Soak in one of Iceland's geothermal spas

Iceland is a wild and rugged country brimming with natural wonders - icebergs, thermal pools, active volcanoes, lava fields, geysers, mountains, gigantic waterfalls, puffins, whales and the Northern Lights.

A sparsely-populated island nation in the North Atlantic, Iceland is increasingly popular with travellers seeking a unique vacation experience.

Iceland literally bubbles and spurts with volcanic activity - from black lava flows and piping hot geysers to blue and red sulphur deposits. Punctuated with massive craters, much of the country resembles the surface of the moon (in fact, NASA astronauts trained here prior to the Apollo mission).

The country has over 800 hot springs which provide visitors with numerous opportunities for soaking in healing thermal springs and slathering on volcanic mud.

To counter all that heat, glaciers cover nearly 12% of the country. The largest of Iceland's glaciers is Vatna, half a mile thick in places and located in the island's southeast.

Survival guide

If you plan on doing any hiking in Iceland, pack a pair of sturdy boots so you can handle the rough, rocky terrain.

The weather in Iceland can be volatile as you would expect in a country straddling the Arctic Circle. Summer delivers the "midnight sun". Between June and August is the best time to visit when temperatures can soar to 70°F. In the winter, temperatures often drop below freezing and for months on end there is little sunlight. This is the time of year to marvel at the Northern Lights, the most spectacular natural light show on Earth.

Iceland offers a wide choice of accommodation for travellers, from spa resorts to self-catering cottages.

Most people travel to Iceland by air, landing at the Reykjavik International Airport, but there are also passenger vessels that brave the rough North Atlantic and land in one of Iceland's port cities.