Resist

hugh_and_i_fly

Couldn't resist posting one more #Iceland picture #Butt now we're done! #🍑 #Booty #FullMoons #SkysOutThighsOut#Husbands #Iceland #Gaycation#ReykjadalurHotSprings #Instagay #Gay#Men #LoveIsLove #GayBubbleButts #Cute#CoupleGoals #GayAdventures #Night#Hiking #Mountains #Winter#ilovgayboyfriends #WeAreTravelGays#LgbtqTravelers #TheGayPassport

In our photographic specials (well it seems that it might well be a returning feature here) of iconic Icelandic soaks, let's look at the Reykjaladur hot stream.

A personal visit report can be found here.
It has hardly changed since (luckily enough), though an adjacent boardwalk and  windscreen / open change cubicles have been added.

pracownia.slodkie

Wczoraj ze starym byliśmy na koncercie @olafurarnalds … jak zamknelo się oczy to tak jakbym znowu była na Islandii… było cudownie 💕 a ja chce tak bardzo tam wrócic 💕 #iceland #icelandsong##hveragerði #hotwater#hotsprings#nakedbath #naked

Care
Some recent links on Reykjadalur:

• 8 reasons why you need to hike Reykjaladur hot springs (Jan. 8, 2018):

'Yes, you need to get naked in the wilderness with people around. Get over it. In Iceland, nobody cares'.

• Reykjadalur hot springs: everything you need to know about this hidden gem in Iceland (Sep. 14, 2018):

'... visiting Reykjadalur is one of the most untouched locations to really enjoy hot springs in nature.
Its rural setting means that there are very few amenities at Reykjadalur. The most man-made parts of this site are the wooden boardwalks along the sides of the river, the small wooden steps that lead into the water, and the wooden partitions built for changing your clothes.
That’s right, there are no private changing rooms at Reykjadalur Hot Springs- just a small wooden wall to crouch behind. And even then, your body will be exposed to whatever weather Iceland feels like having that minute. Honestly, after building up a sweat from the hike in, the cold Iceland air feels great and your naked butt may never see a more picturesque setting without getting arrested. Take it all in.
...
Swimsuit and Towel: To be honest, this one is based on preference too. I saw plenty of people who were comfortable enjoying the thermal river au naturale. It’s not a big deal in Iceland'.

So you might expect many a naked soaker. That might not be the case, at least if your source of info is from instagram ...

 _cascadia

The perfect spot to end a road trip and start your day with @lisa_travelgirl #skinnydip #24hoursnosleep #hotriver #hotsprings #6ambeers

• Reykjadalur Natural Hot River Iceland (Oct. 5, 2017) provides a good starter if you want more info.

Note that when visiting, you need to be able to walk a bit, but it's certainly not over-strenuous. 
Beware of weather though, situations can change swiftly, but in that case it might pay to hunker down and soak the poor weather away.

coco_lores

Iceland you are truly the land of ice and fire.Your mountains are covered in snow and the air we breath is freezing cold. But your rivers flow warm and gently through the landscape.#naturalhottub #hotpot #relaxing #iceandfire#nature #hiking #wanderlust#travelgram #iceland

aileenmerin

Our last night in Iceland, we began our hike up the mountain to the popular hot river at 10pm. We didn’t know it would be an hour long arduous climb, or that a freak snow storm would meet us there with blinding sleet and snow. We kinda figured we’d have the place to ourselves though, and we sure did. This is midnight, right after the snow stopped long enough for Darin to fish the camera out of our ice covered bags. That adventure was a wild and perfect goodbye.

swiatwedlugrostkow

Gorące źródła to jedna z najfajniejszych atrakcji Islandii.Islandia, lipiec 2014#islandia #iceland_ig #iceland #amazingiceland #europe #europa#blogipodroznicze #podróżepoeuropie#podróżemarzeń #travelinggirl#wonderfulmoments #hotspring #gorąceźródła #instago

sacrum60s

:P #islandia #hotriver #vandrouki

dreamingandwandering

Evening dips in hot springs 🌿

 maison_fish

Birthday suit bathing at Reykjadalur geothermal river. How do you like to get wild at the weekend? We like to hike up mountains, get naked and soak in watery magic with new friends. There's nothing like naked liberation giggles to break through social boundaries. Yes we all have bottoms, of all different shapes and wobbly sizes! Oh the freedom! . Love this capture of mermaids @abagg, @chloemoss and @cherabella_ ! ..
#letsgetnaked #bodypositive #wholehumans#truenature #icelandretreat #natureretreat#maisonfish #geothermal #fireandice

