One of Turkey’s most popular and beautiful tourist spots is the natural rock pools of Pamukkale. This spot is for you if strange and lovely visuals are your thing. However, this location isn’t simply a little strange and fantastic. It is also breathtakingly lovely. It boasts sparkling blue water on top, terraces that descend a mountainside, and is blindingly white.

Kerosene Creek, a geothermally heated stream where you can bathe and unwind, is located 35 minutes south of Rotorua. The creek’s chilly waters are warmed to a delightful temperature by the hot water that naturally springs from the earth. Swimmers have built little hot tubs next to the 2 m waterfall by piling together small, smooth rocks. 

Kerosene Creek, which is surrounded by thick native bush and is well-liked by both tourists and residents, provides a unique opportunity for natural swimming.

The world’s only sulphur-free hot springs, with curative mineral waters that range from 98 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, are located in the historic Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort, which is awash in superlatives. These springs, which are revered by Indigenous people in northern New Mexico, ooze Southwestern beauty with their sandstone surroundings and backdrop of shrub-speckled cliffs. In addition to the hot springs, Ojo Caliente has a well-known mud pool where visitors can apply brown clay mud masks for full-body recovery.

Driving to a geothermal pool is one thing; canoeing 20 kilometres across mountainous terrain to reach a private hot spring is quite another. The latter is what Kraus Hot Springs in Canada’s remote Northwest Territories has to offer. The Nahanni River, a multi-week paddling trail that winds amid stunning canyons and roaring waterfalls with a halt at these sulphurous hot springs, provides access to this hidden haven. Natural launch spots allow for rest, relaxation, and soaking. And certified raft and canoe guides make sure that tourists can safely explore this untamed river.

Chena Hot Springs provides one of Alaska’s cosiest places for seeing the aurora. The most developed and accessible interior hot spring resort in the state is the tranquil retreat just outside of Fairbanks. With steaming water and ice-covered winter scenery, including the resort’s own Aurora Ice Museum and the on-site Ice Bar, it is the ideal embodiment of Alaskan beauty (ice-carved martini glasses very much included). From the end of August to the beginning of April, the 106°F water of Chena Hot Springs is illuminated by the northern lights.

Although there are many hot springs in Greenland, the only ones that are warm enough to bathe in are on Uunartoq, an uninhabited island off the coast of the country’s south. Uunartoq is the epitome of Arctic beauty, nestled among mountain peaks with vistas of breaching whales and icebergs. The hot springs are consistently hot, with a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A private boat excursion is an ideal way to score that sought-after soak, given their remote location.

Few hot springs can match the tropical calm of Banjar Hot Springs in northern Bali, a palm-fringed sanctuary with steaming 100°F water and traditional Balinese furnishings. With two levels of swimming areas, eight ornate dragon spouts, a family pool, and a common pool for all visitors, the turquoise Banjar springs are a popular swimming destination. Due to the water’s high sulphur content, visitors can expect a relaxing, therapeutic experience. Lush gardens, tall palm trees, and endearing bird chirps will further induce a state of Zen.

Although it frequently gets mistaken for the opulent Terme di Saturnia hotel and hot springs next door, Cascate del Mulino is Tuscany’s most popular hot springs waterfall. Although Terme di Saturnia is a relaxing visit, Cascate de Mulino’s baby-blue water is incomparable and is available 24 hours a day. The temperature here stays at 99 degrees Fahrenheit, and a thermal stream of water flows through the natural limestone ponds to produce a wonderful experience.

Pagosa Springs in Colorado offers more than the typical hot springs vacation. The Mother Spring aquifer, recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s deepest aquifer, supplies hot water to this region of southwest Colorado. The Springs Resort & Spa is the most incredible place to enjoy this renowned water source because it boasts the most geothermal hot spring pools in the state. Try one of the 25 public thermal pools with a range of temperatures. The pools’ mineral-rich water promotes healthy skin and aids in the recovery of tired muscles.

Yangpachen Hot Springs, the first-known geothermal site in Tibet, is located outside of Lhasa on the southern slope of the Nyenchen Tangula Mountains. The vapour of steam rising from the naturally heated springs adds to the beauty of the mountain-ringed landscape. At a startling 13,700 feet above sea level, the Holy Medical Spring Resort offers indoor and outdoor public pools, despite some of the water across the geothermal field reaching temperatures of over 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just north of Gunma, the forested Takaragawa Onsen hot springs offer a tranquil retreat with stunning mountain scenery as they flow between the snow-capped peaks of Joshin’etsukogen and Oze National Parks. These four outdoor baths beside the Takara River are in tune with the environment. Visitors feel as though they have entered a piece of paradise thanks to the picture-perfect bathhouse and a forest that changes colour with the seasons. A 42-room hotel and a restaurant are available on-site. The food is prepared to utilise fresh ingredients from the local mountains.

