Costa Rica Health Spas, mud baths & thermal hot springs are just sublime. To travel to a country and visit a health spa might be my favorite part of a trip. Costa Rica offers some of the greatest health spas & mud baths in the world. Because of the volcanoes, Costa Rica has a fabulous source of thermal mud and hot springs. Volcanoes, such as Miravalles and Tabacon, have thermal pools with mud baths. Spa services, therapies and treatments are offered at many of these facilities. I know I enjoyed my mud bath. I hope you do too.

How to enjoy a mud bath:

• Relax in a sauna for 10 or 15 minutes and allow the pores in the skin to open.
• Soak for a few minutes in the warm pools of water.
• Apply mud to the entire body except the eyes.
• Find a spot to relax and allow the mud to dry on the skin (approx. 15 minutes).
• Rinse off under a hot shower.
• Return to the hot pools to soak some more.
• Dip in the cold pool where the blood will return to the internal organs.

There are a number of health spas & wellness retreats in Costa Rica. Following are some recommended wellness retreats, resorts and spas:

• Pura Vida Spa is located near Alajuela (just outside of San Jose) and offers one-week all inclusive health spa packages called Mind-Body-Spirit Program featuring yoga, massages and ecotour adventures.
• Tabacon Grand Spa & Resort is located 13-km (8 mi) west of La Fortuna near Arenal Volcano. The resort offers spa services, treatments, thermal pools and accommodations. There are a number of spa packages available.
• Thermo Mania is located near Liberia at Miravalles Volcano. This facility offers health spa treatments. massage, sauna, mud baths, thermal hot pools, accommodation and a restaurant.

Additional hot spots with thermal pools & mud baths

• Simbiosis Spa is located on the slopes of Rincon de la Vieja.
• Hotel Borinquen has a loftier location at Rincon de la Vieja.
• Eco-Termales is located near Arenal and offers limited spaces allowing guests to enjoy a more intimate experience.
• Las Hornillas is on the southern slope of Miravalles and offers hot pools and mud baths.