Soothing

eazytraveler 

DAY 18 of #eazy30daysinindonesia | Two gushing streams merge — one cold and the other steaming hot from the heart of Inerie volcano — at Malanage Hot Spring. It's the wonderfully soothing way to end a full-day exploring tribal villages and a volcanic crater in #Bajawa, central Flores. 🛀

Time for some update, however ther's precoius little to focus on. It looks like the timespan of internetters is decreasing by the day, so we end up with just a couple of views here and there. Still, let's give it a try.

Starting in Malaysia, Thinkgeoenergy (Aug. 5) has some info on geothermal development:

'The Apas Kiri in the Sabah east coast district in Malaysia is expected to be operational by June 2018, as reported locally.

The project is set to have an installed capacity of 30 MW and will be feeding its electricity into the grid of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd. under a feed-in-tariff scheme.

It will be Malaysia’s first geothermal power plant'.

Eco
Staying on-subject. Indonesia has much geothermal potential that it makes sense to exclude national parks for geothermal extraction. Mongabay (Sep. 12):

'The Indonesian environment ministry has denied the Aceh provincial government’s proposal to rezone part of Mount Leuser National Park for geothermal development, reacting to opposition from conservationists who argued the project would threaten key orangutan and rhino populations'.

The article was cited by ThinkGeoEnergy (Sep. 13) which failed to copy the part in which doubts were raised to meeting the local needs (there were none) nor on the extent of the rezoning (nearly 8,000 ha instead of the 100 ha required). Better usage below.

hillymontague 

I'm not much of a selfie taker, but when taking a bath in natural hot springs, exceptions have to be made! #swimming #travel #adventure #camping #trekking #hiking #ketambe #leuserecosystem #hotsprings #bathtime #indonesia #aceh #sumatra #forest #travellife #gopro #selfie #hillyfromtheotherside

Meanwhile the same source (ThinkGeoEnergy, Sep. 13) highlights the geothermal setup on Bali by translating an article from CNN Indonesia as it concludes

'There is though hope, as a lot of the opposition is likely rooted not in religious issues, but about who will be effected by development with regards to the division of land and compensation'.

Cover
Sometimes the hot springs can get too hot, figuratively speaking. TTR Weekly (Sept. 29) duplicates an AFP report on the most recent rumblings atop the Indonesian island of Lombok. A smaller vent situated in the crater of Rinjani has begun to erupt:

'Around 1,000 tourists, including about 600 foreigners, were believed to be in the area when Mount Barujari sent columns of ash and smoke shooting high into the sky over Lombok island, Tuesday, according to the official disaster agency'.

One of the highlights of a multiday trek over the volcano cone is a possibility to enjoy natural picturesque hot springs, as below.

david_jacowbski

 Indonesia last year. #hotsprings #rinjani #mountain #nature #beautifuldestinations #thevisualcollective #createexplore #earthfocus #visualsoflife #instagood #stanyandwander #igmasters #streetdreamsmag #agameoftones #illgrammers #urbanromantix #citybestviews

There's a list of famous hot springs in Vietnam (source).

Stranger soaking news from Indonesia. Coconuts Jakarta (Sep. 20):

'The warden of Soppeng State Prison in South Sulawesi, Irpan, was recently arrested by police in the tourist area of Lejja, Soppeng - famous for its hot springs.

Irpan was not on a family trip to the the hot springs. According to police, Irpan and three of the guards from his prison were on holiday, along with 17 prisoners'.

On fire

More hot news, this time from China's Yunnan state. Gokunming reports (Sep. 23):

'Fuxian (抚仙湖) is reputedly the cleanest lake in China, and also the deepest, containing an estimated ten percent of all the lake water in China.

...

The group was photographed bathing near a hot spring that feeds the lake by another unrelated traveler on September 12. While swimming is allowed in the lake, one of the trio was caught on camera washing her hair with shampoo. Once the image was published on Chinese social media the firestorm began, and continues unabated nearly two weeks later.

...

In addition to countless posts and discussions on social media, press outlets across the country seized on the misdeed to highlight the growing sense of environmental awareness amongst China's citizenry. One can only hope that such concern over Fuxian — the shores of which are ever more crowded with resorts and tourists — will prompt people around the country to think twice before littering'.

Quick internet searches reveal that the custom is quite prevalent. Even cars are seen washed in the pristine (?) waters ...

South China Morning Post (Sep. 17) adds:

'The administration said it had hired 200 inspectors to stop “uncivilised behaviour” and one in charge of the hot spring section had been punished.

