For destinations named "Hot Springs", see the Hot Springs
disambiguation page. This article is a travel topic Hot springs
are natural features resulting when ground water is heated
(sometimes far beyond the level of human endurance) by
geothermal forces and brought to the surface, typically becoming
diluted with cool surface water on the way. Many are in
attractive locations and are scenic (e.g. the geysers of
Yellowstone National Park, Kamchatka, New Zealand, etc.) or
celebrated (e.g. the original town of Spa), hence are
attractions or even destinations in their own right. However,
for the hot-spring aficionado, the greatest pleasure comes not
from just looking at the spring, but from getting into the water
for its therapeutic powers, not to mention just because it feels
good -- really good. This article will help travelers get the
most out of their hot-spring experiences world-wide. The term
"hot spring" means different things to different people, and
it's a good idea to know just what manner of hot spring