The World’s 10 Best Hot Springs, My Personal Picks for Cold Weather

The world’s 10 best hot springs, my personal picks

On a cold winter day like today, just imagining soaking in warm water seems to lift my mood. Sensitive to both heat and cold, I get through summer with cool air-conditioning and winter by soaking in warm water. This year, sadly, I haven’t been able to — having a child means I can no longer afford that kind of leisure and (ahem) luxury. So I decided to enjoy hot springs vicariously, at least through a blog post, and looked into the world’s 10 best. I say these are my personal picks, but I compared all sorts of sources, so I’m sure they’ll help you too!

1. Iceland — Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

You can’t talk about the world’s 10 best hot springs without Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. Plenty of people who don’t know the country of Iceland still know the place called the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon has a soft, milky-blue hue, and the water is said to be extremely rich in minerals that are great for the skin. There’s even an algae found only at this spring that releases skin-friendly compounds. Now I think I finally understand why the Blue Lagoon is so famous in a country where you hit a hot spring just by digging into the ground!

2. Italy — Cascate del Mulino

Cascate del Mulino, Italy

Anyone with a keen eye for hot springs will know it: that Italy is home to one of the world’s 10 best. It’s Cascate del Mulino — better known to us as Saturnia. I tried to find out why it goes by two names, but my translation skills failed me, so I can’t explain it precisely. 😢

In any case, the Saturnia springs were named the best open-air hot spring by CNN in 2014, and like Pamukkale in Türkiye, water at 99°F (37°C) flows over similar terrain all year round. The spring water is packed with sulfur, silica, iodine, and minerals, making it excellent for the skin — there’s even a cosmetics line sold under the name “Saturnia.” The spring is also completely open to the public, with free admission and even free parking. Around this time every year, people from all over the world come to Italy to enjoy the springs.

3. Hungary — Szechenyi

Szechenyi, Hungary

The Szechenyi baths are one of the world’s 10 best hot springs, located in Budapest, Hungary. Hungary has such a developed bath culture that there are 123 thermal springs in the country. Among them, Szechenyi is famous for its scale and its distinctive themes. Each zone offers a different experience, the most iconic being the outdoor thermal pool. This pool operates year-round without a single day off, and anyone — young or old, man or woman — can enjoy a swim.

The indoor thermal pools allow for relatively quiet rest and swimming, and there are also springs run for therapeutic purposes. Soaking in the mineral-rich water is said to offer treatment-like effects — softening the skin and the like, I gather. There’s even a spring where you can relax with a beer, and others geared toward families. With this kind of variety, no matter who you visit with, everyone can enjoy the springs to their own taste.

4. United States — Travertine

Travertine, USA

Travertine Hot Springs is one of the world’s 10 best, located in California, USA. It’s believed to have been used since ancient Native American times, perhaps 10,000 years ago, and a proper pool for enjoying the springs was built in the early 1900s. Hot mineral water gushes out around the spring at up to 180°F (82°C), cooling to around 108–154°F (42–68°C) by the time it reaches the pool. The water is rich in minerals and excellent for the skin, and with the Sawtooth Range nearby, the views are great too.

5. Canada — Kraus

Kraus, Canada

Canada’s Kraus is a hot spring located inside Nahanni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by nature, it has the advantage of great views, but the downside that access is harder than at the other top-10 springs. You can only reach it via a rafting adventure along the Nahanni River, and being so isolated, it offers a special experience. You can take in the wonders of towering cliffs, mysterious rock formations, and majestic waterfalls right alongside the spring. Surrounded by a protected area, it also has countless attractions nearby. If you want to enjoy a special hot spring out in nature, plan a trip to Canada before winter’s over!

6. Chile — Termas Geometricas

Termas Geometricas, Chile

Termas Geometricas is one of the world’s 10 best hot springs, scattered across 18 pools in Villarrica National Park. Like Canada’s, it sits deep in nature, so tourists only started visiting relatively recently — from 2004. You can enjoy the surrounding natural environment along with the springs, and with a bit of luck, you might even encounter wildlife. You can also try hiking and kayaking on the way to the springs. Spread across 18 pools, it can be enjoyed with all kinds of themes, so if you get the chance, definitely pay it a visit.

7. New Zealand — Kerosene Creek

Kerosene Creek, New Zealand

Nicknamed the geothermal capital of New Zealand, Kerosene Creek is one of the world’s 10 best hot springs, with warm mineral water gushing out all year round. Kerosene Creek is one of 110 hot springs located in New Zealand’s volcanic “Ring of Fire” region. Undeveloped for centuries, it lets you enjoy a spring in its natural state. Even so, basics like changing rooms, parking, and amenities are in place.

The warm mineral water is also rich in minerals, making it excellent for skin care and healing. Beyond the springs, there are various attractions like Rainbow Mountain and Waiotapu Wonderland, so I recommend enjoying them together.

8. India — Kheer Ganga

Kheer Ganga, India

Kheer Ganga is one of the world’s 10 best hot springs, nestled in the Parvati Valley of India’s Himachal Pradesh state. Also known as the most tranquil hot spring in the world, Kheer Ganga sits at a staggering elevation of 13,025 ft (3,970 m). To reach the spring, you have to take a hiking trail of about 7.5 miles (12 km). Along the way you can take in small rural villages, religious landmarks, and majestic waterfalls, which is why it’s said to be popular among Americans. The water has a mysterious, milky color and is rich in minerals, making it excellent for the skin.

9. Japan — Takaragawa Onsen

Takaragawa Onsen, Japan

As you well know, Japan is a country with countless hot springs. Among them, Takaragawa Onsen is one of the world’s 10 best, set along the Takara River. It’s said to have been discovered during the ancient Jomon period, between roughly 14,000 and 300 BC, and with such deep history, it comes with many associated myths. For example, Yamato Takeru, one of Japan’s heroes, is said to have visited this spring and cured various ailments by soaking in it.

The spring also has five baths across different zones. Maka-no-yu, established in 1940, is a traditional Japanese-style bath that can hold up to 120 people at once, while Hannya-no-yu is small but has a water depth suited to children. There’s also Kodakara-no-yu, Maya-no-yu, and an extra-large bath. Being able to enjoy a variety of baths to your taste seems to be the charm of Takaragawa Onsen.

10. Türkiye — Pamukkale

Pamukkale, Turkey

The last of the world’s 10 best hot springs is one you can probably guess — Pamukkale in Türkiye (Turkey). A must on any hot-spring list, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and has become a point of pride and a landmark for Türkiye. First appearing thousands of years ago when an ancient earthquake unleashed the spring water, Pamukkale is an ideal destination with its terraced limestone formations and the clear, transparent water flowing over them.

In the past, many people soaked here to smooth their skin and treat ailments, but today, for the sake of conservation, bathing is no longer allowed. You can, however, trek around the area barefoot, with your shoes and socks off.

So there you have it — the world’s 10 best hot springs, from Europe to the Americas to Asia. I’d always thought of hot springs as a winter custom enjoyed in Asia, but it seems Westerners also love soaking in warm water to soften their skin and unwind. I was also a little surprised that Finland — a country famous for saunas — doesn’t have a famous hot spring. From this, I realized that hot springs and saunas are separate domains, and that without natural mineral water, it’s hard to become world-famous.

In that sense, it’s a shame that my own country has no natural hot springs!