Ocna Șugatag

About Ocna Șugatag

Ocna Șugatag is a small spa resort in the Maramureș Depression, at 490 m above sea level and 20 km south of Sighetu Marmației. The name tells the story of the place: "ocnă" means salt mine, and the salt here is mentioned in documents as early as 1355. Mining went on, one mine after another, until around 1950, when fresh water seeping in flooded the galleries and work was stopped.

There is no salt mine to go down into here: the old mines are flooded and closed. What you see today are the salt lakes that appeared on the surface where the ceilings of the abandoned mines caved in, along a strip of about a kilometre in the south-west of the village. The largest is Lake Gavril, formed in 1966: it covers about 2.35 hectares and is almost 30 m deep, with a layer of fresh water over the salt water, and is often described as the largest man-made salt lake in the country. Next to it lie Lake Bătrân and Tăul fără Fund ("the Bottomless Pool"), the deepest, at around 33 m.

The village has had the status of a balneoclimatic area since 2016 and was certified as a tourist resort of national interest in 2020. The salt water is used in treatments for rheumatic, peripheral neurological and gynaecological conditions.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: from Sighetu Marmației it is ~20 km, about 25 minutes: on the DN18 as far as Vadu Izei, then on the DJ109F. From Baia Mare it is ~50 km, about an hour, on the DN18 over the Gutâi Pass and then on the DJ185. The lakes are in the south-west of the village, on Strada Gavril and Strada Între Lacuri.

Public transport: Dracard minibuses link Sighetu Marmației with Ocna Șugatag several times a day, taking about 25–30 minutes; from Baia Mare, Dracard and Transagria minibuses run daily, taking about an hour. The nearest railway station is in Sighetu Marmației.

Where to park

Near Lake Gavril you can park at the Lacul Sărat complex and on the streets between the lakes; the hotels and guesthouses have their own car parks for guests. The town hall does not publish parking charges for the lake area. The Lake Gavril landscaping project also includes a new car park, once the works are finished.

Fees & discounts

Walking around the lakes and through the Crăiasca Forest is free. The pools and outdoor baths belong to private operators, and their prices vary from one to another and are not published on their websites: ask at reception. At the Crăiasca hotel, run by BN Sind Balneo Turism, guests have free access to the outdoor pool in season and to the indoor pools; anyone wanting treatment without a medical referral pays 90 lei a day (4 procedures Monday to Friday, 3 on Saturday), plus an initial medical consultation of 100 lei (prices from the operator's website, September 2026).

Rules

In the treatment pools at the Crăiasca hotel swimwear is compulsory, and the indoor pools can only be used after your procedures are finished and for a limited time. For state-covered treatment, hotel guests need a medical referral and their health insurance card. The hotel does not accept pets. In the salt water do not dive and do not rub your eyes; stay in for 20–30 minutes at a time. The lake shores are not set up as a beach, so keep an eye on children.

Facilities

Lacul Sărat complex: indoor and outdoor pools with heated salt and fresh water, jacuzzi, steam and dry sauna, salt room, restaurant with terrace, rooms · Crăiasca hotel: seasonal outdoor pool, indoor pools, spa treatment centre, restaurant · tourist information centre, 24-hour medical centre, three pharmacies, a bank and shops in the village · campsite by Lake Gavril