The small town of Badplaas lies nestled at the foot of the Ndlumudlumu Mountains, in the Mpumalanga grasslands region, between the towns of Machadodorp and Carolina.

Badplaas is perhaps best known for its hot mineral springs, which spews an impressive 30,000 litres of water per hour. The springs were originally known by local inhabitants as Emanzana, which means healing waters, and relatively unknown by Europeans until 1876, when they were presented to a hunter named Jacob De Clerq by the Swazi Chief. De Clerq later built a trading store in the area, and developed the spring so that visitors could also enjoy the benefits of it's relaxing and medicinal properties.

With the discovery of Gold in the De Kaap Valley, near Barberton, Badplaas quickly started to grow, first as a stopover point along the wagon route to the Lowveld, and later as a public health resort when the government proclaimed it so in 1947.

Today the Badplaas resort and spa is well known amongst many South Africans as an award-winning establishment. Aside from the hot springs, Badplaas offers its visitors a variety of other interesting activities an attractions which include the Vygeboom Dam, an increasingly popular trout and bass fishing venue.

For nature enthusiasts, the 1500 hectare Emanzana (Badplaas) Nature Reserve provides hours of excellent hiking, game drives, with 300 species including the Knysna loerie, olive bush-shrike, malachite humming bird and the trumpeter hornbill.

 Other hikes and walks in the region include a walk which leads visitors along a series of century-old water canals, to a magnificent plummeting waterfall and awe inspiring views over the valley.

For avid golfers, Badplaas also features a nine hole golf course, located about 7 kilometres from the Forever Resort in town.