When the weather outside is frightful, there are few things so tempting as calling in sick to work and heading to a natural hot springs spa to soak in warm mineral-rich water – or maybe just watch a bunch of monkeys doing it. Few of us are lucky enough to live adjacent to these earth-heated healing waters, from the Blue Lagoon of Iceland to the crystal-clear Mataranka Springs in Australia, but nobody can blame us for losing an hour or two daydreaming about it.

Grutas de Tolantongo, Hidalgo, Mexico

Mexico’s stunning Tolantongo is a box canyon and resort featuring shady heated pools that overlook the semi-desert landscape as well as two grottos where a small volcanically-heated river emerges from the canyon walls and spill down the sides to the floor below.

The Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Steam rises from the 100-degree waters of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, beckoning visitors to immerse themselves when the outdoor temperatures dip. One of the nation’s most popular attractions, this man-made hot spring is fed by the water output of a nearby geothermal power plant. The water is rich in minerals thanks to the processes used by the plant to push water to the surface at a high pressure and temperature.

Glenwood Hot Springs, Colorado

The world’s largest hot mineral springs pool is nestled into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado at Glenwood Hot Springs resort, kept at 93 degrees year-round. A smaller therapy pool full of healing minerals averages 104 degrees, and a spa at the adjacent lodge offers a range of natural mineral-based treatments. The pool is especially beautiful in the winter, when the mountains are covered in snow and the water gives off a steamy glow after dark.

Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano, Japan

You won’t get to soak in the water at this particular Japanese hot spring, but there’s another very compelling reason to visit. The warm waters of the natural onsen (hot springs) in the mountains of Yamanouchi in Nagano prefecture have become a snow monkey resort as hundreds of Japanese macaques come down from the steep snow-covered heights to warm up and relax. While they used to only appear in the winter, they’ve now taken to hanging out in their own private spa year-round, since they’re fed by park attendants. What a life.

Pamukkale, Turkey

Terraces of carbonate minerals left behind by flowing water have created a system of natural hot spring tubs in Pamukkale, Turkey. The city is named for this ‘cotton castle,’ which measures nearly 9,000 feet in height and can be seen from the hills on the other side of the valley. In the ‘60s, the Pamukkale pools were a booming tourist spot full of hotels that drained the thermal waters into their swimming pools, but it was all demolished to protect them, and today, bathing is only allowed in the smaller pools (images via: ana raquel s. hernandes, marcel oosterwijk.)

Next Page - Click Below to Read More:
Worlds Most Soothing Soaks 10 Otherworldly Hot Springs

Iceland has become quite the tourist destination for world travelers thanks to its ethereal landscapes, amazing history, unique culture, and unspoilt views of the Northern Lights. It’s the Northern Lights that draw eco-conscious travelers to the breathtaking Ion Hotel by Minarc Architects.

The hotel was designed to provide visitors with an unobstructed view of the otherworldy surroundings while itself blending into the landscape. Emerging from the mossy mountain like a natural rock outcropping, the Ion Hotel could almost be mistaken for a body of hardened lava extending out into the mountainous area.

An abundance of floor to ceiling windows were designed to let in natural light while allowing an optimized view of the hotel’s settings. A glassed-in lounge at the building’s terminus lets visitors gaze out on the utterly exquisite Northern Lights after the sun goes down.

But the Ion isn’t all about looks; it is also a decidedly Earth-friendly place to spend a vacation. The luxury hotel uses locally-sourced materials included repurposed natural materials like lava and driftwood. The huge windows cut down on the building’s electricity consumption by reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Local customs and culture inspired the interior design of the hotel; nods to the country’s history and notable features can be seen in every area of the building. When locally-sourced materials are not available, Fair Trade products are used instead. And as a truly exceptional feature, the hotel utilizes the abundant surrounding natural hot springs as a source of clean geothermal heating and hot water.

Burrowing hundreds of feet into the second-largest glacier in Europe, the world’s largest system of ice tunnels and spaces (including a chapel and cafe and exhibit spaces) are being excavated to connect visitors with a massive natural blue-ice cavern buried deep beneath the surface of Iceland. This incredible complex is set to open within the next few months – just in time for a summer vacation.

Set inside Lanjoekull (Long Glacier), the Ice Cave rests on hundreds of feet of ice and is set nearly 5,000 feet above sea level – naturally, its location within a glacier means it can be accessed year-round. Combined with its record-breaking size, these factors make it unique among global ice architecture projects.

Lights have been embedded using ice and snow in the passageways to create stunning illumination effects as one passes into the glacier. Visitors will be driven up the entrance via a special 8-wheel-drive, 40-passenger vehicle with 360-degree views and accompanied by guides who will then bring them inside these amazing tunnels carved from ice. One has to wonder: why stop at tours and visits? One could conceivably create an entire city below the surface, or at least a remote outpost for winter sports, using these same techniques.

More on the history of the project from its makers: “In 2010, one of Iceland’s leading consulting engineering firms had an idea, that resonated with a some of Iceland’s most experienced adventure tour operators. They had a bold and daring vision, to take people not just around and onto, but also inside the heart of the remote and extraordinary glacier ice cap.”

Geoff Manaugh of BldgBlog highlights a similar historical endeavor called Camp Century (aka Project Iceworm) in which the US military burrowed beneath the ice in Greenland (video above): “Camp Century was a sprawling complex of prefabricated architectural units and steel arches installed within the ice cap, and, astonishingly, it was powered by a portable nuclear reactor.”