Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool

Volcanic hot pools and warm mud baths in the Sabeto Valley behind Nadi, Fiji.

Maksym Kozlenko

Bathing: Outdoor

Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool sits in the Sabeto Valley beneath the jagged Sleeping Giant ridge, a short drive inland from Nadi on Fiji's main island of Viti Levu. Geothermal water rises through the valley floor and feeds a sequence of simple concrete-lined pools of increasing temperature, alongside a shallow pit of warm grey mud that visitors coat themselves in before rinsing off and soaking.

Balnevia view

Why visit

The ritual here is unpretentious and communal: mud first, dry in the sun, then move through the hot pools from coolest to hottest. It is run by the local village, so bathing comes with conversation rather than spa music, and it pairs naturally with the nearby Garden of the Sleeping Giant.

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Hotels nearby

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The water

Thermal water

Source: Sabeto Valley geothermal springs
Mineralisation: Volcanic geothermal water with sulphurous mud
Character: Hot volcanic spring water feeding a graded series of pools, alongside a warm mineral mud pit

History

The springs have long been used by families in the Sabeto district and were developed for visitors as tourism grew around Nadi, with the pools and mud pit managed by the neighbouring village as a community enterprise. Entry fees support the village directly.

Practical information

Bring old swimwear — the mud stains — plus a towel, sandals and drinking water. Facilities are basic outdoor changing sheds and cold-water rinses. Visit in the morning to avoid midday heat, and expect the hottest pool to be genuinely hot; step in slowly.

Getting there

The site is about 15 km north-east of Nadi and Nadi International Airport, roughly 25 minutes by car along Sabeto Road. Taxis and half-day tours from Nadi and Denarau are the usual way to arrive.