ferny_t_yoga

Friday feeling. That moment when we all threw our underwear and our self shaming to the side and said WHY NOT? I still got the visual of everyone's bottoms tottering down the geothermal river and it makes me BEAM. The morning after at breakfast, all fully clothed with a cheeky glisten in the eyes - did that reeeeeeallly happen? Yes it did, and it was freakin' marvellous. In truth it felt a bit weird to wear clothes again for reasons other than functionality. The naked spirit had been set freeeeee..@maison_fish #fridayfeeling #bodypositive#freedom #nakedspirit #asnatureintended#wildchild #whynot #icelandretreat#yogaretreat

 

Correct

The second part of Sascha's report on Băile Herculane.

In the previous part we looked at the general overview of the village and it's springs and with some detail at Băile Venera.

Picking up from here, Sascha continues:

'Ceausescu Hot Springs

Just in front of the Băile Venera springs another hot spring is coming out of the wall. Soaking Romanians told me that the water comes from another hot spring that fed in the past a hotel that belonged to Nicolae Ceausescu. 

On the picture [above] you can see the ruins of the hotel with the two smaller roofs. 

I tried to check the hotel, but the entrance was closed. Even if it is easy to enter on the hotel ground, I was not in the mood for Urbexing and preferred to stay in the pool at the river. 

No idea if this hot spring has an official name, therefore I suggest temporarily to call the spring Ceausescu Hot Springs.

The water was 48°C hot but mixes up to quickly with the cold water from the river. The bottom was quite muddy. 

The more comfortable soak was clearly on the other side of the river at Băile Venera'.

Well, we might have to use the correct name. travelguideromania:

'Opposite it is a circular building with a conical roof accommodates the Neptune Fountain II (Stomach Spring). Its water is good for diabetes. We continue upstream on the banks of Cerna to arrive at Baia Neptun (also known as Austrian Empire Baths). It is one of the most imposing buildings from Herculane Baths having its own bridge over the Cerna river'.

Pumped

After possibly naming a no name hot spring, the next on offer is actually named no name by Sascha:

'No name hot spring in Băile Herculane

Continue the walk on the right side of the river (where Băile Venere  is located) and you will come to an unpopular hot spring of 38°C. 

I didn't see people bathing here, maybe because the entrance on the street was closed, maybe because of the noise of the water pumping machines right behind [the soak]'.

Massed

We now move towards Hotel Roman (Facebook), so-called because:

'In the monumental structure of the hotel [Roman] building, the old Romans Baths are incorporated. Inside, there is still an ancient bas-relief depicting the demigod Hercules. To see the remains of Roman baths you have to enter the hotel. Unfortunately this is not mentioned anywhere on the outside'.

Sascha:

'Hot springs close to Hotel Roman
The next hot spring is a bit out of the town, but still at a walking distance.
Cross the town on the left side of the river and head to Hotel Roman. It is one of the old hotels of the 80s that are still open (at the moment it is a 2 star hotel) and needs urgently a renovation. At the hotel, it gives the impression that the road ends, but it continues under a kind of tunnel and goes straight to the national park.
Around 100 m after the hotel you will find the hot springs. When you walk you will see them immediately, but probably not when driving in a car.
The water varies from 40°C to 42°C. Two concrete pools are on top, that create two waterfalls that feed the lower pools with another stream. Therefore, the lower pools have more or less the same temperature than the concrete pools. It is advisable to soak early in the morning or late in the evening when the masses are back in their hotels for dinner. It is probably the most natural hot spring in the area, and it is always great to find a hot spring that gives possibility to refresh in a cold river.
Very closeby starts a hike to two caves that are special because they are heated by natural hot gas. Do not expect sauna temperatures, it is more a humid subtropical climate in the cave'.

Barepockets describes a visit to the soaks of Roman hotel:

'Two outdoor hot-water pools await climbers in front of Hotel Roman, right on the banks of the Cerna River. These are not as smelly or crowded, but freaking hot! Luckily, there’s a solution. People improvised a small dam on the river where thermal water mixes with the river’s. And if you feel like swimming, Hotel Roman has an indoor hot-spring swimming pool'.

More on Hotel Roman itself.

Tripadvisor gives it just 2.5 stars based on 18 reviews. Examples:

'Dirt and communism are oozing from every corner and crevasse, and there are lots of crevasses....The basement with the Roman baths is a gem, like the entire falling apart town'.

Agoda reviews are similar.