May 24, 2023
By Sonakshi Kandhari
Suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, if you stumble across a pool of scalding hot water, it's a hot spring. While some hot springs are too hot for humans to touch, many naturally occurring ones are therapeutic. Wondering where to spot one? Check out this to discover 10 of the world’s most beautiful hot springs.
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Located in the Pamukkale National Park, this area has 17 pools. The pools, with their stunning blue waters, are contained in white travertine, a form of limestone. This spell-binding view perfectly reflects the name, as 'Pamukkale' in Turkish means 'cotton castles’. Its waters heal ailments, and history lovers would be enthralled to know even Queen Cleopatra bathed in them.
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It's where mythology meets beauty! Lord Shiva meditated here for 3,000 years. Nestled in Parvati Valley, the Kheerganga trek is 13-kilometre long. One has to go to the topmost point to see the hot water spring called ‘Parvati Kund’. It is separated into two sections for men and women, and a dip in the saline-rich waters offers both physical and mental peace.
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Situated in Grindavik, you can get here in a 50-minute drive from the capital, Reykjavik. It offers an experience beyond the realms of imagination with its comfortably warm waters at 38 degrees Celsius gushing against a view of majestic mountains and rocks. A swim in these waters with their mineral salts leaves your skin looking glowy.
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Besides vineyards, Tuscany has another well-reserved secret, Cascate del Mulino, close to Saturnia. From atop a waterfall, water cascades along limestone rocks, which led to the creation of thermal pools. The water is at a temperature of 38 degree Celsius. The pools are open all year, and gushing at a speed of 500 litres per second, these sulphur-rich waters are therapeutic.
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The world’s third-largest hot spring might seem photoshopped with its beautiful amalgamation of colours, but it's not. Its water is a shocking blue with orangish to green rings surrounding it. The colour surrounding the water is caused by the bacteria that’s present in the water. These springs are a highly photographed spot. This spring water’s temperature is 87 degrees Celsius.
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This is not a hot spring, but a thermal one. Fire, ice and a submarine volcano are responsible for its origin. It took shape when an active submarine volcano broke out in the frozen South Shetland Islands, leaving a caldera in its wake. The thermal spring is located alongside Pendulum Cove, where the 70 degree celsius water mixes with cold seawater, offering a bathtub experience.
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Tucked away in China’s Sichuan Province, this park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stretching across 3.5 kilometres between forests and mountains, you can witness naturally formed terraced spring pools. With water cascading down terraces, its appearance best describes its name, Huanglong, which means ‘yellow dragon valley’.
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Being the most beautiful amongst all the other eight in the Hells of Beppu in Japan,it is encircled by gardens on all sides. Its waters are brilliant blue, which is rare even for hot springs. Its blueness is due to the high levels of iron sulphate in the water. At 98 degrees Celsius, it's even possible to boil an egg in its waters.
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It is inarguably one of the world’s prettiest hot springs, perched at the furthest end of Greenland. You can arrive at the place after a 90-minute boat ride from Qaqortoq. Flanked by mountains and icebergs, the scintillating views make you forget all your worries. This island was never inhabited because it was considered haunted, but now its beauty is haunting.
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It is the world’s largest hot spring, located in the Echo Crater of New Zealand’s Waimangu Rift Valley, covering an expanse of 38,000 square metres. This lake is the result of an earthquake in the Rotorua area that caused Mt. Tarawera to explode. The water seems scorching hot, but is actually 55 degrees Celsius; it appears so due to the presence of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide gases.
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