Visiting other countries can be extremely rewarding. You can see things you'll never see in your home country. However, nature can be very unpredictable, and it's essential to be safe as you sightsee. One tourist on Reddit shared a scary experience at a famous beach in Iceland. 

The tourist shared an image in the r/VisitingIceland subreddit of a cliff on Reynisfjara Beach with people climbing it. The OP noted that their tour guide had told them not to climb or get too close to the water, but unfortunately, tourists already there were disregarding this advice. 

While the photo doesn't explicitly show the tourists close to the water, the OP said, "A bit too close to the shoreline when sneaker waves appear." 

If you think the OP is being overcautious, think again. The Visit Iceland website has an entire page dedicated to enjoying Reynisfjara Beach safely. 

The website stated: "Reynisfjara Beach, with its powerful sneaker waves, is one of Iceland's most dangerous destinations."

Sneaker waves are unpredictable. They are larger than the other waves and go further inland. These waves can knock you off your feet and pull you into the ocean, making a rescue almost impossible.

Reynisfjara Beach has safety precautions put in place. You can not enter the yellow zone when a yellow light is on; the same goes for the red light in the red light zone. There are no lifeguards stationed at the beach because it's too dangerous for them to make rescues. 

The cliffs are also unstable and have frequent rockslides and rockfalls. 

These beautiful scenes saved Iceland during an economic crisis, but now it has a new problem: overtourism. According to Sustainable Travel, when this happens, residents suffer from overcrowding, diminished quality of life, and strained infrastructure. It's also not a great experience for visitors and is harmful to the environment. Wildlife habitats can be sacrificed for tourism infrastructure like resorts. 

Should tourists be responsible for cleaning up their own trash? Absolutely 👏 In most cases 👍 It depends on the place 🤔 No, they shouldn't 👎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

It's a major problem in Iceland. Responsible Travel said tourists now outnumber the country's population. There is no reason to cross Iceland off your bucket list, though. You just need to vacation responsibly. 

Responsible Travel suggested visiting Iceland at off-peak times. Visit other destinations in the country besides Reykjavik. It also encouraged tourists to "join an organized tour by one of our responsible tour operators."

One Redditor is choosing to go during an off-peak time: "I'm glad our trip is in November. Less nonsense."

Another Redditor noted the safety concerns: "Climbing the rocks could break them down too. Iceland is big on environmental protections. And so they should be! Beautiful country."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.