Mania

A couple of pictures, first from the Philippines, then a rustic springs northern Laos and finally a peculiar picture from Burma:

One of a series of pictures on Mainit hot springs, on Cebu island. From tumblr

 

Muang La Lodge Hot Spring

antoine.fievet at Dhang Kuang

#Myanmar #Birmanie #burma #inlelake #monks #hotsprings #buddhism #swimmingpool #travel #instatravel 

Expansion

Off to Thailand where ther is news from the Yunomori chain of onsen reports. Thailand tattler (Oct. 6)

'After the success of its Bangkok and Singapore branches, the unique concept of Yunomori Japanese Onsen and Spa has expanded to Pattaya. The Thai inspired onsen and spa combines Thailand’s natural hot spring waters with traditional Thai massage techniques and allows guests to restore their mind, body and spirit'.

Note it's unclear what is understood with natural hot spring waters, it certainly is trucked in at the least. 

boycalledric 

Hot Springs Crew Dem #pai #hotsprings #friends #hostellife #vscocam #thailand #travel

Star TV (Aug. 25) has a vdo of Southeast Asia's first geothermal plant in Fang, Thailand, which is still the only geothermal plant in the Kingdom. 

Finally sad news from Malaysia. Free Malaysia today (Aug. 5):

'A five-year-old boy drowned while bathing in a pool at the Ulu Legong Hot Spring Recreational Centre near here last night'.

Instasoak

 

antai sore di kolam air panas ber-belerang sambil menikmati kopi kotakan,, #menikmati #hidup #epic #awesome #hotspring #mountain #gunungpeyek #parung #bogor #visitbogorn#explorebogor #explorejabar #instapic #instagram #iphonesia #iphone6s #landscape #selfie #weekdaytrip #backpackerjakarta #backpacker #instanusantarabogor #sunset #parapejalan #paradise #instagunung #visitindonesia #indonesia @Ciseeng, Parung Bogor, Indonesia 

 source

There's little newsworthy to add; more and more the internet is becoming just a pictural roll of all what sparkles and shines.

Fortunately hot springing seems a never ending experience of respect, pleasure and relaxation. So there's no dearth of photo's of soaking.

But beware for mainstreaming (i.e. is soaking becoming too popular?) lurking, waiting to pounce on the opportunity to literally sell itself and the soakers soul for a pittance.

What follows is just a brief insight into what's topical (and interesting) and too many photo-ops ...

Doubts

See also the section below on the Philippines. Why? Because it deals with social aspects of geothermal development. With some hope, this is a subject which will be dealt with at the forthcoming Iceland Geothermal Conference which goes out of it's way to highlight that besides all the normal hoopla, there needs to be social inclusion. Thinkgeoenergy (Mar. 29):

'So it is great to see the Iceland Geothermal Conference in Iceland in April this year, to dedicated a whole session and several presentation to this important topic. The session will feature experiences from a project in Ethiopia, a new project in the North of Iceland, a project in Hungary, as well as a view from the Iceland Geothermal Cluster. In an additional presentation, Marietta Sander from the International Geothermal Association will talk about the implications from the recent climate meetings and agreements of the COP21 meetings for the geothermal sector'. 

Whether excluding this theme to a byline to a big money / big science event will justify it's cause or give legitimacy to current geothermal development remains to be seen. Benefit of the doubt?

 

Bathing at Ardent Hot spring, Camiguin, Philippines

source

Totally

News.com.au has a report (Jan. 31) from a business person getting business through soaking at deep Creek hot spring, California. U.S.A.: 

'I never thought I’d strike a business deal while sitting in a hot spring, totally naked except for a pair of sunglasses, and sharing a plate of hummus and carrot sticks with a tech executive, a medical student and the CEO of an online shopping website'.

The  NZ Herald (Apr. 7) has a piece on using stickers to overcome tattoo problems in Japanese onsen.

'The Japan Tourism Agency has compiled measures to be taken by ryokan inns and bath facilities to reduce the number of cases in which foreign visitors are refused admittance to bath facilities because of their tattoos.

The guideline measures include distributing or selling stickers to cover tattoos, and allowing customers who have covered their tattoos with such stickers to enter bath facilities'.

Though the article refers to the Washington Post, there's a more original article from Japan Today (Apr. 3):

'For generations in Japan, it was almost exclusively yakuza who had tattoos. Recently, more young Japanese people than in the past have been showing an interest in tattoos from a fashion and personal style standpoint, but inked flesh is still far more common in Japan’s criminal underworld than the law-abiding sectors of its society. Because of this, hot springs in Japan commonly bar individuals with tattoos from entering their baths, since the relaxing atmosphere that draws onsen fans tends to be somewhat disrupted when sharing the tub with a mobster.

...

so an obvious foreign national with “Go Lakers!” tattooed across his bicep or a butterfly on her calf is unlikely to produce extreme uneasiness among the other bathers.

