A totally different hot spring experience from Taiwan’s—nude mixed-gender bathing in Switzerland is super embarrassing!

▲ Swiss hot springs aren’t as hot as those in Taiwan. The outdoor pools in the snow only reach 36°C, which feels like lukewarm water to us Taiwanese folks!(Image source /Hotel7132 fan page

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Text & photos by Yu Tian

When traveling in Switzerland, besides indulging in chocolate and cheese fondue, there’s one thing I highly recommend trying: “soaking in hot springs,” especially in the snowy mountains of Vals. It’s truly a rare and precious experience—an incredibly unique hot spring culture compared to Asia!I highly recommend the place I visited—Therme Vals at Hotel 7132. It’s a masterpiece by 2009 Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. With its poetic and minimalist architectural style, it blends seamlessly into the natural rocky landscape. “Constructing ‘mountain, stone, and water’ with architectural stone materials,” is how Peter Zumthor describes his work.

▲ The pools at Therme Vals are divided into several sections based on temperature (Image source /Hotel7132 fan page)

The pools at Therme Vals are divided into several sections based on temperature. There’s a main central pool surrounded by secluded smaller pools separated by stone walls. Carefully stepping onto the edge of the pool and entering the intimate smaller pools allows you to gradually adjust to the temperature, starting from your toes.

▲ From the changing room, there are many passageways leading to different temperature pools for soaking!(Image source /Hotel7132 fan page

)▲ The exterior of Therme Vals (Therme Vals) looks like a massive rock block. There are clear signs from the bus terminal to the bathhouse, and the building is very recognizable.(Image source /

Wikipedia
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Special Recommendations:

* Sound Bed (Two semi-open small rooms where you can lie down and sleep. Occasionally, resonant bell sounds ring out, soothing your mind and body, making it a perfect place to fully relax and fall asleep.)
* Nude Steam Bath (Before entering this area, you must take a shower and remove your swimsuit—it’s mixed-gender bathing, so it’s a bit embarrassing, right? But it’s all steam, so you can’t really see anything!)

Tips for Booking a Hot Spring Session!
Switzerland is a very punctual country, and hot spring bathing is no exception—you must book in advance, or you won’t be allowed in. To provide guests with a more peaceful and high-quality resting space, even the booking rules are strictly defined: “Adults: 80 Swiss Francs, Children: 52 Swiss Francs, children under 5 are not allowed, group bookings are limited to a maximum of 6 tickets.” It’s super strict—the number of people is well controlled, so the baths are never crowded or noisy. As you can imagine, you won’t see any tour groups here either.

How to Get to Vals?http://7132.com/en/home/?main=start
Take a train RE from Zurich to Chur. Upon arriving in Chur, take another RE train to Disentis/Mustér. Get off at Ilanz and transfer to bus 431 to Vals SVGas. Once you reach the final stop, Vals SVGas, it’s just a 1–2 minute walk to the entrance!
English Website:
2014/8/1~2015/4/6
Business Hours:
Reservation times available only to hotel guests
Daily: 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Night soak reservations available every Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 11:00 PM – 12:30 AM

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