As of today, in season now. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
At a few volcanic coastlines, geothermal heat rises so close to the surface that the beach itself becomes a hot spring.
At Hot Water Beach on New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula, two underground fissures of hot water seep up through the sand — and for a couple of hours either side of low tide, visitors dig their own steaming pools and soak as the cool surf laps alongside.
On Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, the black-sand and lava shore near Arimura is laced with geothermal heat: hot water rises through the beach in places where bathers can scoop out a warm pool, and the area is ringed with seaside hot springs and the long free lava foot-bath at Nagisa Park.
On Vulcano in Italy's Aeolian Islands, fumaroles vent through a black-sand shore and warm the shallows.
The heat is geothermal and effectively permanent — the experience is shaped by the tide (at Hot Water Beach) and the season.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
|---|
| Hot Water Beach (Coromandel) |
| Arimura Geothermal Shore (Sakurajima) |
| + 1 more spot, with exact coordinates and timing, in the app → |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.