Variously known as the Sabeto Hot Springs or Sabeto Mud Baths, this activity is one way to immerse yourself into the Fijian way of life! Located halfway between the major cities of Nadi and Lautoka on the main island of Viti Levu, the Fijian mud baths are a must-do holiday experience.
A naturally occurring phenomena, the warmth of the geothermal springs comes from a volcanic source with the unmistakable odour of sulphur which is thought to convey therapeutic properties. The site is popular with locals and visitors alike and a chance for some, err, good clean fun! Administered by a local village for a nominal fee of FJ$15 for upkeep, this charmingly rustic attraction consists of three thermal springs of varying temperatures set amid the lush verdant Sabeto Valley. The site has basic changing and toilet facilities and is a little out of the way, but worth the effort. You'll receive a guided tour of the area before you get to immerse yourself in warm mud.
The mud bath spa ritual goes like this: don your swimwear and enter the thick, muddy pool first and relax. Hop out and cake yourself in mud and allow it to dry in the sun before hopping back into the muddy bath and then over to the clear spring to clean up. The pool temperatures vary from quite hot (60 degrees Celsius) to warm. The social experience of getting dirty with locals and other travellers is quite levelling, and given the rise of Fiji as a destination for nuptials, the mud baths are also a popular and unique pampering ritual to share with a wedding party.
For your own oozing good time, the Sabeto Hot Springs are a few kilometres inland from the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and around a 20-minute drive from Nadi. The Wailoko bus also services this area a few times a day.
