East Iceland (Bakkagerði / Borgarfjörður eystri)

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Borgarfjörður Eystri, centred on the tiny village of Bakkagerði, is one of Iceland's most remote and rewarding corners, tucked between dramatic rhyolite mountains and a sheltered fjord on the east coast. It is considered one of the best places in Iceland to spot puffins, with a large colony nesting right beside the harbour during summer, and the surrounding peaks offer some of the country's finest and least-crowded hiking, including the iconic Stórurð boulder field trail. The area is steeped in Icelandic folklore — locals maintain it is a stronghold of the huldufólk (hidden people), and a small elf chapel sits on the nearby Álfaborg rock. Travellers come here for raw, untouched landscapes, dramatic coastal scenery, and a genuine sense of being far off the beaten track.