It’s a forgone conclusion that some like it hot. As winter winds blow (for some of us), we can forget we’re standing on a ball of molten lava with a thin, crispy crust. If “hot” does it for you, read on…
Heosimcheong, South Korea
Not all geothermal springs are near obvious sources like faults or volcanoes. This hot spring in Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, is one of the best least-known spas in Asia. Visitors have a choice of 40 pools, including the Longevity Bath, Cave Bath, Outdoor Bath, and Event Baths, which combine hot spring water with oriental medicinal elements.
Kusatsu Onsen, Japan
When you are in the most geologically active country on Earth, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to hot springs. In Japan, hot springs are called “onsen” and you cannot go wrong at the famous Kusatsu Onsen in the center of the country. A standout for its sheer scale, Kusatsu has a whole spa-culture unique to itself, along with a notoriously ribald party-like atmosphere.
Pools of Oheo, Hawai’i
Despite all the volcanic activity that literally made the island, this hot spring in Maui owes its temperatures to the Sun. The pools rest on jet-black lava rock that absorbs heat from the Sun that in turn heats up the water. Basically, the Pools are a solar oven. Throw in a step-like set of waterfalls bouncing down to the sea and you’ve got one more reason to love Hawai’i.
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs, California
Located in Napa Valley, this hot spring is a perfectly good example that water and wine go together. There are four pools to pick, and this property makes it a point to say that it is LGBTQ
friendly. I recommend the volcanic ash mud baths. Mud baths, so you know are a Calistoga specialty.
Banjar, Bali
Talk about presentation! Hot water gushes from the earth out through the mouths of eight carved naga, (think of a centaur, only switch out the horse part for a snake) into a large rectangular pool. On the northern end of the Indonesian island of Bali, Banjar neatly weaves mythology and the mysterious into the typical hot spring experience for a more exotic tale to tell.
Terme di Saturnia, Italy
This one supposedly came to be after the gods blasted the site with a lightning bolt. Divine wrath now prosaically flows through one of the most luxurious spas in Europe, in one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world (Tuscany). This one isn’t a secret; people have been enjoying Saturnia for the last 3,000 years. There’s something to be said for tradition.
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