Sanatoriul Nufărul Alb

Sanatoriul Nufărul Alb is the flagship balneoclimatic resort of Cahul in southern Moldova, set in a park on the banks of the Frumoasa River. Founded after the 1960s discovery of unique local mineral waters and formally opened in 1983-1984, it draws over 8,000 visitors a year to a 500-bed medical spa offering more than 15 types of therapeutic procedures.

Thermal-mineral water

The resort is built on two natural mineral waters:

• Cahul mineral baths — a medium-sulphurous, sodium-chloride brine with high iodine and bromine content, mineralization 69-72 g/l, hydrogen sulphide 49-78 mg/l, iodine 22 mcg/l, bromine 136 mg/l, pH 7.2. It is weakly thermal at roughly 28-29 °C and is used for external baths and compresses.
• Drinking mineral water — a nitrogen-bicarbonate, sodium-chloride, weakly thermal water (mineralization 3.4-3.6 g/l, about 22 °C, pH 7.9-8.9) dispensed at a drinking fountain for gastrointestinal, renal and metabolic conditions.

Baths, pools and balneology

Facilities include a mineral-water bathing establishment, a mineral-water drinking dispensary, hydrotherapy and a swimming pool, physiotherapy and manual-therapy cabinets, massage, therapeutic gymnastics and mechanotherapy halls, rooms with modified microclimate, a salt cave (salina), and ozocerite (mineral-wax thermotherapy) cabinets. Treatments target musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, nervous-system, dermatological, gynaecological and digestive conditions.

Hotel and setting

Accommodation for around 500 guests sits within the resort's grounds and spacious park, with amenities including an outdoor swimming pool, sauna, gym, Wi-Fi, air conditioning and parking, in a quiet zone close to the city centre yet away from industry.

Note: sources describe ozocerite thermotherapy rather than sapropel/peloid mud; curative mud from Lake Beleu could not be confirmed on the official site or in balneological references.