The best hot spring resorts in the world

In Japan, the hot spring season is here. The Asian nation is the world's largest hot spring country in terms of both the number of hot spring locations and the number of hot spring sources. If you're not in Japan, though, there are many other places where you can enjoy hot springs. Have a look!

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It is the highest open-air bath in the world and is famous for its spectacular view. This hot spring is located at an altitude of 4,400 meters, higher than Mt. Fuji, so be careful of altitude sickness when bathing. The Andes Mountains are a region of high volcanic activity. The area around Termas de Porques is also home to not only hot springs but also geysers that periodically emit water vapor, and the area is filled with the smell of sulfur.

The world's largest open-air bath is located about 40km from the capital Reykjavik. The pale and cloudy hot springs have great beauty effects and are also effective against skin diseases. As a result, most bathers smear their faces with the white mud that collects at the bottom of the hot springs, wearing masks while enjoying the hot springs.

Did you know that Hungary has the most hot springs in Europe? Budapest, the capital city, is known as the "hot spring city'' because of its many hot springs. The most famous of these is Széchenyi, the largest hot spring facility in Europe. There are 15 indoor baths and 3 open-air baths, and the water temperature varies from 26 degrees to 38 degrees depending on the bath, so you can choose the hot spring that suits you best.

Also dubbed "Hungary's hot spring lake,'' this entire lake is a hot spring. The water is about 2 meters deep, and the deepest point is 38 meters, so many people bathe with floats on. It is popular because it is said to be effective against rheumatism and joint pain.

Turkey is the country with the third largest number of hot springs in the world, after Japan and China. There are 474 locations, the most famous of which is Pamukkale, which is famous for its white rice terraces. Hot springs flow down the mountainside, creating a series of more than 100 limestone ledges that have been deposited over many years. Previously, you could take a bath, but this is now restricted due to environmental protection, so we'll have to settle for a footbath.

If a footbath isn't enough for you, take a dip in the antique pool on top of the Pamukkale hill. Ruins from the 2nd century Roman Empire era are now used as hot spring facilities, and real ancient ruins are sunk to the bottom of the hot springs. It is said that Cleopatra once stopped by at the slightly carbonated beauty bath.

At 43 meters wide, it is the largest hot spring in North America and has a history of being developed for the people working in the Fairbanks mines during the gold rush in the first half of the 20th century. It is now a famous place for observing the aurora borealis, and if you are lucky, you can even see the aurora borealis while soaking in the hot springs. What's more, the hot springs are fed directly from the source, which is a bonus for Japanese people.

Ourense in northern Spain is a hot spring resort with a history of over 2,000 years. The heated pool at As Burgas, which suddenly appears in the center of the old town, is interesting, but the open-air baths dotted along the Minho River, especially the public open-air baths at Autalis, are recommended. Many hot springs in Europe have low water temperatures, but Ourense's water temperature is close to 40 degrees Celsius.

The Portuguese Azores are called "the last paradise on earth." The Furnas area of San Miguel, the largest island, is located within a caldera created by volcanic activity and is dotted with vents and caves that emit hot springs and steam. Located in a dense forest, the hot springs have a strong sulfur content and water temperature of nearly 40 degrees Celsius.

One of Italy's most spectacular hot springs is located in the mountains of Tuscany. The hot spring water flowing down from the waterfall flows into a bathtub shaped like a terraced field. Since it is a hot spring located in nature, bathing is free, but there are no changing facilities or other facilities.

Banjar, located in the mountains of Sigaraja in northern Bali, is a hot spring resort much loved by the locals. There is a cascading bath and a hot spring pool, which is said to be effective against rheumatism. The source temperature is close to 40 degrees Celsius, but the water is kept at a lower temperature of around 30 degrees Celsius to suit the tastes of the locals.

Makinit, located on Busuanga Island, is a seawater hot spring that is rare in the world. As you pass through the forest filled with mangroves, you will find two open-air baths facing the ocean. It is rich in minerals and is said to be effective against skin diseases, its temperatures are as high as 40℃.

There are also hot springs in Antarctica. Deception Island, one of the South Shetland Islands in the Southern Ocean, is famous as a breeding ground for penguins, but since it is a volcanic island, you can also enjoy hot springs. Tourists on an Antarctic cruise enjoy the world's southernmost hot springs while watching penguins.

Hot springs with a view of Mt. Fuji are very popular not only with Japanese people but also with foreign tourists. We recommend hot spring inns in Nihondaira, Sengokuhara, Lake Kawaguchi, and Lake Yamanaka. Mt. Fuji is beautiful from any angle, but seeing Mt. Fuji while soaking in a hot spring is particularly memorable.

It's not just humans who enjoy hot springs. When it's cold, even monkeys like to warm themselves up in hot springs. Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture is the only place in the world where you can see monkeys bathing in hot springs. The baby monkey that was being fed learned to take an open-air bath to beat the cold, and gradually other monkeys started taking baths in the hot springs as well. For this reason, monkeys do not bathe in hot springs during the summer.

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