However, hot spring operators are understandably averse to the idea of putting up notices stating “Tattoos are OK…but only if you’re a foreigner!” Still, proponents of relaxing restrictions feel that even if tattooed people of any nationality are allowed to use the onsen, inked Japanese will refrain from doing so, out of consideration to existing cultural attitudes, and thus a change in policy will not result in an increased yakuza presence in the baths'.

Enjoying the silence
 And then the Southeast Asian focus

• Burma

After a lengthy bike ride we arrived at the hot springs #worthit #khaungdaing #naturalhotsprings #myanmar #Burma 

On the Inle lake (right), source

I acabar el #trekking dutxant-te com si fossis birmà! [bikini] [sun_with_face] And finish the trekking taking a local shower! [bikini] [sun_with_face] #Integració100perCent! #Lipotímiques #Vacances #Vida #HotSpringWater #NaturalHotSpring #HotSpring #Hsipaw #HsipawTrek #Kyankhin #Integration100percent #NearFainting #Holidays #Life #FollowTheRixi #LreneAndLainMyanmarTrip #Birmania #Myanmar

Shan state (left), source 

 

• Indonesia

Bathing at hidden hot spring kawangkoan #bathing #hidden #hotspring #kawangkoan #streetphoto #streetphotograpy #travelgram #airpanas #like4like #likeforlike #nature #green 

Sulawesi,  source

Natural hot springs in Jatiluwih, Bali. [hotsprings] #hotsprings #ubud #jatiluwih #bali #natural #hot #water #gopro #nonletture #yumiswanderlust #enjoythesilent #jungle #nature #enjoylife #wanderlust #amazing #chillout

source

•  Laos

 

มึ่นี้ขี้นป้ายไห่มหมานแต่ฟัรงแช่วชะ 

Hot springs, near Kasi town, Vientiane province, Lao P.D.R.. Source: Facebook page of Vieng Laty

• Malaysia

A local Malaysian government wants to upgrade hot springs (New Strait Times, Apr. 13):

'The Tourism and Culture Ministry is upgrading several infrastructures at the Lubuk Timah Hotspring recreational centre, Simpang Pulai here, towards making it a first class tourism centre'.

What was once (decade ago) a very natural hot spring will now naturally not be so anymore ...

A visit to Paku Hot Spring by aaronng88 (Feb. 27): 

'According to Sarawak Tourism and Sarawak Vacation Destinations .com (HERE), Paku Hot Spring is also another Bau attraction. So, on a day when I was craving a little lazing and relaxation in a hot spring, I decided to drop by. Not directly in town, Paku Hot Springs is not the easiest location to find, however, you do get several sign boards on the highway showing where to turn. You will have to turn to a kampung (village) called Pekan Paku, and keep going. Paku Hot Springs (Air Panas Paku), is not a building or a sheltered area. Just an open air, natural spring. Which at first glance looked abandoned. All it had was a sign board. And on closer examination, it wreaks of pollution and floating potato chip bags. The water is murky, with a greenish greyish hue, with colloid-ish bubbles. I was disgusted and disappointed. I did put my foot in for a few seconds at the 'cleaner' area. The water is warm and comforting, but the gross water is just too much of a turn off for me. Sucks cause I wanted to take a nice long dip and be all wrinkled when I come out~ Meh~ '

Walk out
Continuing ... 

 

Hot spring in Hapao rice terraces [clap] [skin-tone-2] #45minswalk #hotspring #banaue #hapaoriceterraces #march2016

Luzon, source

• Philippines

How to play the press. The Philstar (Apr. 13) notes how opposition to a new geothermal plant near the town of Valencia (Cebu) has disappeared. Or has it?

'The mayor further recognized the concerns raised by certain groups but during consultations and a public hearing, which was widely disseminated to all the barangays in Valencia, and other stakeholders through his office, thus mitigating measures were recommended to address any negative effects of the expansion'. 

The town would receive extra taxes and royalties.

But it seems that money enough, is not that's what's requested. 350.org has a look at the flip side of this (Mar. 10):

'We [= environment groups] walked out to raise our opposition to the unjust process of the public hearing and the deliberate expansion project of EDC (Energy Development Corporation) at the Mount Talinis Range [= expansion of Southern Negros Geothermal Power Project]'.

The old tricks were used in what was supposed to be a public hearing. Opposing voices were silenced (literally, their microphones were turned off!). The Environment Impact Assessment presentation was poor / brief. 

'The Public Hearing held today is sadly a failure– reflective of the tragedy it can bring to this generation and the future generations. They may turn off the microphone to silence us, but they can never stop the collective voices resounding at the ranges of Mount Talinis [where the project is planned]'.

