7 Hot Spring Destinations for Extraordinary Wellness and Water Cures

by  Donna Sozio | Jan 6, 2025
Leukerbad Therme Adventure Pool

Since ancient times, spa towns and hot spring resorts have beckoned locals and visitors alike with rejuvenating thermal baths. Sourced from deep within the Earth's surface, these geothermally heated pools of mineral-rich water are said to aid in relaxation, help soothe tired muscles and joints, and offer other therapeutic benefits. And now, as a new generation of travelers aims to improve their wellbeing, historical and emerging thermal "hotspots" have created even more opportunities to bask and soak in these waters.

Prioritizing health and longevity, today's wellness seekers want to get away from the fray of busy tourist spots, and thermal baths — often located in quiet, natural settings — provide not only relaxing experiences but also genuine cultural offerings that can be hard to find in more touristy areas. As Kay Allen, Communications Manager for the Japan National Tourism Organization in Los Angeles, says, going to hot springs "gives international visitors accessibility to visit lesser-traveled areas with authentic local atmospheres."

CMcConville

Additionally, social media is helping to bring thermal bathing back into the limelight. "Travelers are seeking ways to relax, reduce stress, and improve overall health," explains Danny Min, Director of Operations at Two Bunch Palms wellness hotel in Desert Hot Springs, California. "Influencers and celebrities often share their experiences, further normalizing thermal bathing as part of a luxurious and healthy lifestyle."

Whether thermal bathing is already part of the local culture or an entirely new addition, destinations around the globe are meeting the current demand by organizing bathing trails and creating new guest experiences, including modern urban bathhouses and social bathing opportunities at night. Resorts are also curating elevated thermal bathing atmospheres with amenities like ambient light and sound to evoke the senses.

So, if you're ready to luxuriate and soak in healing waters in stunning locales and let nature's minerals work their magic, it's time to "take the waters." From the jungles of Costa Rica to the forests of Japan, here are seven of our top picks for thermal resorts, spa towns, and bathing trails that offer a relaxing hot springs escape.

1. The Great Victoria Bathing Trail, Australia

Luna Pool, Great Victorian Bathing Trail

Indigenous Australians have bathed in Victoria's healing waters for over 40,000 years, and now wellness enthusiasts can too. From the shoreline to the bush, the recently launched Great Victorian Bathing Trail spans 550 miles of this southern state of Australia and encompasses a variety of therapeutic fresh, salt, and geothermal water resorts and nature spots. In addition to thermal baths, the trail offers First Nations experiences like guided nature walks and smoking ceremonies, as well as glamping and wine tasting to round out a trip.

Where to take the waters: Just a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Peninsula Hot Springs offers moonlit bathing along with 70 hot spring-related experiences, including barrel baths, a falling water massage, and thermal bathing inside a cave. At Deep Blue Hot Springs in the city of Warrnambool, visitors can refresh in geothermal mineral rock pools, sensory caves in which color therapy is projected onto the walls, and waterfalls; while Metung Hot Springs in the town of Metung has relaxing geothermal showers, a pool tucked away in the bush, a reflexology walk through a small stream over stones, and meditative reflection areas.

2. Abano Terme, Italy

GB Thermae Hotels

Less than an hour's drive from Venice, and nestled under the volcanic Euganean Hills, the luxury spa town of Abano Terme is famous for its healing waters and detoxifying thermal mud therapy.

Where to take the waters: The five-star Abano Grand Hotel and Romanae Thermal Spa — with its opulent chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling marble, grand dining hall, and impeccable service — is the go-to resort here. For generations, entire families have come to this mecca of wellness for thermal water cures. Your first stop should be the resort's spa doctor, who will evaluate your needs and give you a personalized water therapy "prescription." Then head to the outdoor pools to soak, relax, and let hundreds of trace minerals work their mind-body magic. 

