RIB Boat Tour
Heimaey Island, Iceland
RIB Boat Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Heimaey Island, Iceland
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Hop in a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to discover the nature around the Westman Islands. Offering an up-close alternative to a big boat tour, the experience gives you a more intimate look at the puffin colonies, secluded coves, and sea caves for which the rugged islands are known. Numbers are capped at just six people on board.
- Stay safe and warm with a provided lifejacket and rescue overalls
- Learn about the Westman Islands from a local guide as you cruise
- Enjoy close-up views and unobstructed photo opportunities
- Have the chance to meet like-minded travelers on a small-group tour
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
Itinerary
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Patrycja_K
Amazing tour, very informative crew. It was the highlight of the day. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Reviews
4.9
based on 129 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
YeuFann_S, Jun 2025
Due to choppy conditions, we were not actually able to go out on a RIB boat but were instead taken out in a conventional boat - we appreciated that it wasn't just canceled. The tour itself was good with lots of info and we were still able to see the places we'd have seen anyway with the cave as a highlight.
Lisa_S, Sep 2024
We had a nice tour around the Island. Our Captain explained a lot, and we made several stops around the island. The sea got really rough when we headed out to a cave, but our captain did an excellent job driving. I get terrible motion sickness, and I was glad I had taken medicine before getting on the boat.
Barbara_J, Aug 2024
Excellent boat captain, beautiful tour small group, that captured the beauty and majesty of the islands, the geography and the birds. So many puffins flying!! Just perfect! More comfortable easy ride than in our own dingy. Able to go inside the beautiful caves and see the colorful walls which the larger boats can’t. We also had a gorgeous sunny day. Many thanks to the delightful captain and his wife.
Dana_S, Aug 2024
Other worldly scenery. Our captain adjusted the route due to higher seas in the original route. We were very thankful for that because other rib boats just cancelled.
Christy_M, Aug 2024
The owners/guides were very informative and provided an amazing adventure! They made sure we saw all the sights along the way!
Janice_S, Aug 2024
The boat captain and his wife were wonderful. They were very knowledgeable since they were locals. Great fun
Richard_M, Aug 2024
The couple running the cruise acted as guides. they were truly enthusiastic about the sights they were showing. Lots of expert inside information on birds & rock formations. We were lucky in that the weather was perfect on an August summer day. Apparently that is not always the case on Iceland's Heimaey Island.
Patrick_G, Aug 2024
Enjoyed the overall experience. Close up and in person look at the Island. The sea caves are wonderful.
Heather_R, Aug 2024
We really enjoyed our tour and felt safe and secure the entire time. This tour company was a smaller outfitter than the bigger RIB boat tour option on Westman Islands, which we appreciated. The couple running the tour are friendly. My family of four appreciated that their boat only holds 10 people maximum. If you hear others speak of larger boats, it was with the other tour company, not this one. We got to see so many great highlights from the water that we wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise. For anyone considering this tour, go ahead and do it. You won’t be cold or wet. My only words of caution would be for those with young children (elementary or younger) and those with accessibility issues. This tour is not for you. Moving about the boat with small children is not possible, and if they are more rambunctious, it could be a safety hazard. For anyone with accessibility issues, getting in and out of the boat will be difficult. Other than that, the tour is a great option, and I would definitely recommend to my friends.
Patrycja_K, Jul 2024
Amazing tour, very informative crew. It was the highlight of the day. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Nicoletta_P, Jun 2024
We were to stop at this Port from a Cruise Ship. Because of High Waves our ship was not able to stop. We were very disappointed, however, RIB Boat Tours promptly refunded our payment. Next Time we will definitely book with them again.
Elizabeth_B, Jun 2024
This is a fly by night operation operating from a trailer. The tour was cancelled in the last minute because we were the only couple. I wished we booked the other company.
Sue_W, Jun 2024
Our guide was wonderful in view of having to cancel the trip due to risks from rough weather. He understood our disappointment and made every effort to ensure we still had a great day on the island.
