The Westman Islands, or Vestmannaeyjar, are an archipelago of 15 islands and 30 rock stacks off the South Coast of Iceland. Vestmannaeyjar came to international attention in 1973 with the eruption of Eldfell, (a previously unkown volcano) in the island Heimaey. It destroyed about one fifth of the island’s buildings and forced a months-long evacuation of the entire population to mainland Iceland. Fortunately no-one was killed. We recommend visiting the Eldfell crater and learn about the eruption in depth at the Eldheimar
Museum.

Other interesting museums to visit is the Sæheimar Aquarium and Sagnheimar folk museum. You can buy a discount ticket with admission to both museums. Sæheimar aquarium is also a Natural History Museum and is one of the oldest of it´s kind in Iceland. There you can see both living and stuffed fish as well as most species of birds around Iceland and a remarkable rock and stone collection. Puffin watching is one of The Westman Island´s main attraction. Most of the ten million puffins that nest in Iceland between May and September, come to the Westman Islands. They nest in the cliffs, crags and sea-stacks, and can be easily seen by travelling on foot or by boat. Towards the end of the season, many of the pufflings get confused by the lights of the town as they try to make their way to the ocean, and end up in the streets; it is thus a local tradition amongst the children to collect them and take them to the sea. There in order to get them flying, they throw them high up in the air and the pufflings fly to their group. Westman Islands offer some of the best whale-watching opportunities in the country, with Fin, Minke and Humpback Whales seen often in summer, and Orcas throughout the year. There is a swimming pool in the town of Westman Islands.

How to get to the Westman Islands from Kerbyggð?
Drive to Landeyjahöfn (The Harbour Landeyjahofn) (it takes 1 hour 11 min) and take the ferry
Herjólfur to the Islands (35 min. sailing time). You can take your car on the ferry but we recommend
leaving the car at Landeyjahöfn. It saves money and in the town of Westman Island the distances are short and you can also rent a bike there. (It takes about 15 min max to walk through the town.)

If Herjólfur is unable to sail to the harbor in Landeyjahöfn over the winter time it will sail to the harbour in Þorlákshöfn. – The harbour Thorlakshofn – Vestmannaeyjar, 2 hr 45 min sail.

More info: https://www.seatours.is/our-ferries/herjolfur/sailing-schedule/