13 of the Best Hot Springs in the World
Going about the mammoth task of listing some of the best hot springs in the world…
Guide to Antarctica’s Natural Thermal Springs
Antarctica, the world’s southernmost continent, is a mostly barren, ice-covered geographical mass. Home to the South Pole, this cold region has just one known natural geothermal water area on the northwest part of Deception Island.
Most cruise ships visit the continent via the Antarctic Peninsula, which extends all the way to South America. Several travel agencies provide packages that include trips to Antarctica, which is the only real way to get there. Due to the fragile environment, tourists should only go there if it is part of a tour or a scientific expedition.
Deception Island
An active volcano under the water near Antarctica’s Deception Island is to blame for the massive crater in the middle of the South Shetland Islands, and the continent’s only known hot spring. The British established a colony on Deception Island in the early 1800s, only to abandon it in 1842 when volcanic outbursts forced everyone to leave.
The thermal springs along the beaches of Pendulum Cove reach temperatures of over 158 °F/70 °C, despite the island having no “official” hot springs. As the island is horseshoe-shaped, spring water pours towards the center, creating Kroner Lake, the only geothermal lake in Antarctica.
It’s not in the lake that visitors soak in to experience the springs of Deception Island; instead, the island’s geothermal heat is located just below the surface. Tourists may experience the warmth of black sand beaches by digging a shallow hole through the surface just large enough to soak.
Antarctica Climate
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest continent, so a soak in its warm geothermal waters never feels inappropriate. Inland, it’s typically about -70.6 °F, and the shoreline is about 14°F warmer than that. The Antarctic Peninsula has the highest temperatures of the year in January when average highs reach 0 °F.
Antarctica’s hot springs would make for a memorable vacation. Pack your snowsuit and swimwear and arrange a trip to this exotic continent when you’re ready for the experience of a lifetime.