The Art of Slow Immersion: Ten Exceptional Thermal Towns

Location spotlight of the week

Kurokawa Onsen

Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

A secluded river valley that unified around timber architecture and natural open-air bathing.

Best months

October to April

Rough budget

$220-380 a day

Where to stay

A traditional timber-built ryokan alongside the river with private cedar baths and tatami rooms.

Do this

• Purchase a wooden nyuto tegata pass to explore hidden outdoor rotenburo throughout the valley
• Walk the riverside lantern path at dusk when steam rises through the illuminated bamboo groves
• Sample locally brewed Kurokawa craft beer and freshly steamed onsen manju pastries along the main lane
• Take a morning hike through the surrounding cedar forests toward the lower volcanic ridges of Mount Aso

The ten

Hot springs and spa towns

1. 1

   Kurokawa Onsen

   Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

   A masterclass in vernacular preservation, where thirty ryokan share a secluded forested ravine dedicated to rotenburo bathing.

   Best months: October to April. Book ryokan stays several months ahead, particularly for the colder winter months when snow frames the outdoor pools.

2. 2

   Bagno Vignoni

   Tuscany, Italy

   A tiny Val d'Orcia hamlet where the central Renaissance piazza is entirely occupied by a vast, steaming pool of thermal water.

   Best months: April to June and September to October. While the central historic basin is protected from swimming, follow the cliffside footpaths down to the free public rock pools below the village.

3. 3

   Bains de Dorres

   Occitanie, France

   An unpretentious Pyrenean village home to ancient granite outdoor baths with panoramic views across the Cerdagne plateau.

   Best months: May to October. Visit in the late afternoon as the sun dips behind the Spanish border peaks and the sulfur water hovers near 38 degrees Celsius.

4. 4

   Beitou

   Taipei, Taiwan

   A lush volcanic district connected directly to Taipei by metro, blending Japanese colonial bathhouses with steaming green sulfur springs.

   Best months: November to March. Explore the Japanese-era Xinbeitou public library before soaking at the heritage-listed Millennium Hot Spring.

5. 5

   Ourense

   Galicia, Spain

   Galicia's inland thermal capital, where granite pools sit along the banks of the Minho River beside historic Roman foundations.

   Best months: April to June and September to October. Catch the dedicated thermal train from Plaza Mayor out to the riverside pools at Outariz.

6. 6

   Puritama Canyon

   Atacama Desert, Chile

   A series of eight cascading natural thermal pools hidden in the floor of a dramatic high-altitude desert ravine.

   Best months: March to November. Visit on a weekday morning when visitor numbers are capped to experience the stillness of the desert canyon.

7. 7

   Hévíz

   Zala County, Hungary

   The world's largest biologically active thermal lake, carpeted in red water lilies and sheltered by surrounding peat forests.

   Best months: May to June and September to October. Rent a swimming noodle at the central bathhouse to drift comfortably across the deep, buoyant lake surface.

8. 8

   Leukerbad

   Valais, Switzerland

   An alpine spa village cradled under the sheer rock amphitheatre of the Gemmi Pass, fed by four million litres of hot mineral water daily.

   Best months: June to September and December to March. Combine a morning ascent of the Gemmi Pass with an afternoon recovery session in the outdoor thermal pools.

9. 9

   Hanmer Springs

   Canterbury, New Zealand

   A South Island alpine enclave surrounded by redwood and beech forests, known for quiet rock pools and sulfur springs.

   Best months: March to May and September to November. Walk the Conical Hill trail for valley views before heading into the adults-only quiet rock pools.

10. 10

    Calistoga

    California, United States

    The relaxed northern anchor of Napa Valley, defined by volcanic ash mud baths, natural mineral springs, and a slower pace.

    Best months: April to May and September to November. Pair a traditional volcanic ash bath in town with an afternoon tasting along the Silverado Trail.