To do

Soaking in Southeast Asia is a winter tradition and thus we have now seen the busiest months in many of the region's hot springs. Rereading many of the internet features published recently, there does seem to more features on the previous natural soaks, but now up and coming thermal spa's. Or whatever they may be developed into.

Gone are the hot springs with natural features, common people and soaking bliss. Of course economic development has resulted in free time or cash at hand; thus the need to develop the natural world to make fit for the consumer.
What remains are facilities ill-equipped to deal with the many visitors or exclusive clubs where the willingness to line the pockets of distant shareholders results in an exclusivity. 
I always wonder, how is it possible that this has not occurred on this scale in Japan?

'Quite possibly the best Hot Spring I've found out here in Thailand yet! Multiple pools of varying temps, and a #creek to cool off in, for 100 #Baht entrance, definitely worth a visit!'

Porn Rang hot springs, Ranong, Thailand. From the webstagram site of skoisirius.

Advice wanted
As always those Japanese traditions are being challenged. Possibly innocent, but what to think about this poster on tripadvisor who wants to experience an onsen but is in a quandry: 

'... being a Westerner, I am a bit shy of being naked in public. If we go to an onsen where the gender are separated, I`m thinking it won`t be that much fun. On the other hand, if we go to a mixed-gender onsen, I`m thinking it will surely be awkward (not for me but I don`t want people to look at my wife)'. 

Talk about thinking backward! Some of the answers: 

'We had very similar concerns, especially because I speak some Japanese but my wife doesn't so she was not comfortable going to a gender segregated onsen where she'd have to cope on her own. In the end I went on my own to a gender segregated bath in central Osaka'. 

Problem solved. Why take the wife at all when travelling? Saves money ...?!

'I don't know what other people think, but I want some time of my own alone apart from my partner sometimes; I don't want to share toilet and pee with her. I also like gentlemen's gatherings at an izakaya/bar without ladies. But then Girlfriend might want to go shopping alone without a grumpy boy. I am always frustrated by the length of time girls spend on make ups and hair do.

Do you always take a shower or bath together with your partner? I don't'.

As the saying goes ..., when in Rome .... Begs the question why travel if you're not willing to adapt / tolerant different customs?

Geothermal power
Japan has it's own in problems in preservation of it's age old soaking rites (see above) and rights. Yomiuri online (26 Feb. 2013) has another article concerning the direction of Japan's power status and the possibility of developing geothermal power. Concentrating on Hokkaido's Daisetsuzan National Park it mentions that whatever happens 

'... the entire process from the initial survey to geothermal power generation could take anywhere from eight to 10 years'. Which will mean that it takes nearly forever ...'.

It also mentions that one reason why geothermal power generation is under development in respect of the potential is that much of the potential lies within National Parks.

'After regulations were relaxed in March last year, however, many plans to build geothermal power plants have appeared nationwide. However, with the exception of Daisetsuzan, many plans have been met with local opposition as development could adversely affect the environment and onsen hot spring sources.

In the case of Daisetsuzan, the Sounkyo Onsen hot spring resort is about four kilometers from the planned construction site.

However, the survey can be carried out as local residents, including the resort's local tourism association, have welcomed the plan. Furthermore, there is also a plan to reuse the hot water discharged from power generation to heat public facilities'. 

The best way forward is a win-win? Now why is that most if not all geothermal power plans neglect local soaking potential?

Geothermal power potential in the Philippines by CNN: A short intro.

Rock bathing?

Well via Hot soaks of the Himal we have been introduced to hot stone baths and in a previous entry here we have discovered what Ganbanyoku is.  
Onsen addict recently adds from Japan: 

'Lying on rocks is a great way to relax after a hard day at the office. The rocks might be flat slabs of heated granite, or thousands of tiny rocks that warm your body, like a thick quilt.  Ganbanyoku, (岩盤浴, is a "bathing" method that is spreading in popularity across Japan, and from Japan to other countries, because it feels so invigorating.  Low, comfortable, constant heat opens your skin pores, and you sweat out the dirt and impurities from your body while dozing or spacing out in softly lit rooms. The rocks below you are heated through the floor. Afterwards, a more traditional Japanese onsen, or hot spring, will leave your skin soft and pure'.

After an extensive description of what is on offer at Ryusenji-no-yu he laments that TVs should be banned from hot springs! 

Top

Lonely Planet has a top 10 of Japanese hot springs. Among them the best hidden hot spring; now something tells me that will not last long ...

