Hafnarhólmi

One of Iceland's easiest places to watch Atlantic puffins at close range, with viewing platforms at the harbour in Borgarfjörður Eystri.

At a Glance

Visit time

30–60 minutes

Best season

Late April–July for puffins

Access

Road 94 to Borgarfjörður Eystri harbour; short walk to the viewing area.

GPS

65.5421, -13.7548

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About

About Hafnarhólmi

One of Iceland's easiest places to watch Atlantic puffins at close range, with viewing platforms at the harbour in Borgarfjörður Eystri.

See puffins at very close range from purpose-built viewing platforms without a difficult hike.

Photos

Photo Gallery

Hafnarhólmi is one of East Iceland's standout wildlife stops and one of the easiest places in the country to observe Atlantic puffins at close range. The small islet sits beside the harbour in Borgarfjörður Eystri, where local residents have developed paths, viewing platforms and a hide that allow visitors to enjoy the birdlife while protecting nesting areas. Puffins usually arrive in spring and remain through the nesting season, typically from around mid-April until early August. Kittiwakes, fulmars and common eiders also nest in and around Hafnarhólmi, making the site worthwhile for broader birdwatching as well. The nearby Hafnarhús facility provides services and views over the harbour area. This is a specific wildlife destination, not a generic page for Borgarfjörður Eystri. Visitors should remain on the established platforms and paths, keep noise low and avoid approaching birds outside designated areas. The harbour setting makes access straightforward compared with many other puffin colonies in Iceland.

Folklore

Story & Folklore

For decades, people in Borgarfjörður Eystri have protected the birdlife of Hafnarhólmi and gradually improved visitor access. The result is unusual in Iceland: a puffin colony where travellers can get very close to nesting birds without scrambling across exposed cliffs. Wooden platforms and a viewing hide concentrate foot traffic and help keep sensitive nesting ground undisturbed. In spring the puffins return from the open North Atlantic, filling the islet with activity before departing again around early August. The experience is simple but memorable — a working harbour, a small rocky islet and thousands of seabirds only a short walk away.

💡 Did You Know?

Hafnarhólmi's puffins can often be watched only metres away from the visitor platforms during the nesting season.

Culture

Stories & Legends

Icelandic sagas and folklore from this area

icelandic saga

Bakki

Bakki is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Fljótsdæla saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.

icelandic saga

Borgarfjörður

Borgarfjörður: A fjord of saga fame, where tales of heroes, gods, and the very formation of Iceland are told.

icelandic saga

Desjarmýri

Desjarmýri is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Droplaugarsona saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.

icelandic saga

Geitavík

Geitavík is a historic location in Iceland mentioned in "Fljótsdæla saga", one of the ancient Íslendingasögur (Sagas of Icelanders). These medieval narratives preserve the history of Iceland's Viking Age settlement.

Location