Hot? And cold?

Cumpleng: warm or not?

When is a hot spring hot?

A great question with many answers. Terminology varies on this. In Japan hot is above 42C, warm between 34 and 42C, tepid 25-34C and cold lower than 25C. This info is derived from Erfurt-Cooper and Cooper (2009), though they also present another full page of classifications and definitions on terminology from all over the world meaning there is always a possible positive way to describe a spring that’s less than hot.
Wikipedia acknowledges that there is no universally accepted definition. Definitions involve temperatures from as 'above air temperature' to 'above body temperature'.

The need for highlighting this definition is the fact that I visited two springs in the neighbourhood of Tawangmangu, Central Java, Indonesia that were definitely not hot nor very warm. Lukewarm, tepid?

'Air Hangat Cumbleng Indah'

Managed well
First visited was a spring in the tiny village of Cumpleng, 5 km southwest of Tawangmangu. A weary signboard (see photo above) has at some time in the past described this as 'Air Hangat' (translates as 'warm water' as opposed to 'air panas' which translates as 'hot water').

This past has meant that around the spring development has sprung up. Development in the form of channels, a fountain, a park, changing rooms and a number of open air shower cubicles. Visits probably dried up last century, though the waters still run out of one of run-down shower cubicles.
These waters are not hot, nor cool. Something inbetween. Taste of the water is neutral.

What's this? These are the 4 falling down shower cubicles
which are connected with a pipe to the reservoir on the right.

There's not much additional info on the internet though this site suggests the site

'has been managed well'.

It adds:

'Bathing is a source of water containing sulfur, iron, and other substances are efficacious cure skin diseases and rheumatism. A number of facilities located in this area is open and closed bathhouse, playground of children, and toilet'.

Emphasis on closed?

Going downhill with Suharto
We get back in the car and continue down the mountain along a small but well maintained road, through small villages, through plantations and along rice paddies. Then we pass a forested mount which house’s the last remains of Indonesia’s former president Suharto as well as those of the former rulers of the regency of Solo. Suharto's family having connections with the Solo regents, they share the same graveyard, Astana Giribangun, a magnet for pilgrims who wish to share Suharto's luck.

Not far beyond Astana Giribangun is another attraction near the village of Pablengan. A roadside compound hides the tourist attraction of Sapta Tirta, the seven waters.
Payment (3,000 INR’s, about 0,25$US) is accepted for entry and off we trudge to discover the seven waters, one of which may well prove to be a hot spring. There’s a soda spring, a spring whose level never ever changes, a spring with elixir, a spring which water assists constipation, a salt water spring, all within a few meters of each other. The small hot spring (also described as Air Hangat) is located in a small walled-in cement box. Getting to the water can only be undertaken one by one, but a pilgrim is already bathing and hands us the mandi for us to feel the temperature. It’s not so warm, nor cold.

Not worth the wait?

On the same compound are two shower cubicles but that water is not hot either. Oh well, nothing earned, nothing lost.

Sapta Tirta is well publicized on internet. Especially this blog entry by Annyong Haseyo gives a complete overview of the seven waters.

The seven waters described (in Bahasa)

Getting there: Sapta Tirta is not too hard to find, there’s a very important looking road heading off the main Solo to Tawangmangu road towards Astana Giribangun, don’t enter though but continue for another 2 kms I think.
Cumpleng is also best accessed from the same Solo to Tawangmangu road, not too far before Tawangmangu on the south. Ask. It’s another 3 kms or so downhill before Cumpleng proper.

Soaking experience: can one soak in not hot water?

Overall impression: Only for die-hard geothermalists or others near to dying from boredom.

Notes:
[1] Erfurt-Cooper, P. & M. Cooper (2009) Health and Wellness Tourism. Spa and Hot Springs. Aspects of Tourism: 40. Channel View Publications, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Cambodian recall

A feature article in Phnom Penh Post's September 11/12, 2010 weekend supplement, 7D, highlights Tei Teuk Pous, Cambodia's only known hot water spring.

Since my visit (two and a half years ago) nothing seems to have changed. Better background info, though the bottom line is that it still not really worth a visit ...

The article (poorly scanned) but readible. Just open in new tab.

Smoking hot

What now?

As with Songgoriti hot spring, Cangar hot spring can most easily be accessed from Batu city (East Java, above Malang). However public transport fails to make it this far up the mountain. From Batu one takes a minibus as high up the mountain as possible but at least in the direction of Sumber Brantas, which lies beyond Selecta. At the end point don’t walk. It’s still a long way up (and down).

Hiring an ojek (motorcycle with driver) seems to be the best option to continue. From here one continues up the mountain, passing apple orchards and potato fields. Eventually one passes the mountain pass and the road descends steeply.

Cangar
At the bottom of this descent are a number of competing parking areas all providing access to the hot springs. Entry is 3,000 INR (~2,75$US). From the ticket office (photo above), a trail heads down and across a small stream. Beyond the bridge are the hot spring(s?) themselves. Amenities consist of toilets and changing cubicles, 2 each for either gender.

Unfortunately one needs a long wait to be able to use these at best makeshift changing rooms, which at 1,000 INR are still not worth it.

The hot springs themselves consist of two large kidney shaped, half meter deep basins which on this Saturday (July 2010) are lined with soakers. Otherwise there is another larger cooler pool and an area where women can bathe, though this is half open to observation so why these separate facilities are required is beyond me.

The direct vicinity of the pools are far from clean, all kinds of refuse are just disbursed of with little regard to the entire situation. Most bathers are fully clothed, even males, another of this odd situations, what would men have under their singlets / shirts that need covering?


Positively, most women lay off their headscarves for the soak (see photo above), which begs the question why wear them in the first place?

Obviously I am the only foreigner and the only person with swimmers on. Though the waters are sufficiently hot, I have my doubts about the hygiene. As is common throughout Java (and Indonesia?) smoking seems to be a habit difficult to shake: many soakers while soaking are still smoking! Smoking hot?

Sharing opinions
It's not only my own opinion. Take this blogger for instance:

'Hey, you know what my first impression of Cangar was? DIRTY!! ... No need to change into swim suit, just wear our clothes (everyone do that, why shouldn't us), and enjoy the spring'.

The former answering partially my aforementioned queries (not).

The area around Batu is well-known for it's mild climate and this is already a major draw for the many tourists who visit Batu during the weekend.

Nearby Cangar are caves used by the Japanese during their occupation of the Indonesia isles. The entry on Cangar by eastjava.com describes slightly more details of these caves. Little info on the history of the hot spring itself.

On the way up from Batu, one can also visit the Selecta pool (an open air pool built by the Dutch and fed by spring water) and the Coban Talun waterfall.

Getting there: From Batu head for Selecta (north) and continue up the road and over the mountain pass. It’s at the end of the steep descent. In total it should be slightly over 20 km from Batu depending on where you start.

Soaking experience: That’s a difficult one. The pools are great, flagstone lined with a gravel bed. Water temperature is good. But my fellow soakers could do with a tip or on hygiene …

Overall impression: Despite the misgivings of the soak itself and the lack of changing facilities, the air is crisp and cool meaning a hot soak is just what’s needed. The direct surroundings are also heavily wooded and management of the site is evident (though lacking).