More problems and opposition. Businessmirror.com.ph (Mar. 5): 

'The popular hot spring of Pampanga, found in the hinterlands of Mount Pinatubo, is under fire from businessmen and 4×4 vehicle enthusiasts. .... Romero [Rene Romero of the Land Rover Club of the Philippines (LRCP)] said he was informed recently that residents living near Puning are “barred from touring their own relatives, friends and visitors at the portion of Sacobia River near the resort.” “As far as I know, the river is owned by the government. I can’t believe that our own province mates are not allowed to enjoy what belongs to the community,” Romero said. 

.... 

Tourism Regional Director Ronnie Tiotuico said on Thursday the Puning Hot Spring “cannot claim ownership of a property in its vicinity, much less prohibit people from using the same as entry point to certain places and beyond.”

#dumaquete #hotspring #philipinnes

Negros, source

• Thailand

The Tourism and Culture Ministry is upgrading several infrastructures at the Lubuk Timah Hotspring recreational centre, Simpang Pulai here, towards making it a first class tourism centre.

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137038/lubuk-timah-hotspring-upgraded-first-class-tourism-centre

The Tourism and Culture Ministry is upgrading several infrastructures at the Lubuk Timah Hotspring recreational centre, Simpang Pulai here, towards making it a first class tourism centre.

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137038/lubuk-timah-hotspring-upgraded-first-class-tourism-centre

The Tourism and Culture Ministry is upgrading several infrastructures at the Lubuk Timah Hotspring recreational centre, Simpang Pulai here, towards making it a first class tourism centre.

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137038/lubuk-timah-hotspring-upgraded-first-class-tourism-centre

Taking a hotspring bath when the temperature outside is 33 degrees celcius feels blessed:) #backpacking #hitchhiking #ranong #thailand #hotsprings  

Raksawarin, Ranong source

• Timor

 

Maliana #hotsprings in Timor-Leste #laswim  

source

• Vietnam

No pictures (!) but Vietnam's hot top 5 (paolionthemove) it seems:
1. Kim Boi Hot Spring in Hoa Binh, 
2. Bang Hot Mineral Spring in Quang Binh, 
3. Kenh Ga Hot Spring in Ninh Binh, 
4. Tay Vien Hot Spring in Quang Nam and 
5. Dam Rong Hot Spring in Lam Dong.

And to finish a picca from Indonesia instead:

 

#hotspring #bogor #ciapus #indonesia #indotravellers #rushpackers #traveling #wisataindonesia (at Ciapus, Indonesia)  

source

Flaunting

 

How do I start the morning in Samosir. Soaking in hot spring while enjoying a cup of hot Bandrek. [coffee] [snowflake] 

Pangururan, north Sumatra, Indonesia, source.

Solution

Regionally speaking there are not many theme's attracting attention, so let's start off this posting elsewhere on the globe.

Problems in the land of free soaking; authorities have first taken action to limit use of Umpqua hot springs (oregon, U.S.A.) after concluding that the E. Coli bacteria count was way over the limit (yuck). 

Further testing has now revealed the opposite (Oregon Live, Oct. 9):

'The Umpqua Hot Springs, about 70 miles east of Roseburg, closed to the public due to "very high" E. coli counts two weeks ago, and now forest officials say the popular springs are suffering from another possible public safety concern: bleach'.

Though the former seems to solve the latter, what is evident is the lack of management (be it government and / or volunteer). This is leading to a number of unwanted situations with health concerns being the most important. 
The bleach is also unwanted as it now affords the authorities with a real good excuse to take severe action which ultimately will mean less opportunity for soaking. 
However both situations are undesired, so in this case we just might have to have a little faith in government and hopefully the solution will only affect the less dedicated soaker ....

#nopooping #iceland  

Hrunulaug, Iceland: apparently common sense is on a wane; thus the need to heed the hordes? 

Source.

 

Also from the US, the situation surrounding the Skinnydipper hot springs is not faring well either. A latest posting on Facebook (Sep. 14):

'I started this page to save skinny dipper hot springs, we got a lot of likes (almost 10,000!) a lot of people stepped up to help and invested a lot of time and effort to "save skinny dippers" we met with the blm, spent countless hours trying to come up with solutions that remedied the concerns the blm had, remedies that could not appease them because ultimately they (the blm [= Bureau of Land Management]) wants skinny closed due to the fact there is a history of documented issues over the many years it has been open.

....

the real issue for the blm that is not being spoken about is that it is more profitable for the blm to close this beauty than to keep it open(business is business'.

So not good news

Better news from New Zealand: a geyser has sprung back to life (NZHerald, Sep. 9):

'A geyser which has been dormant for more than 35 years has caught
locals off guard after suddenly erupting'.

