You Will Want to Propose in Iceland, Too

White deserts, unicorns in training, precise architecture. Photographer Benjamin Ngooi knew what he was doing when he chose to propose to his girlfriend in Iceland. Don't miss his incredible photos in the slideshow.

ICELAND – Next destination: the land of ethereal lights, unicorns, and surreal white deserts. A gang of close mates from Australia made the flight to my side of the world, and we decided Iceland would be an ideal location for chill times.

It was one of the greatest experiences of my life — the landscapes, the people, and the key moments in my history.

In my last Fathom dispatch from Spain, I mentioned a very special moment had happened. In response to Beyoncé, I liked it, so I put a ring on it. I asked my girlfriend Deb to marry me, to spend her life with mine and live through all the wonder of the world together.

I proposed with my mother's ring, which my friend Clement cautiously carried from Australia. He also took the winning photo of us in the slideshow.

Iceland will forever be a frozen magical moment in my life. The people were friendly and funny, the architecture was clean and exquisite, and the land was mind-blowing in all directions. Time to book another trip in the summer.

100% Visibility

The air is pure, the land is white, and the waters are blue.

Igneous Rocks

Most of Iceland is composed of igneous rock — rock formed through magma and lava cooling. This gives the ground movement, texture, shapes, lines, and colors unlike anything else I've seen.

Some 41 volcanic systems have provided Iceland with 25 types of igneous rock for me to take a photo with my boots on.

Red

A Sunny Winter’s Day

Skógafoss

The dizzying heights and suffocating depths of the waterfall.

Eyes That Can Melt Icebergs

We made some friends along the way.

Unicorn in Training

Grettisborg Apartments

It was most comfortable stepping back home after a day out in the chilling winds.

His Name Is Ömar

We picked up this hitchhiker along the way. Enjoying an amazing hotdog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.

She Said Yes!

Coupled

The winning engagement photo by my good friend, photographer Clement Ch'ng.

Nordic Architecture

Icelandic kids sure know their angles.

Nordic Reflections

More proof of their architectural precision.

Ingólfur Arnarson

He found and named Reyjavík more than 1,000 years ago. What a guy.

Wear Boots

Tackling harsh winter conditions with Extreme Iceland.

The Sights

Oh yeah, that's us at some waterfall.

The Faxi Waterfall

Located on the Golden Circle route. So much chaos in all the calm.

Bylur

Pronunced: /ˈpɪːlʏr/
Noun: snowstorm, blizzard

Cold Drink, Anyone?

Taking the Waters

The Blue Lagoon is a man-made lagoon supplied by water from a geothermal power plant. The water is milky blue and rich in silica and sulphur — smelt a bit off.

There's something truly surreal about soaking in magical water at 37–39 degrees celsius whilst being surrounded by hazy mountains.

Cabins

These were little cabins that I stumbled upon when I wandered off on my own. They're very cute.

Stalactites

Home. Unfortunately

I love you, Iceland.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

We used Extreme Iceland for all our tours. I definitely recommend them if you plan on tackling the harsh winter conditions.

WHERE TO STAY

Grettisborg apartments fit four people per apartment. It's very clean, well equipped, and walking distance to the city center of Reykjavík. It was most comfortable stepping back home after a day out in the chilling winds.

WHERE TO EAT

Do yourself the biggest food favor and check out Dill in Reykjavík. Incredible produce of the land which blew my tastebuds away — aromas and flavours that I've never experienced before. Unfortunately, I was too busy eating to take any photos.

We also had amazing hot dogs from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.

KEEP EXPLORING ICELAND

Fathom's Iceland Guide
Nice Ice, Baby: A Road Trip
In Focus: The World Through My Fingers