Naftalan Oil Baths

Naftalan in central Azerbaijan is the only place in the world where bathing in crude oil — specifically naphthenic petroleum with a composition quite distinct from commercial crude oil — is practiced as part of a long-established wellness tradition, drawing visitors from across the former Soviet Union to this singular experience. The warm brown naphthenic oil, extracted from the Naftalan fields and heated to body temperature, is administered by spa staff in closely supervised eight-minute immersion sessions. The profoundly unusual and genuinely fascinating experience of bathing in warm petroleum makes Naftalan one of the most extraordinary and absolutely unique wellness destinations anywhere on earth.