Though possibly they were not too surprised as the rewired geyser will hardly stand out:

'The Papakura Geyser is located at the Te Puia Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley in Rotorua, where there are more than 500 geothermal wonders'.

Having been there myself, there are no immediate soaking opportunities to be had nearby. 

Synchronizing
Moving on.  

Sometimes the sprucing up of local soaks can result in something quite attractive. Dezeen magazine (May 5) reports on  a recently constructed architectural gem at Mian Yang (Sichuan). Oddly the pictures are devoid of people. Apparently it's named Well Water Resort. Cheapest rooms start at US$ 125 / night ... 

Quirky news, from Rocketnews (Oct. 7): 

'In Oita Prefecture, this means presenting their world-famous hot springs with a synchronized swimming team in what can only be known as “synchronized bathing”'.

Also published on Youtube:

 

Taiwan seems to frown on the attire of a Chinese soaker (Rocket News Jul. 22):

'One such visitor, reported to be a tourist from mainland China, raised a few eyebrows recently. Obviously, you can only spend so long sitting in a hot spring before you need to get out and let your body cool down again, and this man decided to spend that time browsing for souvenirs.
...
Local media has criticized the breach of etiquette, even as Taitung shopkeepers say they’ve been seeing an increasing number of tourists strolling around in public in their bathing suits after exiting the hot springs. Residents have called such conduct disgraceful. Frankly, we’re not sure which surprises us more, that the man in the video seemingly didn’t feel enough embarrassment from the stares he was getting to put on a shirt, or that he didn’t feel enough pain from pebbles in the soles of his feet to put on some shoes'.

Asia Baffled? So it seems, as reported in the Bangkok Post (Jul. 28). But the baffling this time is done by the need of young tourists to create a lasting souvenir of a visit in the region with taking a picture ... naked. Hmmm ...:

'According to Maria Lombard of Northwestern University, the need for tourists to connect with locations "in a tangible way" and the ire that it draws are not new or unique.
Ms Lombard points out that tourists have been carving initials into landmarks and historical sites for ages.
"This desire to show that "I was here" is not new; just the mode for expressing it is."
....
Local officials are also puzzled why Western tourists who flaunt their bits at revered sites in Asia refrain from doing so in their own countries in front of landmarks like St Peter's Basilica.
"They don't seem to strip off much in the Notre Dame or Hagia Sofia or any other place I can think of," said Lawrence Osborne, a bestselling author who has written extensively about the clash of culture and identity in Southeast Asia.
"Modesty and restraint are still respected virtues in the East, so stripping naked at tourist sites that are sacred or highly visible is not only taboo in these countries but a "loss-of-face" for local officials."

Others see it as a fight against conservatism ...

 

Somewhere in the Balinese mountains

Angseri hot spring, source.

Boasting
On towards more regional soaking news.

• Indonesia

Possibly a tourist attraction in the offering according to Thinkeoenergy (Aug. 10) on Sulawesi near the town of Tomohon.

• Malaysia

#hotspring #sohot #nature #saturday #steve #iphone6 #malaysia

Selayang hot spring, Selangor, source.

• Philippines

Thinkgeoenergy (Sep. 8) draws attention to the Bacman geothermal power plant. Besides power generation it has a considerable environment conservation and protection project, well noted. 

From the original news source:

'Besides those we visited, the BacMan Geothermal Plant still boasts of other natural attractions that we weren’t able to check out due to time constraints. I would’ve loved to photograph the huge Golden-Crowned and Large Flying Fox bats that dot the treetops of the power plant, the Inang Maharang Mud Pool, the Naghaso Boiling Lake and the Parang Hot Spring'. 

An Experiance like no other . some peace and soul searching can be found here ! #latergram #mashtravels #chefmash #vacay #Philippines #vacay #travel #asiatrAvel #unwind #relax #greattimes #moments #airasia #manilla #hotsprings #relax #hiddengem #natural #hiddenvalley #waterfall

Hidden Valley somewhat warm springs, source.

• Thailand

A very lengthy intro on Phra Ruang hot springs, (trip101, Sep. 9):

'Stay at Phra Ruang Hot Springs for a terrific addition to your Kamphaeng Phet [province] experience. And, if you listen to local legends, you may also take away more than you anticipated; supposedly, if you take some of the water home with you, it will bring you good fortunes and luck!'

bathing in the pai forest [herb] [leaves] #hotsprings #pai #thailand

Mae Hong Son province,  source.

Harmonious

• Vietnam

Sometimes the description of a hot spring experience seems a bit out of here. An example of this comes from Vietnam's Yen Bai hot springs of Son Thinh and Son A. As published in Yen Bai (Oct. 6):

'In the recesses of the hot springs that Son Thinh, streams you view in Son A Tu Le and hot springs are all preferred medium.

...

At Tu Le, two hot spring baths beside cool stream and the shores are ripe rice fields. A very hot bath and a warm bath. The hot tub is more or less arbitrary per person. Whenever way down, after a day of hard work, the Thai girl to pull together down stream Tu Le, naturally shed her clothes and become the fairy between earth and sky.

At the end of the cold season: the mineral springs and wells steaming, sulfur-smelling H2S and with an average temperature of about 45 ° C, very good for health. Travelers come here also the bath, the boys are also allowed to share the bathroom, get playful harmony between nature, rest or relax in the hot water smelled of sulfur airlines between nature and details arcade arcade cold sky.

You can also dabble water, chatting with her, the girl pretty red cheeks, or the extent absolutely must keep their distance and not have bad behaviors, or they will be young men and punish law'.

Just a mud experience in Nha Trang (We live in the country, Jul. 19): 

'We opted to spend a rather luxurious day at the i-resort Nha Trang. We had a car and driver to take us round trip, and a private little villa, with our very own mud bath! The mud bath was Delicious- like chocolate soup!- and it immediately stopped all the skin irritations (I have Psoriasis) that I'd been experiencing! You actually float in the mud- but it isn't salty like the Dead Sea, and I have no idea what creates that kind of buoyancy! I loved it so much that before we left I bought two jars of the mud powder to take home- and I've been using it ever since! After our mud bath and showers, we had our massages, and enjoyed our private hot spring pools and the waterfall overlooking the mountains- the view was truly enchanting. We had lunch on the patio of our little villa, and I laid out by the pool for a bit... and all too soon it was time to leave...

Travelfish now has a section on mud baths in Nha Trang (Sep. 15). Not all is well:

'Thap Ba Hot Spring, six kilometres from downtown Nha Trang, is cheap and the most popular, which means it is usually crawling with people.

...

Baths are emptied after each round and there’s a big show to spray down the tubs, but if and how they clean the actual mud is a mystery.

....

the pools [of 100 Egg (Tram Trung)] and facilities are cleaner, tidier and better organised than Thap Ba. Our mud was pleasantly warm too, and felt velvety rather than cold and gritty like in Thap Ba'.

Treated ourselves to a mud bath because we can [pig] #danang #galina #mudbath #spa #theblondeadventure 

More mud mores catching on, now available in Danang, source

Stunned

Stumbled across an amazing natural hot spring in #bandung #indonesia. Had to hike up a small trail into a little rustic village to get here. #stunning #outdoors #natural #nature #landscape #hotspring #hotsprings #life #outdoors #travel #travels #water #spring

source

I usually start these updates with a sort of an editorial. But such was the idea for this editorial, that I will take a forthcoming full post to tackle recent developments on the subject of public access to natural soaks, public misuse and abuse and managerial measures taken as a reaction to the aforementioned.

For now, let's see what else there is to provide feedback on from the world of soaking ...

Nosy

An excerpt from an article from New Zealand (NZHerald, Apr. 21) which notices something strange:

'Last year, a writer from the Guardian newspaper asked people on Twitter for recommendations about what to do on a short visit to New Zealand. She got hundreds of responses. Broadly, they fell into two categories: those from Kiwis and those from foreigners who had visited here. And - broadly - it was the foreigners who recommended she find a thermal pool in which to soak.

Kiwis recommended vineyards, skiing, beaches, cafes in Wellington, that sort of thing. Not hot springs.

Sometimes, you miss the obvious beauty under your nose'.

On Hainan Island (China) reports have been made that a (possible forgotten) hot spring has been taken over and now functions as a bathing spot (Shanghaiist, May 14):

'The hot spring, around 500 years old, is left unmanned, and has more or less become an open-air bathing spot for people living nearby'.

It's difficult to somehow unrelate the two, is a hot spring not simultaneously a bathing spot?

A nice blog entry by onsen addict reflects on how a soak may result in cultural exchange (May 8):

'You should get naked in Japan as often as you can, not just because soaking in Japanese hot springs revitalizes your body and soul, but because Japanese onsens are places to observe and participate in cultural observation. If anybody implies that you are lazy for soaking for hours, just tell them you are doing sociological research.

...

Our conversation about Japanese hot springs continued until we all headed up the hill. Later in the parking lot way  above the hot spring, he showed us photographs that he took out from his car. We saw him and his hot-spring-addicted friends building rocky baths around natural springs in various forests. He was rightfully proud of the baths that they had constructed in remote woods. The baths were simple baths constructed from natural materials. The people I saw were members of a Japanese subculture, people who relish relaxation in natural surroundings and are willing to work hard for their sensual pleasures'.