3. Greater Palm Springs, California

Visit Greater Palm Springs

About a two-hour drive from Los Angeles or San Diego, the relatively undiscovered Miracle Hill in Desert Hot Springs (part of the Greater Palm Springs area) boasts 350 days of sunshine and is said to be a powerful energy vortex created by geothermal springs, earthquake faults, towering mountains, and high winds. Its world-class odorless thermal water is drawn from a hot aquifer, while the town's drinking water — said to be some of the purest in the world — is drawn from a cold aquifer. 

Where to take the waters: At Two Bunch Palms, a 77-acre boho-chic resort that attracts celebrities and modern spiritual seekers, guests can soak in soft, silky, and odorless mineral spring water with a high sulfur content in the Grotto, a communal bathing area, or private outdoor tubs. For a more low-key casual vibe — and the hottest water in the area at 174 degrees (then cooled to between 85 and 104) — head to The Azure Palm Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa Oasis, which features in-room thermal soaking tubs. Located in the heart of Palm Springs and owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Native Americans, The Spa at Séc-he impresses with 22 private mineral hot springs baths and a resort-style mineral pool with private cabanas. 

4. Kyushu, Japan

JNTO

The island of Kyushu is teeming with natural hot springs and bath houses called onsen. Deeply integrated into Japanese culture, the first mention of onsen can be traced back to 720 CE in the "Nihon Shoki" text, and today its therapeutic and social aspects are as strong as ever. Tip: Be prepared to bathe nude, which has been the tradition in Japan for thousands of years and is said to create hadaka no tsukiai, a more honest friendship. 

Where to take the waters: In the city of Beppu, find nearly 3,000 hot springs, including the modern rooftop onsen at the Suginoi Hotel. For a more traditional experience, head to the town of Kurokawa located in a forested valley north of Mount Aso, where the streets are lined with traditional onsen, a Shinto shrine, and ryokans (traditional Japanese inns). 

5. Vichy, France

Xavier Thomas

Three hours south of Paris by train, Vichy is heralded the "Queen of the Spa Towns," with Napoleon III once an infamous frequent visitor. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vichy was originally designed as a "Little Paris," with covered promenades, elegant parks, and grand hotels exhibiting the epitome of 19th-century European spa culture.

Where to take the waters: The elegant Vichy Thermal Spa les Celestins is one of the largest spa hotels in Europe. Here, spa-goers can partake in the full Vichy thermal cure protocol, which includes mineral water soaks, thermal mud wraps, and inhaling steam for up to three weeks.

6. Lake Geneva Region, Switzerland

Switzerland Tourism/Nicole Schafer

The storybook alpine village of Leukerbad in the Swiss Alps has a multitude of outdoor public thermal baths. Perfect for recovery after an epic day of skiing, hiking, biking, or climbing, the thermal waters replenish the body with a healthy level of minerals so that bathers can go on outdoor adventures again, fresh, the next day.

Where to take the waters: The family-friendly Leukerbad Therme spa has multiple outdoor communal baths with water massage stations and dramatic views of the Alps, along with a waterslide for kids. At night, it transforms into "Aqua Mystica," an impressive music, light, and fire show that guests enjoy while bathing. In the nearby Rhone Valley, Les Bains de Lavey offers large thermal massage pools with a series of jets under the dramatic backdrop of the valley's massifs. Try one of its "water cures," including physiotherapy and balneotherapy, or book a relaxing evening candlelight bathing experience.

7. Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa

If the jungle and rainforests are your vibe, visit the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, where volcanic lava-filtered thermal mineral spring waters flow in a protected rainforest reserve.

Where to take the waters: At Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa, a lush carbon-neutral property, Shangri-La Gardens is an adults-only refuge where visitors can relax and refresh under cascading thermal waterfalls and float in tranquil river pools. For families who dream of a mineral pool playground where the kids can splash around, head to the nearby Baldi Hot Springs, which has a dedicated fun zone.

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