The adored Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s sparkling turquoise wonder, must be included on any list of the “greatest hot springs in the world.” The lagoon is the ideal Icelandic welcome, and it’s only 20 minutes from Keflavik Airport. Its mineral-rich geothermal saltwater is a soothing way to get over jet lag or to reminisce about your time in Iceland before boarding your flight home. The warm waters of Blue Lagoon, which range in temperature from 99 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, flow between moss-covered rocks with picturesque views of far-off mountains. Don’t miss the swim-up mud mask bars for complete therapeutic immersion. 

Arizona is well-known for its heat and for being one of the top wellness destinations in the world. Naturally, they would also have some of the world’s top healing hot springs. In fact, they are so well-known that the Vanderbilts, Astors, and a young John F. Kennedy visited them in the 1940s. The rocky sandstone tones of the Sonoran desert encircle the geothermal waters (rich in lithium, magnesium, and bicarbonates) of Castle Hot Springs, a desert oasis. The water’s mineral content fosters relaxation and aids in reducing inflammation and joint pain. Farm-to-table meals, daily activities like yoga and escorted treks, and access to the springs are all included at the resort.

Famous for the curative qualities of the water they contain, the Swiss baths gained prominence in the 19th century by treating the diseases of affluent visitors. Blood flow, lung ventilation, blood pressure, muscular relaxation, and mobility have all been shown to improve when soaking in hot, mineral-rich water. The most well-known natural hot spring in Switzerland, the Tamina Gorge, which was found by Benedictine monks in 1242 and has waters that are 97.7 degrees Fahrenheit, provides the energy for this opulent thermal resort. There are both indoor and outdoor pools on-site, but nothing beats the Grison Alps views from outside.

After visiting Yellowstone National Park’s Grand Prismatic Spring, the biggest hot spring in the country, go to Montana so you can soak in the geothermal waters. Yellowstone Hot Springs’ vistas of the Paradise Valley peaks that surround it are as soothing as its waters. The springs also contain silica, which aids in healing sensitive skin. They are excellent for relieving tension or naturally easing tight muscles after a day of hiking through a national park. Moving between the heated pool (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and the chilly plunge (60 degrees Fahrenheit) can increase blood circulation.

The red footbridges that cross the natural ravine where you’ll bathe are what most distinguish this network of more than 60 springs. The verdant setting of Chile’s Villarrica Sur National Park is where the beauty of the Termas Geometricas is found. Enjoy one of the 20 stone pools that are heated between 95 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit while taking in the hazy, overgrown splendour of the natural surroundings.

The two pools at Challis Hot Springs in Idaho are filled with natural spring water that comes up from the ground and seeps through the gravel and river rocks that make up the pool bottoms. The temperature of the inside treatment pool is completely up to Mother Nature, while the outside pool is controlled to be suitable for swimming. The cosy and charming little bed and breakfast is open to guests as well. Camp close to the springs on the banks of the Salmon River for a more rural experience.

For an entirely natural experience, make the leisurely 2.5-mile stroll to the Olympic Hot Springs in Olympic National Park. From the Boulder Creek Trailhead, one can travel to a number of hot springs pools by following the creek. This land was once constructed as a resort, but it shut down after the lease ran out. The springs and trail are all that are left now. Visitors to the hot springs are advised by the National Park Service to bathe at their own risk because there is no control over the water’s purity and nudity is prevalent.

The relaxing waters of Khir Ganga in India need some effort on the part of visitors. Even though it takes three to four hours to hike to the hot springs located in a meadow, the effort is unquestionably worthwhile. Once there, visitors can relax their sore muscles in a man-made pool while admiring breathtaking views of the Himalayan Mountains that surround this amazing location. For decades, villagers have respected Khir Ganga for its curative properties, and even now, it still draws people seeking solace from a variety of aches and pains.

The most isolated hot spring on the planet, Deception Island, is situated deep within the Southern Ocean. An active volcano that lies beneath the island generates a lot of geothermal activity, including heating up pools of water that provide some relief from the chilly weather. While taking a dip in these waters, visitors can observe the neighbouring massive glaciers and icebergs.