When seeking softer, younger-looking skin, mud will presumably be the last treatment that springs to mind. Whilst unconventional, mud has become a fashionable form of therapy and is now being increasingly indulged in by worldwide spa-goers. Offering a truly unique experience to those who visit, St. Lucia’s Soufriere Volcano invites its guests to immerse themselves in the warmth of its mud and steam baths to discover for themselves the healing powers of the island’s natural resources. 
 
With its last eruption dating back to the late 1700s, St. Lucia’s dormant Soufriere Volcano, referred to locally as Sulphur Springs, is recognised as the only ‘drive-through’ volcano in the world and many of those staying on the island often take a day away from island activities and sightseeing to visit the volcano for a day of exclusive pampering. With emphasis being placed on its rejuvenating and restorative qualities, the volcanic mud found here has long been worshipped for its skin healing properties and is a documented cure for a range of ailments including eczema, psoriasis and other dermatological conditions, as well as stress, asthma, and the common mosquito bite. 
 
Now a lead tourist attraction due to volcanic inactivity, the Soufriere Volcano is easy to get to with excursions made available through various tour operators across the island, and despite being labelled a drive-through volcano, those travelling by car can only drive to the crater before being expected to park up and walk along it. As the volcanic steam present here is high in sulphur content, the smell can be overpowering upon entering the volcano but this will soon be forgotten after a long soak in the baths. Consisting of twenty-four steam vents, water flows down the mountain and cools to the comfortable temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, carrying with it minerals and vast amounts of mud that form the baths at the bottom. Here participants can dip into the mud and allow it to soak into their skin, before rinsing off in the warm mineral pool to noticeably softer, smoother skin. 
 
As the mud contains high quantities of volcanic ash, visitors planning to take a dip are advised to leave silver jewellery and their favourite bathing suits behind as both will be easily stained, but as a decadent, therapeutic and memorable attraction for all who venture here, a day at the Soufriere Volcano’s mud baths and surrounding thermal springs is not to be missed.

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