Holly_M, Jun 2024
This was absolutely amazing. The tour was beautiful, the guides wonderful and full of information, and I felt very safe.
Lisa_L, Jun 2024
Wonderful, magical, educational, safe, fun, outstanding and our guides were very good. I would recommend this to everyone.
Cara_M, Nov 2023
The views of the islands were stunning. The guide great. The gear provided was warm and comfortable.
yuliya_n, Sep 2023
The description says that the tour is no more than 6 people. Our tour had 7 guests, 2 guides, and we took a different boat than shown in the pictures. The boat seats 4 in front, 2 boat operators, and 6 in the back. Because of this, we sat in the back the entire time, except for the ride back. The boat operator did a good job slowing down at each stop and rotating so that we could see things also, but I think we were disappointed in not getting what was actually advertised since we could have payed less and booked with a larger boat for a similar experience. We saw puffins from a distance, caves, rock formations, and were very warm from the suits that were provided!
Melissa_I, Sep 2023
We had a great time on our boat tour. Both our captain and guide were very kind and knowledgeable and we felt safe and entertained. We learned a lot about the history of the islands and saw some incredible locations. Well worth the trip!
Mary_C, Aug 2023
Professional crew with excellent preparation and instrucation.. Enjoyed seeing the puffins from a distance, the wonderful colors in the rocks and caves, the rock formations including the famous Elephant rock, resident sheep high on the islands. Excellent information about the area and the effects of the disastrous 1973 volcano eruption.
Karen_M, Aug 2023
The RIB boat tour was a great experience. They provided us with a full body suit that kept us warm. The guide was knowledgeable about the volcano, birds and other wildlife. We saw several seals. Our guide was able to maneuver the boat in and out of several caves.
Andrea_C, Aug 2023
Would definitely recommend this trip! The ice cave and acoustics playing Whitney Houston’s song “will always love you” was fantastic! Our guides were the best. A highlight for sure. Go to the left when u get off ferry. It’s a little cubicle container that says Rib Tours is where u meet. There’s a picnic table outside of it. That was the only confusing part. We were looking for a building. Don’t miss this tour!
Patricia_K, Aug 2023
The guide team were very interesting, knowledgeable and helpful. The caves, geology and wildlife perspective from the water were fascinating.
Savannah_B, Aug 2023
We had such a great time on this tour. We saw puffins and many other sea birds. The couple running the tour was very nice and provided a lot of information. A definite must for anyone wanting to see the islands and a lot of wildlife.
Charlie_S, Jul 2023
It was excellent. There was some scheduling issue, but the tour guide/ boat operator was accommodating. He took us on a fabulous ride near the shoreline.
Highly recommend it.
Susan_H, Jul 2023
Loved this tour! The operators are fantastic and were very knowledgeable. I highly recommend this trip!
Susan_S, Jul 2023
Great and exciting way to learn about this fascinating island and its history, customs and sea birds! Our guides were knowledgeable and lovely people. Such a fun tour!
Alexander_B, Jul 2023
We had an incredible boat ride around parts of Vestmannaeyjabær. Our guide showed us some of the most beautiful cliffs and caves on the island from a unique vantage point on the water. The demonstration of the acoustic qualities of one of the caves with Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” was a near-religious experience for our group. Will not forget this anytime soon.
Aaron_H, Jul 2023
Was a thrilling informative Great ride , good narrative , can’t beat the scenery , all in all they were amazing
Sherry_D, Jul 2023
Halli was an excellent guide with an insiders knowledge of the area. We had a fabulous time and would highly recommend this rib boat tour. This is not like the others, he only takes 6 people so it’s very intimate.
Myra_V, Jul 2023
A fantastic way to explore the island. Visited sea caves, watched the sea birds (including puffins) from below. The couple running the boat were extremely pleasant. Highly recommended!
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