Hot Springs soothe the mind, body and soul. They may be the perfect solution to tiring sightseeing, or they may be the sights in themselves.
Hot Springs soothe the mind, body and soul. They may be the perfect solution to tiring sightseeing, or they may be the sights in themselves. Here is a selection of some of the finest hot springs in the world for the global traveler.
St Lucia’s Drive-In Volcano
Don’t worry, the last major eruption was 40,000 years ago! These days there are boiling mud pots colourfully stained by mineral deposits and once the rotten egg smell becomes too much to bear, you can retreat to the Diamond Botanical Gardens to soak in the hot spring waters amidst gorgeous tropical flora.
Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey
Cascading hot spring waters have created a panorama of gleaming white terraces like opera balconies made of icing sugar which coat the hillside – a spectacular site. Next door, you can soak in the Sacred Pool waters amidst Greek and Roman columns.
Deception Island, Antarctica
Experience the warmth of hot springs on an active volcano in Antarctica. Here in the South Shetland Islands, off the Antarctic Peninsula, a unique landscape of barren volcaic slopes, steaming beaches and ash-layered glaciers emerged from the sea in a cataclysmic explosion 10,000 years ago.
Sao Miguel, Azores
Surely one of the most beautifully sited hot springs in the world, the Caldeiras are beside stunning Furnas Lake and are surrounded by a kaleidoscope of flowers. Geysers of boiling water spring from many openings and are used as an open-air kitchen. Pots of food are still buried in the hot ground in the traditional way.
Budapest, Hungary
In the heart of one of Europe’s most historical and romantic capital cities are a number of bath houses fed by healing hot springs. Our favourite is the Gellert Spa Baths, which is decorated with a wealth of original Art Nouveau furnishings, artistic mosaics, stained glass windows and sculptures.
Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand
There is something endlessly watchable about boiling hot mud pots belching their fetid bubbles of gunk in Rotorua’s thermal region. You can feel the spirit of the earth as it rumbles beneath your feet and escapes, hissing, through fumaroles and geysers. Soak in one of the countless natural hot springs to rejuvenate your spirit.
Tabacon, Costa Rica
Awe-inspiring, fun and instructive. These hot waters are dominated by the very active Adrenal Volcano, belching smoke and lava. The super-heated underground river has been channeled into pools and waterfalls of varying temperatures – this is raw volcanic energy!
Poring Hot Springs, Sabah
In the heart of Borneo, these springs have therapeutic properties and the waters with their sulphate minerals ease the aching muscles of climbers returning from nearby Mount Kinabalu. There’s also a butterfly farm, an orchid conservation centre, tropical gardens, a waterfall and a canopy walkway above the forest.
