Dikhashkho Sulfur Pools (Vani)

Near the village of Dikhashkho, outside Vani in western Georgia, a drilled well throws up a steady jet of sulfurous water that locals call the geyser. It feeds two small open-air pools at about 40 C (104 F), and that is the whole set-up: no ticket office, no café, just the pools, a wooden changing cubicle and the smell of sulfur drifting across the fields. Entry is free and the site is open around the clock, which makes it a popular evening soak with people from nearby villages.

You can reach it by minibus from Kutaisi via Vani, but a car or hired driver makes it far easier, and you can combine it with the Vani archaeological museum. Bring a towel, drinking water and sandals. Rinse off when you get home, because there are no showers.

The honest downside: it is very basic, with no toilets, the pools are small, and on weekends you may share them with a crowd of locals.