Hot springs are geothermally heated groundwater found in locations all over the earth. A hot spring occurs when the water is heated above body temperature and brought to the surface. The temperature of the water is dependent on how far below the earth’s crust the water travels and is heated by rocks or volcanic magma. Hot springs are popular tourist destinations because bathing in hot springs are believed to have medical values such as lowering blood pressure, eliminating toxins from the body, improving sleep and enabling better joint mobility.

A geyser is a rare kind of hot spring that is under pressure and erupts, sending jets of water and steam into the air. They are made from a tube like hole in the Earth’s surface that runs deep into the crust. The term is derived from the Icelandic word “geysir”, meaning to gush. Geysers exists in only a few places on the Earth. Some of the tallest are in New Zealand, Iceland, Geyser Valley in Russia and in Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park.

Places to See

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