hot springs are to be found in almost every nation of the globe.

The phenomenon occurs because the centre of the earth, at a depth of 6370km below sea level, is about the same temperature as the surface of the sun (5430°c) and the heat radiates out. The temperature increases most rapidly at shallow depths, rising on average about 2.5°c for every 100m depth on the continents.

Wherever water comes into contact with the heated earth it becomes heated and hot springs are made possible. Hot springs can come to the surface under their own pressure (artesian) or they can be found by drilling a bore into the earth to where the hot water is located.

Broadly speaking, there are three main cultural approaches to the use of hot spring including:

• Relaxation and connection with the natural environment (Asian);
• Medical/health bases treatments (Europe), and;
• Spiritual and religious connections (India and indigenous cultures)

Globalisation in the hot springs market is seeing a blurring in these distinctions and an amalgamation of knowledge to provide the best possible benefit to the communities in which they are found. The Global Hot Springs Forum at the Global Spa and Wellness Summit held in India in October 2013 introduced some initiatives to help raise awareness of hot springs all over the world.

One initiative to come out of the forum included a global hot springs logo. A standardised hot springs logo has been utilised by the Japanese industry for well over a hundred years and has been taken up by many hot springs in Korea and some in China, New Zealand, United States, Australia and other countries. This symbol is available to be used, free of charge, by hot springs from any country. It provides a means to communicate to consumers, beyond any language barrier, that the location has real hot springs.

Maruia Hot Springs

Visit our sister springs in New Zealand, Maruia Hot Springs, located on the South Island of New Zealand. The springs are set among a spectacular mountain environment on the Lewis Pass, which has the largest flow rate natural hot springs in the South Island at 56°c from deep underground.