Termas del Arapey

Termas del Arapey is a small hot spring resort village in the Salto Department of northwestern Uruguay, set among rolling grassland on the east bank of the Arapey River, a tributary of the Uruguay River that forms the border with Argentina. The thermal waters that give the place its purpose emerge from a geothermal source at a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius and have a high mineral content dominated by calcium and magnesium bicarbonate, properties that have been recognised since at least the colonial period as beneficial for rheumatism, skin conditions and respiratory ailments. The bathing complex consists of several pools of varying temperature, some covered and some open to the sky, and it operates throughout the year, though the summer season from December to March is the most popular period when families from across the region arrive for holidays that combine the pleasures of thermal bathing with the pleasures of a rural landscape.

The Arapey River runs through a valley of alluvial soils and palm trees that gives the northwestern interior of Uruguay a markedly different character from the coastal plains and beaches of the east and south. The river is wide and slow-moving at the point where the thermal springs emerge, and the pools that are closest to the river are the ones most popular with visitors, who float in the warm mineral water with views across to the palm-lined banks and the wide sky that is a feature of this part of the country. The birdlife along the river is varied and includes herons, kingfishers and the occasional toucan that ranges south from Brazil into the river valleys of the Uruguay River basin.

The surrounding countryside offers activities that complement the thermal bathing. Horse riding on working estancias that operate year-round gives access to parts of the landscape that are not visible from the main road, and the towns of Arapey and Biassif offer a glimpse of rural Uruguayan life that is quite different from the coastal resort culture that dominates the national imagination. The local cuisine reflects the agricultural character of the region, with lamb roasted on an open spit, freshwater fish from the river and the local Tannat wine from the vineyards of the Uruguay River valley all appearing on the menus of the small restaurants that serve the thermal resort visitors.

The summer heat makes the contrast between the warm thermal pools and the subtropical air temperature outside particularly pleasant, and the evening thunderstorms that roll in from Argentina are best watched from the covered pool with a glass of Tannat in hand, a combination that is essentially Uruguayan in its pleasure and its lack of pretension. The rainy season from October to March brings regular afternoon storms that are brief but dramatic, and the covered pool is the best place to experience them from. The thermal setting makes the place suitable for visits throughout the year, though the most authentic experience is in the summer season when the regional families are present and the social life of the place is fully visible.

The springs have been developed as a resort destination since the mid-twentieth century, and the original bathing facilities have been expanded and modernised several times while retaining the essential character of the place: thermal water in a natural river landscape, without the entertainments and附加设施 that characterise larger resort complexes. The smaller pools near the river are the most popular and the most crowded in peak season, but the larger covered complex offers a more contemplative experience that is equally valid. The springs are open from early morning to late evening, and the early morning hours before the families arrive offer the most peaceful experience of the thermal water and the river landscape.

The thermal waters at 38 degrees Celsius with calcium-magnesium bicarbonate mineral content are a recognised treatment for rheumatism and skin conditions.

The setting on the Arapey River in rolling grassland is markedly different from coastal Uruguay.

The open-air riverside pool offers a unique combination of warm thermal bathing and river landscape.