We woke up in Vik and headed to the nearby black sand beaches of Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara. Dyrhólaey (which literally means "the hill island with the door hole"), includes beautiful grass and moss covered volcanic rock formations over black sand beaches. It was windy/chilly.

Dyrhólaey, South Iceland Dyrhólaey, South Iceland Dyrhólaey, South Iceland

We kept ourselves warm hiking a picturesque trail along the cliffs.

And we were lucky to be there to see a large colony of puffins on the grassy cliffs, and flying in large flocks in the strong winds. 

Puffin at Dyrhólaey, South Iceland Dyrhólaey, South Iceland

Puffin at Dyrhólaey, South Iceland

Nearby, Reynisfjara is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, with black sand beaches, basalt columns, and the Reynisdranger volcanic basalt sea stacks. 

The beaches were littered with fresh food for the puffins on the cliffs: