This article looks at the 20 natural healing hot springs to visit in the world. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of self-care tourism and hydrotherapy, please proceed directly to 5 Natural Healing Hot Springs to Visit in the World.
It is no secret that tourism was one of the hardest impacted industries during the pandemic. Our article on Least Visited Countries in the World reveals that due to COVID-19 there was a decrease of 2.6 billion international arrivals all over the globe between 2020 and 2022. As of 2023, international tourist arrivals have recovered to 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with strong indications that 2024 is the year when the tourism industry surpasses pre-pandemic levels in terms of volume and revenue.
While COVID-19 may have caused tourism to come to a grinding halt, it also helped reshape the industry. Unlike conventional tourism, the rejuvenated version of tourism is influenced by travel trends such as set-jetting, destination dupes, and sustainable tourism, all of which are featured in Unpack 24, a list of travel trends by Expedia Group Inc (NASDAQ: EXPE). If you’re interested in knowing more about these trends, check out our take on Best Places for Adventure Travel in the World and Spectacular Floating Hotels Around The World.
Self-care Tourism
The idea of self-care has become a focal point of tourism in the post-pandemic environment. The wellness industry is set to increase from $6.3 trillion in 2024 to $8.5 trillion in 2027. As such, wellness tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments in this industry and is expected to surge past $1 trillion in 2024 and reach $1.4 trillion by 2027. Individuals can explore some of the best wellness retreats within the US if they’re looking to improve their personal well-being.
In response to the growing popularity of self-care vacations, brands such as Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ: MAR) and Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) are diversifying and improving their wellness services. Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ: MAR), under its JW Marriott brand, launched a “Stay in the Moment” campaign in the Asia-Pacific market, which provides experiences focusing on personal well-being and enrichment.
“The ‘Stay in the Moment’ campaign focuses on the discerning luxury traveler who seeks well-being, mindfulness, and profound connections, all the elements that speak to the spirit of the JW Marriott brand.”
-John Toomey, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Asia Pacific (Excluding China), Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ: MAR).
Similarly, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) showcased its commitment to wellness by launching the Hyatt Wellbeing Collective, a portfolio of over 30 hotels and resorts that offer customized itineraries for wellness vacationers.
“At Hyatt, we’re setting a new standard of wellbeing for travel, making sure every touch point is crafted with meaning and intent to support all facets of wellbeing.”
-TJ Abrams, Vice President, Global Wellbeing, Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H).
Hydrotherapy
If you go through our article on Best Wellness Retreats in the US, you will realize that wellness retreats aren’t just about spa treatments and foot baths. This is because tourists tend to take these vacations to work towards a specific goal such as stress management, weight loss, or recovering from burnout. A study by Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ: MAR) in 2023 showed how wellness travelers are looking to incorporate intensive exercises and mentally stimulating activities into their vacations. The study showed that 65% of respondents expressed interest in active wellness activities such as jiu-jitsu or kickboxing classes, while 58% wanted more mindful activities such as yoga and meditation.
Poolside activities are a prominent activity in the itinerary for any vacation, with tourists relishing any opportunity to be cradled by gentle lapping water. According to Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), the most booked categories for a family vacation during the recent winter season were poolside stays, beaches with surfing activities, and golf courses. Many hotels and wellness resorts around the world have begun to infuse the gentle arts of yoga and meditation into water-based settings such as pools and lakes. Similarly, a phenomenon named “Hot Potting” has also become an increasingly popular activity among wellness travelers.
Hot Potting is the activity of soaking in a warm, often mineral-rich, body of water for therapeutic purposes. Bathing in hot pools is an activity that dates back thousands of years and is considered to have numerous health benefits. According to a study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences, hydrotherapy has several benefits such as relieving muscle soreness and increasing circulation. Another study implies that balneotherapy can be a non-pharmacological treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
One of the things that has hindered the popularity of natural healing hot springs is the risk of burns and even fatal accidents in case the water is too warm. Moreover, in unstable conditions, jets of near-boiling water can erupt into thermal pools spontaneously, making them extremely dangerous to swim in. However, there are plenty of natural healing hot springs to visit in the world that provide immense therapeutic benefits without such risks. Join us as we look at the greatest natural healing hot springs to visit in the world.
To develop our list of natural healing hot springs to visit in the world, we initially picked out the most recommended natural healing hot springs to visit in the world on the internet. We used 10+ sources including CN Traveler, Travel & Leisure, and Trip Savvy to develop a shortlist. Further research was narrowed down to these places only. This approach also allowed us to obtain an initial score for each park based on the number of times it was recommended across different sources. Once this list was obtained, we used online ratings from sources such as Trip Advisor and Trip.com as other metrics for our rankings. The cumulative score for each place was summed, based on which we sorted our list in descending order. The top 20 places were chosen as the natural healing hot springs to visit in the world.
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Here are 20 Natural Healing Hot Springs to Visit in the World.
20. Sulphur Springs, St Lucia
Insider Monkey Score: 16.46
Proclaimed as the world’s only “drive-in volcano”, Sulphur Springs is a geothermal field located Southwest of Soufriere on the island country of St. Lucia. Its black water hot springs are rich in minerals, because of which locals claim these pools have medicinal properties. Tourists from all over the world visit these springs to enjoy mud baths, which are considered to help detoxify and heal sunburns, eczema, and sore joints.
19. Peninsula Hot Springs, Australia
Insider Monkey Score: 16.49
A short drive from Melbourne, you’ll find the Peninsula Hot Springs spa, which features a collection of natural healing hot springs to visit. Temperatures vary from pool to pool, some of which can be booked for private reclusion. Visitors can take part in a hot spring yoga session, an activity to unlock your chakra whilst hot potting. In addition to the natural baths, Peninsula Hot Springs also offers other amenities for rejuvenation such as ice baths, saunas, and spa treatments.
18. Beppu, Japan
Insider Monkey Score: 16.67
Beppu features one of the largest collections of geothermal pools in Japan, some of which are too hot to dip into. However, there is also a series of public pools that tourists can bathe in, including the Beppu Onsen pools. These pools are considered to have therapeutic properties, which can be enjoyed in the form of a swim or a mud bath.
17. Banjar Hot Springs, Indonesia
Insider Monkey Score: 16.86
Bali is renowned for its beach-side vacations and lush scenery; however, it also features one of the most sumptuous natural healing hot springs in the world. Set in the northern parts of the island are the Banjar Hot Springs. This collection of private and public pools is rich in sulfur and tends to have a temperature of approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the perfect destination for a therapeutic bath.
16. Polynesian Spa, New Zealand
Insider Monkey Score: 17.29
Due to its location, there are plenty of thermal springs scattered around the island of New Zealand, the most popular of which are located in the region of Rotorua. While the Champagne Pool and Kerosene Creek are also popular attractions, one of the best natural healing hot springs to visit in the world is the Polynesian Spa. Its 28 pools are fed from 2 hot springs, one of which is slightly acidic, a property that helps relieve body aches and sore muscles, while the other is slightly alkaline and helps nourish your skin.
15. Takaragawa Onsen, Japan
Insider Monkey Score: 17.40
Located along the Takaraga River, you’ll find the literal definition of ice and fire as you step into one of the best natural healing hot springs to visit in the world. The springs flow through snow-capped mountains, because of which tourists come here to enjoy both the majestic views and the therapeutic experience. The Takaragawa Onsen is close to Oze National Park, meaning that visitors can enjoy other excursions such as hiking and wildlife viewing.
14. Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
Insider Monkey Score: 17.46
The Chena Hot Springs are located nearly 60 miles Northeast of Fairbanks. The resort has plenty of rooms to facilitate visitors for an overnight stay. The hot springs themselves are famous for their healing abilities, courtesy of having sulfate, chloride, and sodium bicarbonate. Moreover, there is an onsite ice bar which means you get to enjoy your favorite cocktails as the water rejuvenates your soul.
13. Caldas de Outariz, Spain
Insider Monkey Score: 17.79
The city of Ourense is popular for its numerous hot springs, some of which date back to the Roman era. However, many of the once bustling pools are now closed, save Caldas de Outariz. This bath is located on the outskirts of the city and is one of the best natural hot springs in Europe.
12. Poca Da Dona Beija, Portugal
Insider Monkey Score: 17.94
Sao Miguel is the largest of the Azore Islands and features numerous hot springs. While some of the pools are too hot to enter, the pools of Poca Da Dona Beija are some of the best natural healing hot springs to visit in the world. In comparison to other pools in the Azores, these baths are relatively cheap and less densely occupied (although that can change), and have a perfect temperature of just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. The Springs Resort & Spa, Colorado
Insider Monkey Score: 18.28
The Pagosa Springs are fed from the Mother Spring aquifer, certified as the world’s deepest aquifer by Guinness World Records. Here, you’ll find the Springs Resort & Spa which features over 20 different pools of varying temperatures. The mineral-rich waters of this spa are the perfect destination for hot potting, making it one of the best natural hot springs in the US.
10. Hot Springs Cove, Canada
Insider Monkey Score: 18.33
The Maquinna Provincial Park in British Columbia is one of Canada’s most scenic destinations. The Hot Springs Cove in this area is located on top of a geological fault, because of which water is pumped up to the surface from a depth of 5 kilometers underground. While the water can be too hot to soak in in many areas of these springs, there are several spots where it mixes with the ocean to provide you with a natural healing hot spring to stretch your toes in.
9. Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, New Mexico
Insider Monkey Score: 18.39
The Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs is a sulfur-free collection of pools that offer some of the best therapeutic dips in the world. The Iron Pool is considered to help aid the body’s immune system while some of the other pools offer visitors a chance to discard their body of toxins through a mud bath. There are both communal and private pools available, meaning that if you’re looking for privacy and space, there is no better natural healing hot spring to visit in the world than the tonic retreat of Ojo Caliente.
8. Lake Heviz, Hungary
Insider Monkey Score: 18.46
There are over 1300 thermal baths in Hungary, as acknowledged in our list of Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024. The city of Budapest is often called the “Capital of Spas and Thermal Baths”, and just a few hours south of the city lies one of the largest swimmable hot springs in the world. Lake Heviz is known for its warm, relaxing waters and the area also features many indoor saunas, hot tubs, and restaurants.
7. Travertine Hot Springs, California
Insider Monkey Score: 18.54
Located close to the California-Nevada border, the Travertine Hot Springs is a very popular natural healing hot spring to visit in the world. The pools vary in temperature, however, all of them provide majestic panoramic views of the surrounding desert landscape.
6. Uunartoq Island, Greenland
Insider Monkey Score: 18.66
While there is an abundance of hot springs scattered around Greenland, the most notable one lies on Uunartoq Island. The pool water is at the perfect temperature to enjoy a soak, and the island offers an incredibly breathtaking view of distant mountains, floating icebergs, and whales emanating from the ocean surface.
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Disclosure: none. 20 Natural Healing Hot Springs to Visit in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.