By Claire Heginbotham | Published: May 13, 2022 | Updated: March 3, 2026
I never liked baths; they were too hot, too sweaty and a little boring. As a frequent traveler who seeks out thrilling adventures, even the best hot springs in the world didn't appeal to me.
But as I became more interested in immersing myself in the unknown, I learned there's more to life than packed itineraries and frequent flier miles. As the writer Ann Lammott once said: "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes ... including you."
I decided to give the healing waters of hot springs a try. My first experience was a little nerve-wracking, but within five minutes, the warm spring waters melted away my worries and left me feeling more relaxed than I'd been in years. The next day — and I'm not exaggerating — I felt and looked rejuvenated.
Overnight, this adventure traveler was suddenly hooked on relaxing in hot springs. Read on to explore the best hot spring destinations across the globe.
Key Takeaways: Where Are the Best Natural Hot Springs in the World?
- ● The United States: The Yampah Hot Springs and vapor caves in Colorado are renowned for the healing properties of their water. You can also soak in the hot springs of Chena, Alaska, beneath the northern lights if you time it right.
- ● Rotorua, New Zealand: Here, you can relax among New Zealand’s geothermal wonders and explore the local Māori culture.
- ● Caledon, South Africa: The Caledon Hot Springs are warmed by an underground river that travels at tremendous pressure through heated rocks, rather than a nearby volcano.
- ● Kutasu, Japan: This entire town is one gigantic onsen heaven, complete with the best quality waters in the whole country.
- ● Yanque, Peru: At Banos Termales de Chacapi, the water is unbelievably turquoise, and you’ll see views of the Colca River snaking through the gully below.
- ● Ais-Ais, Namibia: Hike down the steep Fish River Canyon and rest your weary muscles in naturally heated pools along the way.
- ● Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland: Blue Lagoon is one of the most famous hot springs in the world. Its brackish water carries high loads of silica, which reflects and diffuses the sunlight, giving the pools an almost eerie ice-blue tint.
- ● Andøya, Norway: The Stave Hot Springs are refreshingly simple and overlook the Arctic Ocean.
- ● Melbourne, Australia: Peninsula Hot Springs offers terraced pools and winding walking tracks, adding a romantic air to this award-winning getaway.
- ● Deception Island, Antarctica: Bring a swimsuit and a travel shovel to dig a shallow private hot spring pool in the black volcanic sand.
- ● Start planning your next cruise to dive into the best natural hot springs our planet has to offer.
Exploring Famous Hot Springs and Vapor Caves
Hot springs and vapor caves are natural phenomena that run on nothing more than good old volcanic power. Deep underground, water is heated up by molten magma and pressurized until it bubbles to the surface, infusing the water with a unique mix of minerals from nearby rocks along the way.
Hot springs are found worldwide, from Peru and Japan to New Zealand and even Africa. These hot water pools can be as small as a bathtub or as big as a football field. In most cases, the pools themselves are man-made (or at least man-maintained), and fresh geothermal water is pumped in around the clock.
On the other hand, there's only one place in the world where you can experience a vapor cave. The steamy Yampah Caves in Colorado are deep inland, a three-hour drive from Denver. The Northern Ute Tribe has long used the Yampah hot springs and vapor caves for the water's healing powers. The owners of Yampah Hot Springs (the area was westernized in the 1800s) still invite the Northern Ute people to conduct traditional ceremonies within the caves, preserving their historic rituals.
Your experience visiting natural hot springs depends on where you go. As is true of any public bathing space, etiquette is everything. Research the appropriate attire in advance (some may allow nudity), avoid bringing glass bottles and respect the local culture. In my personal experience, there's nothing more effective at bringing people together than gingerly melting into a hot spring bath. I've even joined in on local conversations and discovered some mind-blowing foodie spots in the process.
A little note on weather: Ignore it. It doesn't matter how hot or cold it is outside. From sun to snow, each change in weather ushers in dramatic new landscapes and sensations to enjoy.
