In a nutshell

On this tour, we will take you to Ibusuki, one of most well-known thermal springs in Japan, where relaxing means covering yourself in boiling hot sand! A crazy experience? Maybe. Maybe, but it's one that you have to try at least once in your life!

Main stops

Lake Ikeda, the biggest volcanic lake in Kyushu
Ibusuki, the onsen paradise

The programme

Our first stop is Lake Ikeda. The biggest volcanic lake in Kyushu awaits you, with its 233 meter depth and unsettling legends. Here, 2 meter long eels swim in the water - like something from a horror film - as well as perhaps "Isshii", a local monster that nobody has ever captured but that everyone swears they've seen. Want to try and flush him out?

Then we'll arrive at Ibusuki, in the city of the strangest onsens in Japan! Here, you don't enter the water straight away, no no - first, you've got to turn into a "sand mummy"! You'll be given a yukata (a type of lightweight kimono), and then you'll stretch out in the hot sand and the staff will carefully bury you (except for your head, don't worry!). The natural warmth will cocoon you and in 10-20 minutes your body will thank you for eliminating any toxins and stress. Then it's off with the sand, a nice shower, and then a dip in the thermal waters.

And after a little relaxation, it's time to eat! After cooking yourself in the warm sand, the best bit arrives: lunch in a local restaurant awaits you, where you can taste delicacies that are typical of the region.

Good to know

The excursion is not recommended for guests with mobility problems.