Can you see the northern lights in Vík tonight?

Visit Iceland states that the best time to see the northern lights is winter, between September and April, when long, dark nights replace bright summer skies. Visit South Iceland suggests checking cloud cover and aurora activity in the late afternoon and again after dinner, then driving to clearer skies. You can compare this region with other destinations in our guide to the best places to see the northern lights.

When to see the northern lights in Vík

According to Visit Iceland, the best time to see the northern lights is winter, between September and April, when dark and long nights have replaced the bright summer nights. Visit Iceland says the lights are said to be most active around the September and March equinoxes, but that the chances also improve in mid-winter, which brings more darkness. In South Iceland, the longer hours of darkness in September and October create more opportunities to see the northern lights when skies are clear. Visit Iceland says there are no guarantees with the northern lights, so the more nights you have, the better your chances.

Visit South Iceland says aurora viewing in Iceland is most promising from September through April, when nights are long and dark, and that the lights can be visible as early as August once the sky is dark enough. Visit South Iceland says what matters most is not the month but the combination of darkness, clear skies, low light pollution and aurora activity.

Visit Iceland says you need darkness and clear skies, or at least openings in the cloud cover, and that you can check weather conditions, cloud cover and aurora activity on the Icelandic Met Office website. The Icelandic Met Office says the aurora requires dark and partly clear skies. On the Icelandic Met Office aurora forecast page, the map of Iceland shows a forecast of cloud cover, with green areas cloudy and white areas clear. If you plan to travel across the rest of Iceland, you can check those same national forecasts.

How to get to Vík

Visit South Iceland says Vík lies at the centre of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark and is Iceland's southernmost village, and its only seaside village with no harbour. Visit Iceland says that as a base, Vík breaks up the drive east and sits close to Reynisfjara.

Visit Reykjavík says several car rental companies operate directly from Keflavík Airport. Visit Iceland says Route 1 is the main road through South Iceland, with paved access to most major south coast stops. Visit South Iceland says the south coast route is accessible all year round, with the main roads regularly serviced and generally easy to drive in both summer and winter. However, Visit Iceland says that in South Iceland snow or ice can close roads or delay travel with little notice. If you are starting your drive from the capital, read our guide to the Reykjavík northern lights before departing.

Visit Iceland says bus services connect the larger towns in South Iceland, though schedules are more limited outside the summer season. Strætó's route 52 runs between Reykjavík and Höfn in Hornafjörður, four trips a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Passengers travelling to Vík should check the timetable for service details.

Where to stand to see the aurora

Visit South Iceland suggests treating the aurora as a flexible evening activity, checking cloud cover and aurora activity in the late afternoon and again after dinner. Visit South Iceland says to drive to clearer skies, and that sometimes 20 to 60 minutes makes all the difference. Visit South Iceland says even a short drive away from town lights can make a big difference, and that South Iceland combines accessible roads with wide, open landscapes. Visit South Iceland advises staying out for a while, scanning the whole sky and being patient.

Safetravel, run by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, provides clear instructions on roadside safety:

• Park at a designated parking lot and never stop your car in the road or in an unsafe place on its side.
• Do not step into the street to take pictures.
• Bring a headlamp or a flashlight other than your phone light, because in the dark it is easy to step into holes or slip on ice.
• Hunting for the northern lights takes time and patience, so bring food, warm drinks and a charged phone, and dress warmly in layers.

Visit South Iceland warns that the waves at Reynisfjara, near Vík, are deceiving and have caused the death of a number of visitors in recent years, even in the best of weather, and asks visitors to keep a good distance from the sea. Visit Iceland says sneaker waves can form at Reynisfjara even when the weather appears calm, and that you should never turn your back to the ocean. Visit Iceland states that there are no lifeguards or manned security at Reynisfjara. Visit Iceland says the beach is divided into zones; when the yellow light is on visitors must not enter the yellow zone, and when the red light is on they must not enter the red zone and should stay behind the light sign. Visit Iceland says the cliffs above the eastern part of Reynisfjara are steep and unstable, making rockfalls frequent, and advises checking the tide chart for Vík to avoid being trapped in a cave or on the eastern part of the beach.