Quick Tips For Visiting Any Hot Spring In The World:
- ● Certain locations don’t allow clothing or towels in the hot springs, so prepare to get naked in some spots. In other bathhouses, the pools can be mixed-gender, making swimsuits and/or towels compulsory.
- ● Don't drink alcohol before or during your time in a hot spring. It doesn't interact well with the heat and can cause you to feel lightheaded or faint. It is, however, quite satisfying to have a cold drink afterward.
- ● Try a cool shower or ice bath directly after. This switch in temperatures is said to be excellent for your skin and immune system, but it can also wash away any mineral residue following your soak.
- ● Stay hydrated in the pools. Natural hot springs can be a great way to detox your skin. This often occurs through sweating, so keep your water levels up.
- ● Soaking in hot springs carries health and wellness benefits, including softening the skin, reducing inflammation and relaxing the body and mind. It’s recommended to stay in a pool for 20 to 30 minutes at a time with a water temperature of 100-104°F.
- ● Clean your body before entering the hot springs to keep the spring water and your towel clean.
The Mystical Experience of Natural Water
Why are hot springs such revered places? Is it the water's high mineral content and subsequent healing properties? The mind-blowing scenery that often accompanies their location? Or, maybe, it's the awe-inspiring event of hot water bubbling up from the ground. Whatever it might be, famous hot springs still hold profound spiritual significance worldwide. The following are some of the best destinations to explore hot pools while cruising the world.
In New Zealand, the passionate, strong, and inspiring Māori people (native to New Zealand) have passed down the origin story of the Hanmer hot springs for centuries. These springs were discovered by voyaging Māori when their canoe was wrecked off the Otago coast. To save the party from freezing in the cold, the warrior Tamatea prayed for the Ariki chiefs of nearby volcanoes to save them. In response, the Ariki sent a ball of flames down the Wanganui River. A piece of those flames is said to have landed in Hanmer Springs, saving the people from freezing and giving rise to the hot springs you can still visit today. The area is known to the Māori as ‘Te Whakatakaka O Te Ngarehu O Ahi Tamatea’ — where the ashes of Tamatea's fire lay.
If you’re cruising to Tauranga in the North Island of New Zealand, you might choose to visit the Polynesian Spa Hot Pools in Rotorua on a day excursion. This trip is a scenic one-hour drive from the port, offering the opportunity to soak in New Zealand’s geothermal wonders and explore the local Maori culture. It’s possible to book a shore excursion while you’re planning your cruise, or check the available options at the Shore Excursion desk on board your cruise.
Across the Pacific Ocean, the indigenous Khoi people of South Africa have long known about the healing properties of the Caledon hot springs. Caledon is one of the rare hot springs not heated by a nearby volcano. Instead, an underground river travels at tremendous pressure through heated rocks more than a mile down. The waters are rich in minerals like iron, manganese and silica, and are surprisingly free of organic matter.
The longest and most established cultural interaction with hot springs originates in Japan. Written records of "onsen," the Japanese word for hot spring bath, date back to the early 8th century. The country's plentiful volcanic activity powers most onsens in Japan. It's said that people may have initially gathered around onsens to hunt the animals that came to drink from the pools. Today, onsens are well known for their healing properties and are enjoyed daily by all citizens at public and private bathhouses.
Experiencing the Onsens in Japan
How can you talk about the best hot springs and not go on and on (and on) about Japan? You can't. From soaking in a snow-surrounded hot spring in the mountains of Matsumoto (where premium Wasabi is grown) to melting off city stress in Osaka's Spa World onsen theme park, it's a wandering traveler's dream.
