want to try something different, check out Iceland’s popular rye bread which is baked underneath the ground. Yes, you read that right. The rye bread mix is placed inside a casserole, buried near a natural hot spring, and left to steam for 24 hours. Level up your experience by trying to do this process by yourself. Most locals know just the right place to try this activity. So go ahead and ask for recommendations.

#4 Go on an ‘unusual’ museum hopping

Are you into visiting museums but want to veer from the usual art and historical ones? Well, you’re in for a treat! Both Iceland and Croatia has out unusual kind of museums that you can visit.

One of Croatia’s most unusual ones is the Museum of Broken Relationships. It showcases numerous items that were submitted by people from all over the world; accompanied by stories of love, lost, and brokenness. You will see some usual items like mobile phones, letters, and jewelries but there are also unimaginable ones like dreadlocks, wound scab, and even doors. If you have something from your past relationship that you’ve been dying to dispose, this is your chance! Take it with you to Croatia.

On the same line of ‘uniqueness’, Icelandic Phallological Museum also offers a weird set of displays that you can check out. It has around 250 phallic specimens from different types of mammals which are all found in Iceland. If you can’t imagine how weird this museum is, google it before you see it for yourself.

#5 Visit Game of Thrones filming locations

If you’re a fan of the TV series Game of Thrones, Iceland and Croatia will feel like heaven for you. Many locations from the show was shot in these two countries and are all open for you to visit!

North of Westeros, North of the Wall, and Thermal Spring also known as Jon and Ygritte’s love nest, were all shot in Iceland. While the House of the Undying and King’s Landing are among the locations set in Croatia.

If you’ve been out of the loop with the episodes, make sure to catch up before your trip or check out this comprehensive map of all the Game of Thrones filming locations in both countries.

Want to do these amazing activities for FREE with three of your family or friends? Now you have the chance win an all-expense paid trip to Iceland and Croatia or choose from four other major destinations when you win in PayMaya Tara.

You can start earning raffle entries for a chance to win in PayMaya Tara: The Ultimate Travel Adventure by doing the following:

– Upgrade your virtual card (10 raffle entries)
– Link your physical card to your PayMaya app (10 raffle entries)
– Add money, at least P100 worth, to your PayMaya account (10 raffle entries)
– Upgrading your PayMaya account (10 raffle entries)
– Pay your bills, minimum of P100 per biller, via the PayMaya app (5 raffle entries per biller per day)
– Send money, minimum of P100 (1 raffle entry per day)
– Shop online and in stores (1 raffle entry for every P300 you spend)

Pro Travel Tip: Stop worrying about missing any of the checklist in your travel itinerary by using your PayMaya card! Through your physical card, you can pay for the activities we just recommended and even buy goodies to bring home as long as they’re Mastercard or Visa-accepting merchants. Your trips will never be the same again without PayMaya!