The doddid.com site has a top 7 of Indonesia's Natural Thermal Baths. All quite surprisingly but nonetheless than Banyuwedang hot spring, probably Bali's least known. Funny that the picture includes Banjar hot spring, notmentioned at all in the top 7 ...

Another top, the top 5 onsens to visit in Japan.

Then there is the global top 10 by Reuters Business Travel. Only one Asian entry, but altogether a surprising 10. Focus on more natural hot springs but also noted is Peninsula hot spring, Australia.

Blogged:

• Malaysia 

A hot spring seeing a surge in visitors is that of Panchor Dayak. Through my lens has a blog entry:

'... the spring has been there for a long time since the 1800, known only to the local villagers. It has only been recently acknowledged by the government and the official opening ceremony was done by the local Deputy Tourism Minister on the 8th September 2012. Since then there have built some basic amenities for the visitors and the place looks better and more organized'. 

And less natural. Highly critical:

'Water quality by my observation is not all that awesome.. I’d have to say that I would not use it to gargle or wash my mouth yet alone taste it. It flows slowly to the back of the compound and left to disperse by itself. 
... 
There is also no bathing place at the compound for rinsing your body after wards, don’t know if it’s intentional just to simplify operations or not; however there are toilets and changing rooms provided'.

A photo:

 

A press entry stemming from the Borneo Post (27 Jan.) concerning the same hot spring. What do we learn?

'... he [Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos] has met two persons whose helath improved after frequenting the hot spring.
...
At one point, there were people who came all the way from Lawas for a cure at Panchor Hot Spring.
“This is why the Tourism Ministry has upgraded the hot spring for all to stay healthy and happy.”
Panchor Hot Spring is a community-based tourism project developed by the ministry at a cost of RM450,000 and completed in May last year.
...
The ministry is looking at introducing a women’s section for more privacy.
...
On Panchor Hot Spring, he suggested that locals come up with a plan to develop a hotel and resort around the area to draw visitors.
“Some tourists want to come to the hot spring, but there is no hotel around. So it will be nice to have a resort next to the hot spring.”'

Perceptions of what is understood with development ...

Borneo Post (Jan. 2) has another hot spring related article, this time it has a feature on a new hotel near poring hot springs, Sabah. Named Hot Spring Garden it's more directed to the everyday tourist rather than upmarket clientèle. And the hot springs?

'He [the proprietor] assured guests could always enjoy the hot springs nearby from 5pm to 9pm, sparing them the hassle of competing for the hot tubs and swimming pools with othre day-trippers or those staying at the resorts within the area'.

'Annah Rais Hot Spring - Another view from a distance'.

From the blog of My Beautiful Malaysia

• Myanmar

Despite having the same rulers as the last 30-40 years, jetting into Myanmar has now become hot; see it before disappears?  Inle Lake is high of the to be visited list. 
Kaung Daling is the name of a hot spring on the shores of the lake. Michi in a photo booth: 

'This spa is recommended by Lonely Planet as well so people are interested to go there but when they see that it is in fact a real spa with pools (they give you robes and shampoo…full treatment!) they are probably disappointed. They expect something wilder from Myanmar..we were happy with what we found! We also had a little discount because we were the first customers that day'.

'3 days and around 21 hrs of hiking later ...a well deserved break'

Myanmar opening up to soaking discoveries. From webstagram site of paulinebatista

• Philippines

Another rave about Puning, this time a photoblog by ambot-ah, nice views of this increasingly popular hot spring.

Not a very extensive blog entry, but not often commented on. Badekbek near Daclan (Luzon) was visited by Rojae: 

'The smoke and sulfuric scent emitted could be seen and smelled from a distance. The hot water from the spring is believed to have some therapeutic effects'.

Ardent Hot spring, the Philippines. Blogged by Loopie.

• Thailand

'Hotsprings'

Pai, Mae Hong Son, Thailand

From the flickr site of LewMez.

 

Sometimes development isn't always a solution. From thaivisa forum (1 Jan.):

'My girlfriend and I visited the OnSen Hot Springs Resort, in Sankampaeng [Chiang Mai], on New Year's Eve day. In the past, you could spend the day using their hot springs in a private room. The resort now limits your stay to 50 minutes for the same price as the previous day usage. I couldn't help notice that in addition to the limited time you could spend in a room, it appeared they have dismissed their cleaning staff. If that wasn't bad enough, the resort no longer has hot spring water, lol'. 