Don't even get me started on the hot springs of Kutasu — the entire town is one gigantic onsen heaven, complete with the best quality waters in the whole country. If you're timid like me and worried about the no-swimsuits rule, don't worry — you can find alternative options. One of my favorite experiences was in the onsen of Enoshima Island — just outside Tokyo — where I got to wear my bikini, sink into the warm waters and watch the sun go down behind the majestic bulk of Mount Fuji. There are no words to describe that kind of inner peace.
Every open-air hot spring in Japan is a picturesque marvel, making it a captivating cruise destination. And if you can't find time, most of the traditional "ryokan" hotels will have their own baths for you to enjoy free of charge.
Finding Secret Hot Springs in Unlikely Places in the World
The hot springs of temperate Yanque, Peru, require a short journey that many travelers often miss. At Banos Termales de Chacapi, you get deep into Peruvian culture by joining the locals on their daily walk to the hot springs. It's a bit of a trek down a dusty hill to the pools, but the setting is beautiful. The water is unbelievably turquoise, and the views of the Colca River snaking through the gully are worth the walk.
You can even find natural hot springs in the deserts of Africa; Ais-Ais in Namibia calls only the fittest adventure-seekers. People looking to test themselves against the elements hike down the punishing Fish River Canyon, resting their weary muscles in naturally heated pools along the way. This writer's not much of a hiker, so sneaky tip if you still want the desert hot spring experience: Drive to the Ais-Ais Resort at the end of a canyon where the hot springs run warm, and the Tafel beer runs cold (and cheap!) for after your soak.
Another contender I highly recommend is the icy interior of Alaska, where you can soak in the hot springs of Chena — a magical place discovered just over 100 years ago and rumored to have healed injured prospectors. However, that's not even the best part — if you arrive at the right time of year, the northern lights will majestically light up the sky above in a kaleidoscope of auroras.
Soak In the Best European and Australian Hot Springs
Iceland is well known for its dramatic volcanoes, lava fields and glaciers. Hot springs and geysers are dotted throughout the island, thanks to the lively geothermal activity underground. The most impressive pool is the Blue Lagoon — one of the most famous hot springs in the world and a phenomenal excursion if you’re cruising in the area. It takes less than an hour to arrive from the port, and all guests must shower before entering the Blue Lagoon in Iceland to maintain the spring water's hygienic quality.
The bright aqua lagoon looks like a medieval movie set. Its brackish water carries high loads of silica, which reflects and diffuses the sunlight, giving the pools an almost eerie ice-blue tint. The silica (a mix of silicon and oxygen) settles on the pool floor, creating a thick white mud, which makes an excellent facial treatment. Many bathers scoop up this mud and use it as a mud mask. But there's even more to this special pool — the unique combination of minerals and salt has given life to a special type of algae that only grows at this location. The algae and mud have been used to create excellent skincare products you can take home.
On the northern edge of Norway lies the Stave hot springs. The pools themselves are refreshingly simple and overlook the Arctic Ocean. It's a humble setting for the miraculous vista. You can expect northern lights in winter and a midnight sun during the summer. It's worth heading down to the Stave Beach Sauna, where you can get all toasty warm before plunging yourself into the freezing Arctic Ocean.
Back to a more cosmopolitan location, just one hour's drive away from Melbourne, Australia, is the Peninsula Hot Springs — the ultimate city escape. After all the adventure of going to far-flung places and mingling with local cultures, this resort is like a fresh spring breeze. Terraced pools and winding walking tracks add a romantic air to this award-winning getaway, making it the perfect honeymoon destination.
What Is the Most Private Hot Spring Destination in the World
I've covered the more popular hot springs on each continent, but there are hundreds of unique locations to be discovered. While you meander the streets of countries like China and Morocco, or cruise the waters of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, keep an eye out for natural springs. You may just be surprised by what you find.
Explore our cruises and sail to the best hot springs across all seven continents.
Get Royal Deals, Sign Up Today
Getting There
Explore Our Most Affordable Itineraries
Join the World Cruise for the travel adventure of a lifetime, visiting the most famous and awe-inspiring hot springs along the way.
