As one of the world’s greatest wonders, the Blue Lagoon is just a mere 20-minute drive from Keflavík International Airport. It was formed by accident when water spilling out from a nearby power plant formed pools in the volcanic rock (don’t worry – it’s been tested and it’s safe). The mineral-rich, steaming-hot waters are teaming with salt and silica that makes your skin feel amazing. Go for a day-visit you’ll get a silica mud mask with your entry fee, but for total luxury, experience the onsite Retreat Spa where you can have a massage while floating in the water. There are even two hotels (one chic and beautifully minimal; one seriously luxe) if you want to stick around a little longer. Book your tickets (well in advance).

Trust the Antipodeans to make you sing for your supper – a bit of exercise before a spa never did anyone any harm, right? At Hot Water Beach on New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula, bring a spade because to get to the hot pools you’ve got to dig for them. Get to the beach in time for low tide, dig yourself a pool in the sand, and then you can spend the rest of your time bathing in the hot water (or jump in after a surf, because that’s good here, too). The water can reach 64℃ though, so be careful!

It’s hard to pick the best hot spring (onsen) in Japan – largely because even an ‘okay’ onsen is still a near-magical experience. Most ryokans (traditional inns) have their own onsen, but there are loads of public ones too. In some villages, they cost barely a dollar, and are sometimes free. Some have views over the mountains or the sea, and some are completely private. Takaragawa Onsen in Gunma Prefecture is certainly one of Japan’s most beautiful with mostly mixed-gender baths lining the river’s edge (there is one ladies-only pool). Golden rules: wash (with soap) before you get into the spring, and do not wear any clothes because that is very much a no-no.

How does bathing in pools of balmy, warm water overlooked by a white Aspen tree forest dusted with snowflakes sound? Well get yourself to Strawberry Park Hot Springs, just outside of Steamboat in Colorado. It’s a series of naturally heated pools – one very hot, one comfortably medium, and the other straight from the creek (which is frickin’ freezing cold). There are even miniature pools for groups, if you can nab one. The springs are open until midnight on weekends so folks often show up after dark and bathe in the nude, watching the stars among the Rocky Mountains. During the day it’s more of a swimsuit-type affair.

Meaning ‘Cotton Castle’ in Turkish, legend has it that giants left their cotton out to dry here, which eventually formed into dramatic, white cliffs. Pamukkale in southwest Turkey has to be seen to be believed. Its ‘Instagram-able’ pale blue water cascades down expansive travertine terraces forming some 17 pools in which to bathe. And its dreamlike beauty and important history (this is also the site of the Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis) has made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That means it gets busy – two million people visit every year making it the most visited site in all of Turkey. To avoid the crowds, get here early in the morning (staying over in Pamukkale village the night before will aid your efforts as it’s a long drive from the major resorts).