During the past week I have been updating, upgrading and expanding the links to hot spring sites / reports for both Thailand and Lao; the list of (links to) hot springs in these seems to be exhausted and rather extensive, so no reason if you are visiting either country to miss out on any geothermal activity.
Then again, in print, I've found even more hot springs in Thailand, I'll be checking the web the coming weeks to see if I can get any meaningful sites and / or reports.
Additionally, I am going to edit the reports made. ON the one hand, I believe the short reports are not complete. And at the same time they may seem to deride the (commercial) development of hot springs, especially with reference to Thailand. In reflection most hot springs worldwide have been developed and in Thailand mostly the development is / has been low-scale.
Evidently most hot springs worldwide are not in their 'natural' state anymore; enhancing the phenomena (be it for safety, sanitary or outright tourism) reasons to attract more visitors as well as piping the water off for bathing purposes are acts not only restricted to Thailand. In New Zealand for instance (which I visited last year), most hot springs have been transformed into some kind of water park with little regard to their 'natural' state. Besides improving the bathing experience, waterslides (in some cases) and such generate more income. Though I personally abhor this, it's often the only way to soak. Of course in New Zealand there still are some undeveloped sites (try Ketatahi stream), the main reason why they have not been developed, is their poor access. I doubt whether this is different elsewhere, be it in North America or Europe. So some more fairness in the reports!
Finally, there will be some new reports coming on some hot springs in North Thailand, which my family and I visited the last week. I might even start a flickr site with some photo sets.
Then again, in print, I've found even more hot springs in Thailand, I'll be checking the web the coming weeks to see if I can get any meaningful sites and / or reports.
Additionally, I am going to edit the reports made. ON the one hand, I believe the short reports are not complete. And at the same time they may seem to deride the (commercial) development of hot springs, especially with reference to Thailand. In reflection most hot springs worldwide have been developed and in Thailand mostly the development is / has been low-scale.
Evidently most hot springs worldwide are not in their 'natural' state anymore; enhancing the phenomena (be it for safety, sanitary or outright tourism) reasons to attract more visitors as well as piping the water off for bathing purposes are acts not only restricted to Thailand. In New Zealand for instance (which I visited last year), most hot springs have been transformed into some kind of water park with little regard to their 'natural' state. Besides improving the bathing experience, waterslides (in some cases) and such generate more income. Though I personally abhor this, it's often the only way to soak. Of course in New Zealand there still are some undeveloped sites (try Ketatahi stream), the main reason why they have not been developed, is their poor access. I doubt whether this is different elsewhere, be it in North America or Europe. So some more fairness in the reports!
Finally, there will be some new reports coming on some hot springs in North Thailand, which my family and I visited the last week. I might even start a flickr site with some photo sets.
No comments:
Post a Comment