Exploring St. Lucia’s Hot Springs, Mudbaths, & Mineral Pools

The Caribbean island of St. Lucia has an abundance of ways to soak your body.  From the famous volcanic mud baths at Sulphur Springs to mineral bathing tubs fed by waterfalls, there are some very cool ways to get wet. Most of the natural hot springs sites are concentrated in the southwestern mountainous area near Soufriere and the famed Pitons mountains. If you are staying in the north part of the island it can be a bit of travel to visit them. But rest assured there are plenty of tour operators ready to whisk you away to the best hot springs in St. Lucia.

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The Volcanic “Mudbaths” At Sulphur Springs

This is probably the quintessential St. Lucia attraction.  Sulphur Springs, or ‘the mudbaths’ as most of the locals call it, is a one-of-a-kind soaking experience with mineral-rich mud straight from the volcano.  The very volcano that created the island of St. Lucia.

Visitors can choose from a couple options to explore this unique treasure; a soak in the mud baths, a volcano tour experience, or a combo of both.  I would recommend doing the combo!

Volcano Tour Experience

They call it the “world’s only drive-in volcano”, and while the volcano is certainly cool, the ‘drive-in’ aspect is a little over-advertised.  You basically just drive your car a little bit past the regular parking lot and into the caldera.  Then you park a little bit higher and exit your car for a tour on foot.  It does save you from having to walk up the hill I guess. But just don’t be expecting some long scenic drive.

A guide will walk you to viewpoints along the edge of the volcano, while providing information about the history, geology, culture, and more.  Be prepared for a rotten egg smell (sulfur). However, the bad smell is overshadowed by the fascinating sight of grey mud gurgling in pits and white steam blasting upwards against the lush backdrop.  Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the volcano tour worth the money. (More info here)

The Mud Baths

If you do the tour, you will drive back down to the regular parking lot and get ready for the mud baths.  There are bathrooms and changing rooms by the mudbaths.  The experience begins with applying volcanic mud to your skin.  The grey mud is like the base layer, with black mud supplied as more of a fun aspect to make designs.  Let the mud soak in for a few minutes, and finally, finish with a hot dip in the mudbaths.  The water flowing into the baths is heated by the earth and full of minerals.  The bath temperature is hot!  About as hot as we could handle.

But afterward, our skin felt so smooth, almost similar to the way that 1000-grit sandpaper is smooth.  The mud is also said to relieve stress, cure rheumatism, psoriasis, and other skin ailments.

There are showers to wash off any extra mud, but we heard a guide say to leave the minerals on your body. Especially if you’re headed to Toraille Falls next, a popular second stop to clean off the extra mud. But we didn’t want to dirty our rental car, so we cleaned up a bit after the baths.

Sulphur Springs is typically open 8-5pm.  If you are not going with a tour, I would recommend going early or late in the day.  This is one of the most popular attractions in St. Lucia and it gets packed with people and large tour groups in the middle of the day.

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Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens & Mineral Baths

Visiting the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens & Mineral baths is a must-do activity.  This plantation turned tourism site is a peaceful and alluring destination in St. Lucia.  Not only does it contain mineral soaking tubs and beautiful botanical gardens, but also has one of the most beautiful waterfalls in St. Lucia.

It does cost money to enter, but pricing is very reasonable.  If you want to pay for just a soak in the mineral bath hot springs, here’s the pricing breakdown: Private Baths: US$7 – EC$17.50, Public Baths: US$6 – EC$15.  If you want to include entry to see Diamond falls and botanical gardens the price is Adults: US$7 / EC$17.50, Children: Half Price.

Water is mineralized by volcanic activity upstream, turning the water a grey-ish color.  And also contributing to the beautiful colors around the falls.  Water from the stream is fed into both private and public soaking tubs, which have long been cherished for their healing properties.  People who suffer from chronic rheumatism, sore joints, and muscles can benefit from soaking in the mineral pools.  On-site there are changing rooms, restrooms, a small gift shop, and snack bar. (Diamond Falls Website).

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Piton Falls & Mineral Pools

Not to be missed, the Piton Falls & Mineral Pools are one of our favorite of St. Lucia’s hot springs.  It’s a serene place to take a dip (or some Instagram-worthy photos).  This spot is located right at the base of Petit Piton, which is one of the most challenging hikes in St. Lucia.  The naturally heated water pours right over Piton Falls into mineral baths.  The pools are man-made, but they blend nicely with the natural waterfall and lush vegetation.

All the pools are around 100F degrees (37C).  So in the tropical climate of St. Lucia, perhaps a little hot especially in the middle of the day.  But we found the larger pool under the falls to be a bit cooler, and fine for 20-30 minutes of soaking.

An entry booth charges $3 USD ($7.50 EC) for adults, and $1.50 USD ($3.75 EC) for children under 12.  From there, you hike the short trail down to Piton Falls and the mineral baths (about 7 minutes).  The trail is well maintained with stairs for all the steeper parts.  You can probably do it in sandals, to be honest, but be aware that it can be muddy and slippery.  There is a very rustic changing room right by the mineral baths if you want to bring a change of clothes.  Otherwise, just bring a towel.

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New Jerusalem Mineral Baths

Another one of St. Lucia’s secluded hot springs is New Jerusalem Mineral Pools. This is one of our favorite hidden gems on the island. There is a short ½ mile hike (.8km) roundtrip hike to the mineral pools.  There are three hot pools and one cool pool up the hill.  The hot pools are terraced into a cliff along the river and surrounded by lush tropical plants.  It almost creates a sort of infinity pool vibe.  There are a few improved bamboo fountains that pipe geothermally heated water into the pools.

The only thing we didn’t like about New Jerusalem Mineral Baths is the metal chain link fence on the edge of the lowest pool. It’s just kind of an eye-sore in an otherwise beautiful paradise.

The cool pool is located up the hill.  We were initially excited for a refreshing dip in the cool water.  But upon seeing that there was no water coming in or out, it didn’t seem as inviting. But it does seem as though there are pipes for refreshing the water periodically.

Don’t follow the Google Maps pin to get here, as we found it was not placed in the proper spot. Use these coordinates (13.8534976, -61.0390456). There is a sign on the side of the road (though it’s a little covered by plants), and you just park along the side of the road here. There is a house here, but the hike is to the left behind the fence. The hike is a little wet and muddy, probably worth bringing more than just flip-flops.  Follow the path down to the river where you will run into a bridge that crosses over the river. You are almost there, just follow the stairs up to the pools.

You don’t pay until you reach the pools. There is a booth, but if no one is there, someone will eventually come around and collect the fee.  The cost is $7.50USD per person. 

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Conclusion | St. Lucia’s Hot Springs and More

A trip to St. Lucia isn’t complete without a few excursions to soak in hot springs. This volcanic island is full of unique soaking experiences to relax, rejuvenate, and even heal your body. But if soaking in hot water isn’t your thing, these awesome waterfalls have a chance to swim in cold water. Or for other fun things to do in St. Lucia check out: Best things to do in St. Lucia.

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