Preservation

wanderlust.alf

People call it rain vulcan because there's splashing hot spring like a rain, and also they do natural sauna with the sulfur smokes over there.. 🌳 #volcano #vulcan #smokes #mountain #nature #hotspring #naturalhotspring #westjava #indonesia #kamojang #explore #wanderlust #wanderer #traveler #travel #dontpanicgopicnic #picnic #adventure

There's very little to report on, while establishing the most probable most popular hot spring sites in Southeast Asia. I say with intent sites, as most mentioned below are veritable fun parks with hot water and/or soaking possibilities being a side kick to the main reason why visitors come: to be fleeced.

I'm gonna need a better way to establish soaking popularity. 
Problem is, the less known the hot spring is, the higher the probability for a gracious soak. But less known means less internet impact.
Hmmm.

Anyway the past years top hot springs based on internet impact:

1. Poring (2016: 1), Malaysia;
2. Maquinit (2), Philippines;
3. Banjar (3), Indonesia;
4. Sariater (6), Indonesia;
5. Toya Devasya (-) Indonesia;
6. Banjaran (7), Malaysia;
7. Thap Ba (10), Vietnam;
8. Ciater (-), Indonesia;
9. Laguna (-), Philippines;
10. Rinjani (-), Indonesia / Ardent (4), Philippines.

Looking for alternatives  I thought I use the ten springs above, select 60 most recent instagram photo's of each and counted how much were of people in water. Let's see the result:

1. Banjar, 2 Toya Devasya and 3 Thap Ba. 

Last of the ten? Poring ....

But if I would add put say Sai Ngam (Thailand) in the mix, then this hot spring would be no. 1.

So soakingswise the old and trusted top 10 may not be the best indicator. 

pmakovec at my ideal hot spring, I believe northern Sumatra:

Hot springs, naredijo še tako mrzlo reko v prav prijetno "mlakužo". Izbiraš lahko med večjim številom baxenčkov oz predelov vode z različno tempetaturo. V enem je voda tako vroča, nam je vodič skuhal jajca vanji.Hot springs with dofferent temperatre of wather is a nice spot to rest. Wather is so warm to cook a egg.

What to do? 

This new method has it's bias as well. 

To name a few: language plays a role, sample size, time of year sample is taken.

Maybe a better method would be to select contenders which have at least 50 instagram photo's and compare. 

But just 1 way of measuring might not be reliable enough. 

Does anyone have other suggestions? 

Let's try next year to include the soaking element, possibly exclude the commercial element.

Muang La (Northern Laos)  not on the tourist road but an excellent soaking opportunity. muanglalodge:

Muang La Lodge offers the tradition of bathing in the hot spring at the foot of our Lodge. From the moment we began construction, we preserved access for the villagers to the thermal spring. So today, it is not rare to share a bath with the local people who believe in the virtues of the waters and use them to help ease the stresses and strains of their day.#muanglalodge #muangla #northernlaos #lodge #hotspring #relax #tradition #discoverlaos #laos#amazinglaos #explorelaos #visitlaos #laostravel #explore #travel #travelasia #instatravel #picoftheday #instago#instatravel #travelingram #voyage @secretretreats

Varm

sittiarafah33:

Air Panas Waigete #airpanas #waigete #maumere #flores #ntt

Long time, no see? Apparently that's what happens when u are busy busy. Or better said putting your priorities elsewhere.

Following are a couple of pictures from the region which might be to your likely. Well, better siad they are to my liking.

 

We started off with Indonesia (above) which always has some of the regions most enticing hot springs. Following in alphabetic order is just the solitary soak from Burma:

 

#naturalresort #hotspring#taungngu#lovelyday

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Gather

Indonesia condures up many a potential photo-op however somehow I've included another from Flores, with the second photo of having a shower: it's not often that having a shower is emphasized at the popular soaking possibilities in Southeast Asia.

piasabinehaakonsen

#hotsprings #niceandvarm #funnypictures

ncis_meira

Monthly gathering means showering together after #hotsprings #bali #kintamani #island #likeforlike #ilovebali #wonderfulindonesia #noedit #friendship

Sit back

#favourite #memory bathing in an #amazing #natural #hotspring with the local #village #people in #laos - the area was actually divided in two sections one for #men and the other for #women and #children - it was a #beautiful moment to be apart of and our presence excepted! #hotsprings #secrethotspring #washing #bathing #beautifulmoments #travel #travelgram #travelstories #backpacking #journey #destination #ilovepeople #laotian #ilovelaos #amazingplace 

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Laos (above) is still a country where tourists are yet to discover the many soaking possibilities, leaving the hot springs as pristine as one could hope for.