Ever heard of the Hot Spring Traveler? She is

'A Hot Spring enthusiast on a quest to visit 365 Hot Springs. Current Tally=25'.

That's still a long way to go ...

More from Hot Spring Traveler:

'I am a water chaser. In my childhood I leaped into the waves, charged head first down slip and slides, and ran through sprinklers with my clothes on (or off). I was terrified of just about everything, but I was always chasing water. Naturally, it would make sense that I would turn this chase into a formal adventure, and so Hot Springs Traveler has been born. I am ready to chase down 365 hot springs in all their glory, from dusty desert backroads to lush northern forests.

Why hot springs? Because their surreal, secretive, calming, and wild. They feel other-worldly. You are literally bathing in waters that have traveled through the interiors of the earth'

From 7x7 (May 5) comes

'5 Best Hot Springs for Skinny Dipping in the West [of the U.S.A.]'

Heed their intro:

'It’s an age old tradition. From Japan to Iceland to the dusty backcountry of the American west, people have been soaking up the geothermal magic provided by wild hot springs since time immemorial'.

Let's hope it remains a tradition adhered to ...

So hot

The all-encompassing Huffington Post (May 6) looks into Indonesia's power questions. In particular it asks:

'Is Geothermal Power the Answer to Indonesia's Energy Demand?'

Summing up the article one could conclude the answer to be yes, if. 

There's quite a bit of geothermal power news from Indonesia.

ThinkGeoEnergy (Jul. 6) notes that Indonesia has inaugurated one geothermal project with the intention of many others all across the archipelago:

'This is clearly a step forward for geothermal and renewable power in the country, signalling a the commitment in Indonesia for geothermal development'.

Channelnews Asia (Jun. 9) also notes Indonesia's apparent ambitions:

'Indonesia aims to double its use of renewable energy in 10 years. It plans to have 30,000 megawatts of power generated from geothermal, hydro, wave and solar energy'.

Major problems lie in funding. 

Enjoying the natural Hot-springs  #hotspring#ketambe#sohot#ketambe

#sumatra #roland #ichbindra#dubischdra #kendall&kylie-collection 

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In Japan, so notes ThinkGeoEnergy (Jun. 23), the debate on the merits of geothermal exploitation in their national parks continues:

'On one side, conservationists argue that directional and conventional drilling should be banned in these areas while academics and members of the geothermal industry agree that no plant should be built directly on the protected areas, but directional drilling should be allowed'.

Despite all the upbeat reactions on Indonesia's geothermal power future, all is not rosy. For instance strong local sentiment in Bali (see following) is pitted against the mights of both the national government as well as the commercial establishments. 
The Renewable Energy Magazine (Jun. 4) has a lengthy article on background of Bali's struggle:

'According to Balinese culture, mountains and forests are highly sacred because they are believed to be sources of life. As a result, environmental activists and religious members of Balism both believe that geothermal drilling in the Bedugul area would not only worsen Bail’s water crisis, but would also damage the sanctity of the area.

Though geothermal power can offer tremendous energy quantities, the governor of Bali has restated his refusal to allow the geothermal project in Bedugul in a statement from his office on May 6, 2015. He not only placed a moratorium on the construction of this location, but also reiterated the fact that this project would trespass on protected forest area in a religiously sacred area of Bali'.

To overcome opposition, the article lists a variety of approaches so as to inform and convince  those involved. Though these seem common-sense, it does miss how you can overcome environmental, spiritual and religious opposition. Relaying simple fears, fails to address these all-encompassing concerns ....

The kind of opposition that seek to win over? ThinkGeoEnergy (May 14):

'The Governor’s office said that the people of Bali would never tolerate any geothermal project that trespasses on protected forest area in a religiously sacred area of Bali. Balinese religious belief holds that the forested areas in the hills at Bedugul are home to the headwaters of Bali and must remain undisturbed'.

Ways of increasing the ability of local population to stomach geothermal power projects? Win-win solutions are just one possibility. Kenya's Kengen's Olkaria project includes a natural spa (sic). 
There's this recent visitors experience (and photo):

'On our arrival an attendant at the natural spa walked up to us and gave us a quick introduction to the site. He advised us that only those who promised to adhere to the rules of the spa would be allowed to sign in on the visitors’ book and also use the spa. We were a well mannered group and we listened to the attendant keenly as he read out the spa regulations. There was nothing he read that was out of this world, so we all signed in and off we went into the spa!'

ThinkGeoEnergy (Jul. 10) notes that now Kengen will expand their  local community initiatives to include vegetable farming in geothermal heated greenhouses.

Finally, ThinkGeoEnergy (Jun. 2) notes the fad of geothermal BBQ-ing on Lanzarote. It refers to a Daily Mail article (Jun. 1):

'Forget a portable barbecue in the park, the aptly-named El Diablo (the devil) restaurant in Lanzarote uses the 450 - 500 degrees Celsius of geothermal heat to cook the meat and fish on the menu'.

Hello

We see some inventions come by and think mûh .... 
This one could be more successful. A Hydrohammock. 
Just a waterproof hammock which you could use as a bath in far away places. Not too expensive, but if willing to have a hot bath, there's a need for a heater system. That comes at a cost of nearly a fully priced jacuzzi. The inetia (Jul. 7) thinks likewise.

A HelloKitty themed hot spring? If that's what tickles your fancy, start packing your bags.  Singapore's New Strait Times (May 24):

'Among the more than 200 onsens in Gunma Prefecture [Japan] is a Hello Kitty-themed indoor onsen (right) at the Shima Grand Hotel that opened in January.Soak up the onsen’s beauty benefits surrounded by Hello Kitty decor'.

Alas, it's a women's only onsen ...

Not all soaking is good for you. Take this article which reports on a death by soaking. Worldne.ws (Jun. 20):

'A 73-year-old woman died of heat stroke after bathing in an outdoor hot spring in Wulai, New Taipei City [Taiwan]yesterday noon, according to officials of the New Taipei City Fire Department'.

Apparently the air temperature was also above 37C.

Pictures

• Lao

A mention of Muang La hot spring on Travelfish (Apr. 21):

'Muang La’s main attraction is the natural hot springs. Picture yourself soaking sore muscles in hot water while taking in the river scenery. The experience is tonic for both the body and soul – and it’s free. It doesn’t get much better than this'.

#hotsprings 

Lao's Bo Njai hot springs, Xieng Khouan province. Source

• Malaysia

There was a lot to do about the deadly earthquake on Sabah earlier this June. Especially as blame seems to be heaped on lesser cultured individuals who insisted on celebrating yet again a life's achievement with a naked picca (source). That celebration could have been much worse b.t.w.

Anyway, another unknown consequence of their actions was that Poring's hot springs turned black, that's what Asiaone reports (Jun. 6):

'The water at Poring Hot Springs near Friday's 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck at 7.17am has turned black.

Poring Hot Springs and Nature Reserve office confirmed that the water has changed colour'.

There's no info on whether or not the waters have since cleared.

How to kill off the soaking vibe? Malaysia's Borneo Post (Jun. 12) notes that officials want to promote soaking at Panchor more aggressively ..., whatever that means.

'The management board of Panchor Hot Spring should initiate a more aggressive promotion campaign to attract more locals to drop by.

Tourism Ministry permanent secretary Datu Ik Pahon Joyik said there were many ways to promote the hot spring, ...'.

Suggestions include lower entrance fee or organising a carnival. 
So much for killing the spirit ...

• Philippines

Hot spring on a hot day! #hotspring #mambukal #NegrosOccidental #Philippines #itsmorefuninthephilippines #visitphilippines2015 #travel #friends    

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•  Thailand

Klong Thom, Krabi. From the Facebook of Kyoko Kitade source.

Floating head at Waree Raksa Hot Springs #krabi #thailand2014 #wareeraksa 

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• Timor

Venilale Baucau - Hot Spring

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• Vietnam

On allvietnam.com (Jun. 26) an outlay of Alba Thanh Tan hot spring near Hue.

'Alba Thanh Tan resort is always busy with many guests. People come here to soak in the hot springs which is full of natural minerals underground as well as under Truong Son Mountain. Needless to say, Thanh Tan hot spring resort is making the clear difference in the model of ecotourism on the central strip'.

Note that it's not so natural anymore ...

A visit to Mui Ne's new hot spring and mud center as reported by Vacationchecklist (Apr. 21):

'One important thing Avoid submerging your entire head down the mud water, a water dipper is provided for a reason. I do silly things sometimes, i mean all the time ahahaa. After I dipped my entire head down the mud water it filled my ears of course and the water didn't flow naturally. Some sand particles were trapped inside my ear, I was half deaf for the entire bath session. If I'm not wrong think were in the mud bath for 30 minutes or more than, my mum wanted to stay longer but I know it's not advisable. The staff didn't bother to check on us or maybe allowed us to take our time because we were the only customers around at that time. She came to us when she noticed we were already in the rainshower'.

#diving requires healing. Here we see 8 specimens recuperating in hot springs. #mainit #cebu #Philippines #hotsprings Mainit hot springs, malabuyoc

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