Have you always dreamt of experiencing the perks of the thermal water effect while soaking in the relaxing sceneries of jungles, mountains, and icebergs? There is actually nothing that can beat the experience of taking a dip in a calming hot spring after spending a long tiring day travelling. Hot springs, all made possible by the geothermally heated water that emerges from the crust of the Earth, provide relaxation and a long list of health perks such as skin detox and stress relief.
The good news is that many of the best hot springs in the world can be found in stunning destinations that might already be included on your travel bucket list. From Tibet to Turkey to Italy, below are some of the planet’s best hot springs with the most amazing thermal water effects.
Not many hot springs offer the same tropical serenity as Banjar Hot Springs in northern Bali. Banjar Hot Springs is an oasis fringed with verdant palms adorned with traditional Balinese décor and steamy waters of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are two swimming levels at the turquoise Banjar Springs with one family pool, eight intricate dragon spouts, and a single central pool that welcomes all guests.
The big pink tree at the Banjar Hot Springs in Bali.
The sulfuric content of the water promises a therapeutic and restful experience with towering palm trees, lush gardens, and charming chirping of birds that further transport visitors to their ultimate state of Zen.
Italy’s Cascata del Mulino
Cascate del Mulino is the Instagram-worthy hot springs waterfall of Tuscana, although it is usually confused for the deluxe Terme di Saturnia hot springs and hotel just right next door.
Even if Terme di Saturnia is indeed a restful stop, nothing comes close to Cascata de Mulino’s baby blue water with its free entrance and 24-hour service daily.
The thermal water effect here seeps through the natural limestone pools to produce an awe-inspiring experience, with temperatures that stay approximately 99 degrees Fahrenheit.
Alaska’s Chena Hot Springs
If you have been dreaming of the aurora, Chena Hot Springs is just the best stop in Alaska which offers one of the cosiest seats. This serene getaway right outside Fairbanks is the most developed and accessible interior hot spring resort in the state.
This is the perfect combination of genuine Alaskan beauty with ice-laden winter scenery and steamy water, including the own year-round Aurora Ice Museum of the resort and the onsite Ice Bar that includes the ice-carved martini glasses.
The northern lights dance beautifully above the 106 degrees Fahrenheit water at Chena Hot Springs from late August to April.
The outdoor pool at Chena Hot Springs
New Zealand’s Kerosene Creek
Just like the rest of the beautiful nature of New Zealand, the hot springs of the country don’t disappoint as well, starting with Kerosene Creek, a paradise found in Rotorua. It is a heated creek with a thermal water effect warmed to around 85 degrees Fahrenheit by the natural subterranean spring.
It places swimmers right in the thick of the wilderness of North Island from the verdant jungle backdrops to the waterfall that gently cascades down to the creek. You can swim for free in Kerosene Creek. However, to get here, you need to know where to go and find the correct gravel road.
Canada’s Kraus Hot Springs
While you can always drive to a geothermal pool, there is also the unique experience of paddling through 20 miles flanked by mountains that will lead to an isolated hot spring. This is exactly what Canada’s Kraus Hot Springs has to offer located in the far-flung Northwest Territories.
You can access this secret oasis through the Nahanni River. It is a multi-week paddle trail weaving along thundering waterfalls and dramatic canyons with a stop at the sulfuric hot springs. The natural launch sites make it always possible to just stop, soak, and just unwind at its finest.
New Mexico’s Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs
The superlatives abound around the historic Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs. This is home to the only hot springs in the world that is sulfur-free with healing mineral waters running from 86 up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit for the ultimate thermal water effect.
Northern New Mexico’s Indigenous communities deem these springs sacred. It brims with the unique charm of the Southwest. Shrub-speckled cliffs serve as their backdrop with subtle decorative touches playing off of the surrounding sandstone.
Aside from the hot springs, you can also find the famous Mud Pool in Ojo Caliente where bathers slather themselves in brown clay mud masks for ultimate full-body healing.
Turkey’s Pamukkale Thermal Pools
Pamukkale Natural Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in southwest Turkey decorated with over a dozen thermal springs known for their amazing thermal water effect.
Throughout history, royal soakers, including none other than Egyptian Queen Cleopatra herself, have been allured by the striking turquoise water that is made more vibrant thanks to the terraces of stark-white limestone holding it.
Visitors can look forward to enjoying healing and tranquillity in the therapeutic waters believed to help everything from blood pressure concerns to cardiovascular disease. The water here stays at approximately 97 degrees Fahrenheit.
Greenland’s Uunartoq
Greenland is abundant with hot springs but only Uunartoq, the uninhabited island right off the southern shores of the territory, has springs with temperatures warm enough for bathing in.
Snuggled among the mountain peaks that offer views of breaching whales and floating icebergs. Uunartoq itself is the true epitome of Arctic beauty. These hot springs remain toasty at 100 degrees Fahrenheit all year long. Considering their isolated locale, the best way to get that coveted soak is to get a private boat tour.
Greenland is abundant with hot springs.
Tibet’s Yangpachen Hot Springs
Yangpachen Hot Springs, the first-known geothermal destination in Tibet, is found on the southern slope of the Nyenchen Tangula Mountains just outside Lhasa. The lovely scenery here with surrounded by mountains is made more spectacular by the steamy haze that emanates from the naturally heated waters of the springs.
Although some water across this geothermal field goes beyond 150 degrees Fahrenheit, outdoor and indoor pools safe for the public are available at a mind-boggling height of 13,700 feet above sea level.