Malaysia (below) in contrast has overdeveloped most of their hot springs, only those off the main road still having some attractive powers if only for avoiding the hordes of merry makers:

iamtravelist

#Borneo #hotspring #nature #sarawak #kuching #malaysia #travel #life #weekend #sitbackandrelax #spa #water #blue #countryroad #hot #naturalhotspring #kuchingtravel

More ... nerves

 

Only 35.8°C, much better! [sweat_smile] #hotsprings #cebuisland #philippines #travel #discover #itsmorefuninthephilippines #hotwater #nature #wanderlust #instatravel 

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Wrapping up this photo overview, we start with the Phillippines (above and below), followed by Thailand, with the last photo from Vietnam.

rowmaiquez:

Hot spring is one of my fave natural waterpool. The warm water relaxes my nerves. Arden Hot Spring, Camiguin #camiguin #beautifulisland #adventuretime #rowinwonderland #hotspring 

nene_nae at Rock Valley Hot Spring and Fish Spa, Khanchanaburi:

ออนเซนแบบไทยๆ ตีโป่ง 😂 #onsen

aussieinwanderlust at one of Pai's hot spring resorts (Mae Hong Son province)

The happiness when you stumble along a cool natural springs resort....only to find out that it's SUPER HOT. This is not refreshing when it's 40 degrees out already! 😫😫😫

iceteeweenj 

On👌 #waterweb #inaction #potd #hotspring #onpoint #flickonpoint #hairflickoftheday #albahotspring #vietnam #huecity #vietnamtrip2016

Celebration

'Afternoon at the hot spring. ️#vanistravel#vaniaroundtheworld#hotspring#swim#forest#bali #banjar#indonesia#summer#holidays'

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Rages
Quite  a few items from the wackier side of soaking. What about theoriginalnomad who have now developed a collapsible hot tub, ideal for trekking into the forests and over mountains!

Other strange news: 

'Boise City’s Public Works Department and Boise State University are partnering to commission a public art project to celebrate the use of geothermal water on campus'. 

Follow this link to find out the three proposals.

Only in Australia. From the greynomads (Sept 2):

'A fisherman at Douglas Hot Springs south of Darwin believes he saw a 1.5-metre saltwater crocodile in the supposedly safe swimming area.

...

No saltwater crocodiles have previously been spotted at the hot springs, although one was seen eight kilometres downstream'.

If you are logged into Facebook go here for a photo of the foot spa on the Shinkasen train to Fukushima.

The use of drones is all the rage, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the use of drones in natural geothermal areas is now on the radar. It became all the more apparent when a drone crashed into Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring (CNN, Aug. 7). Drones are apparently forbidden in US national parks though it's doesn't seem clear to all users, especially since the ban was just announced in June. Possible problems:

'Park rangers have not determined if the drone damaged the spring and if it's necessary to recover it'.

Finally less pleasant news. The Costa Rica News has an article (August 26) on whether or not their nation's hot springs are safe:

'Floating on your back or dipping the your head underwater are common actions when enjoying a natural hot spring. However, experts now recommend not submerging your face or head in order to prevent infections that can enter these more vulnerable cavities.

This recommendation stems from the case of Jordan Cole Smelski, an American 11 year-old boy, who died in July in Orlando, Florida, due to an infection resulting from the amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The deceased boy was on vacation in Costa Rica, where he visited the hot springs in the Northern Zone and began to feel sick afterwards and never recovered.

....

So in conclusion, yes, Costa Rica’s hot springs are safe.  But it’s safer to keep your head above the water'. 

More info on this from the Ticotimes (August 19).

Hot in here
There's really not too much reports/news coming from Southeast Asia itself.

• Indonesia

'Not far from the magnificent Kawah Ijen (Mount Ijen) lies Kalianyar Village, Sempol. Like many villages that you may find in Indonesia, this one is unique because of it's hot springs area that it has. Amazing to have a soak in once you're done with your hike up to Mt. Ijen. Nothing like hot spring water to soothe those aching muscles. Thanks to Mr. Slamet, he brought us to a hidden charm if you walk in toward the village'. 

Link to this video from East Java.

Indonesia has passed new legislation meaning less environmental regulation for geothermal projects (MSN, Aug. 26). Oddly enough is this piece of news (Jakarta Post, Sep. 1):

'Rida Mulyana, director general of renewable energy at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said that local administrations would receive more money from the development of their geothermal resources even if they will no longer decide the issuance of exploration and exploitation rights to investors'.

Thinkgeoenergy (Sep. 10) notices that more larger scale projects are in the pipeline. 

'Baden in Schwefelquellen'.

Hot springs at the foot of  Sibayak mountain, Semangat Gunung, north Sumatra. By Katharina V

• Laos

A flickr album on Viengthong, Houaphanh, Lao PDR.

• Malaysia

One of Asia's most upscale natural hot springs (the Banjaran, Malaysia) has a new management team. so announces Thai Travel Review Weekly (Aug. 14).

A Japanese website which highlights no more than 18 Malaysian hot springs! With translate a very interesting summation of what's on offer.

• Philippines

'It's getting hot in here! Natural hot pool. #hotspring #alegria #cebu'

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• Thailand

 

'natural hot springs #pai #hotspring #thailand '

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• Timor Leste

'Day trip to the hot springs in Marobo! #marobo #timor #timorleste #hotsprings #boiling #hot #pool #mountains #view #bathtime'

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• Vietnam

While Indonesia may have opened up to more investment in geothermal power with it's new laws being passed, Vietnam's potential is still to be developed as it fails on the legislative side. Thinkgeoenergy (Sept. 4):

'Another relevant hurdle the country has to address is the lack of specific legislation regarding geothermal exploration and feed-in tariffs, which makes the process of moving forward more uncertain yet, according to the article, the main regulatory framework for renewable energy seems to also cover geothermal'.

any place for me to enjoy this messy happy bath? #roadtrip #taybac #vietnam #ontheroad #hotspring #suoinuocnong #letsgetwet #instamood #doyoutravel

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