Blue Lagoon: A hot spot near Reykjavik airport

Last week, while waiting for a flight from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Minneapolis, I had a cool experience in a very hot place.

Instead of hanging out at the airport for several hours soaking up local color and food I didn't need, I hung out in the geothermal-heated salt water of the Blue Lagoon and simply soaked.

The lagoon is located halfway between Iceland's Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik. Buses and taxis make regular stops to carry passengers to and from the airport who are waiting for flights to either continental Europe or America. To make it easy for the travelers, the spa will store luggage, rent bathing suits, towels and bathrobes - all for a fee. Charges for a one-day visit start at around $40. They go up from there depending on what services you desire.

But it's not just a place to make time fly when you can't. The Blue Lagoon has become an international destination for tourists traveling overseas with a stop in Iceland. Because of lower fares, international travelers often take advantage of Icelandair flights, which can include a layover in Iceland for no extra charge.

Svartsengi, a nearby geothermal power plant, created the seawater spa in 1976. The power plant uses the hot water from a nearby lava flow to generate electricity. After it provides heat for a local water system, the water flows into the man-made lagoon. Lava caves spew out steam, creating an eerie atmosphere around the lagoon. The water is continuously renewed. But in order to insure cleanliness, bathers must thoroughly wash before entering the water. The lagoon maintains a balmy temperature of around 100-degrees Fahrenheit.

Besides the warm waters, the spa offers restaurants, bar service in the lagoon, saunas, massages and various body treatments. For travelers looking for medicinal services, there's the Blue Lagoon Clinic Hotel.

But what's really hot about the Blue Lagoon is getting stuck in the mud. Literally.

After the spa opened to the public in 1981, bathers, particularly those suffering from psoriasis, discovered the silica mud at the bottom of the lagoon improved their skin. Since then scientists have found the mineral-rich mud has many health benefits. Wooden boxes containing the mud surround the lagoon. Bathers make like pigs and wallow in the stuff. I can't vouch for the medicinal value of the mud, but it does leave your skin silky smooth. Before you leave, you can blow a bundle on Blue Lagoon products in the shop.

I can also tell you, a 60-minute massage while floating in the mineral waters leaves you physically and mentally ready for anything. You won't even mind being stuck in a middle seat in coach for a seven-hour flight.

• Gail Todd, a freelance writer, worked as a flight attendant for more than 30 years. She can be reached at gailtodd@aol.com.