Note: 

'OnSen Resort is only about a minute or two drive from the San Kampheng Hot Springs. Up until this year, it was a high end resort'.

The hot springs of Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, Thailand. From the webstagram site of buhnibear.

• Vietnam

Half Japanese Aki Avis visits the hot spring of Thanh Tan, Hue. Expectations not met:

'Vietnamese-style hot springs resembles more a water park than a relaxing bath! There were also baths just to soak in, but the bulk of the resort was made up of water slides, a giant wave pool (which was being cleaned and sadly unusable), and play parks. Needless to say I was very happy have had wrong expectations. The mix of decadent relaxation (i.e. the two massages I indulged in) with sheer excitement (one of the slides was so fast that you actually went airborne on it! Not up to Canadian-safety standards if I had to guess...) was unique and refreshing! What a way to spend hump day...'.

Another find, revealed from the phuyennews are Tra O hot springs: 

'Unlike a natural stream, Tra O hot-mineral water has a temperature of about 700C, flowing from two dragon-heads built on an area of about 3m2. This system is designed as a shrine of the mountain-god. On the roof and the small lake under are the architecture of two dragons with sacred and mysterious features, behind is a space with a size large enough for a person to enter deep inside to have a sauna, the way people here do to have a better health, or cure a number of rheumatic diseases, skin diseases 
… According to many local people, the hoses in the hot spring were built in the French invasion time when cultural traces hadn’t been discovered yet. When the road is improved, trees are planted, the hot spring is sundered into hot-water pools…, it will attract many tourists to visit and enjoy euphoria feeling as having a bath in the fresh-hot water'. 

In Asia, it's the more (visitors) the merrier ..., hmmm.

Mud bath competition. The i-resort in Nha Trang is attracting more and more visitors. Tripadvisor posters note that it is more expensive. The compaison: 

'I just went there yesterday. it is a much better experience than thap ba. two big hot pools, several warm and cool pools including 3 natural style pools. overall it feels like a real resort. Make sure you go early. at 7am when it opened there was just us and two others. from 9-11am 300 people had shown up'. Priorities: 'Went today and I must say what a great day out it was first time I have had a mud bath and will go back for more . The food as the resort very good 2 noodle soups and fried rice 4 bottles of tiger total cost of 200,000 and very nice '.

China heading forward

Looking into how you develop a hot spring resort in China? In Mianyang, Sichuan they are developing a resort ...: 

'This luxury hot spring resort is built around the hilltop of Luo Fu Shan, in Sichuan Province. The site is 300Mu or 21Ha, with 70.000 m2 built surface. AIM has designed the master plan, landscape, architecture and interiors.

The project is unique to us as we are in control of almost all aspects of the projects. The masterplan is set up to use the different landscape opportunities on the site. The different functions have different types of buildings that each benefit from their immediate surroundings. This results in an architectural range that is at the same time diverse and unique'. 

Design by AIM Architecture.

More top end developments in China. Opening up is the Chongqing Beibei Banyan Tree: 

'Nestled in the Jin Yun mountain, Banyan Tree Chongqing Beibei features 107 contemporary Suites and Villas, each showcasing a private dipping pool fed by water from nearby hot springs'. 

It will open up step by step from the end of February 2013 (source).

'Can we get in on this? @kathy_macleod and I hot spring #chilaxing in Mae Hong Son. @jessvsworld @wesleyhsu @veronosaurus @lifecw'

From the flickr site of RealThai

Dare to compare

Comparing 

Soaking in Southeast Asia and it’s sister / daughter sites focus mainly on countries within Asia where enjoying hot springs are less well-known practices and/or totally waiting to be discovered. In many cases these hot springs are under-developed or poorly developed.

Intending to seek out why in for instance Europe, soaking (and bathing) is very much a part of life, I was in the circumstance to visit a town known for it’s mineral waters while on business in Germany’s Harz region over the past summer. 

Bathing History 

Bad Lauterberg lies on the edge of the Harz, hemmed in by hills to the north, which shield the town from cooler winds. On the confluence of 3 streams, Lauterberg was known until the 19th century for mining, as was the whole of the Harz region. Wikipedia has a good entry on mining in the Harz. It was then discovered that water emanating from lower layers of the mountains also contained high concentrations of minerals which can be attributed to an improved health level if frequently bathed in. Such was the interest that gradually the Lauterberg economy shifted from relying on mining (and metal manufacturing) to relying on bathing and it’s associated culture to survive; it became one of Germany's oldest spa-towns (source). A few (up-scale) bathing places were created as well as the town undergoing development so as to make the bathers more happy, for instance the construction of promenades and parks. 

Bad 

Since the demise of mining, Lautenberg has been named Bad Lautenberg as in Germany much is gained by the term Bad. It is a government approved qualitative acknowledgment of being a place to bathe which can lead to an improved health status; a main reason why Germans are interested in ‘baden / kuren’ (and soaking). In the case of Bad Lautenberg, the bathing waters are natural, though unheated. In Germany there is little difference between the two, as unheated waters are heated for bathing and both forms (heated and unheated) can be regarded as having significant health properties. This is scientifically backed up. More famous bathing places such as Baden-Baden, Wiesbaden and Aachen do have natural hot waters. But not Bad Lautenberg. 

Soaking in Bad 

Bad Lautenberg possesses three locations for bathing. The choice falls on the Kirchberg Therme as it combines swimming pools with sauna without aiming at families, with the complete water circus of wave pools, slides, chutes and what have you. After all silence is golden ... 

Connected to the Kirchberg Medical Centre, the therme (or spa) is part of the overall facilities used by ‘patients’ and/or guests. The therme consists of a restaurant, a fitness centre, two indoor swimming basins and a sauna complex. Visiting on an early morning, most bathers were guests from the medical centre; use of the therme was free for these guests before 2 in the afternoon. The 2 modern free-form swimming basins were little used this morning (why?) and the cooler of the 2 pools surely could not be described as an attraction to me (too cold!). Much better was the clothesfree sauna complex which contained a variety of sauna’s, a steam room and an outside swimming pool with extensive sunning lawn. Somehow the larger swimming area required bathing clothes, possibly because the benefits of soaking should not be withheld from the less inhibited. However as said, the pools were mostly deserted whereas the sauna area was considerably populated by 20 or more patrons on that particular morning. Clearly most thought more highly of sauna use than of the possible advantages of the pool use; or couldn’t be bothered dressing up to use the pools.

A photo from the spa's own web site. In front the two pools while behind the rocks is the sauna garden ...

Your notes

Comparing to any experience in Southeast Asia is hardly possible. First of all there is Germany's love affair with hot springs, which dates back to at least the era of Roman occupation (Cooper-Erfurt & Cooper, 2009) Since, soaking modes in Germany have waxed and waned, but to Germans soaking or 'kuren' is a scientifically proven method of medicine. How important is this?

• For instance the bible of Germany's spa's, Größchen's

  'Heilbäder und Kurorte in Deutschland. Conradi-Bäderkunde-Lexikon'

  counts more than 600 pages!
• In 2006 nearly 6.5 million soakers were recorded (Erfurt-Cooper & Cooper, 2010); visits lasting multiple days .

One must also note that when taking a longer wellness treatment German health insurance will covers this. No wonder soaking is so important ... See also the following:

'Today, Germany has one of the most comprehensive spa cultures in Europe, with the support of the German federal health care system to boot! The German equivalent for spa is Heilbad or 'healing bath' or Kurort which literally mean 'cure place'. Any town in Germany can qualify and choose to use the prefix 'Bad' or bath before their town name i.e. Bad Soden. Those towns that qualify have met the strictest air and water quality standards and have been able to establish the necessary medical staff and infrastructure to cater to those seeking treatment. ... Once a Kur or cure therapy has been approved, a patient will be sent to a certified Kurort or spa where a patient will enjoy a holistic experience of exercise, nutrition, relaxation, communication and motivation custom-fitted by doctors and medical staff. The focus is to provide a Kur guest with the best possible natural environment to cure or prevent the further development of illnesses'.

Then there is the level of facilities to draw in the comparison. Concerning the emphasis on medical efficiency in Germany and German cultural pursuit of high standards, levels of hygiene are extremely high and are first most in thoughts of managers. Competition between facilities means that increasingly higher lay-outs are required and for the visitor this means the facilities are more and more luxurious and at the same time larger and more diverse. But other than these two aspects (medical culture / standards ) I believe there is little that would differ between soaking here in Southeast Asia and in Germany. In general soaks in both are mostly visited by locals, most patrons are slightly older and / or health conscious. Having such facilities in Southeast Asia could be possible, though the price differential would exclude most locals. So an in-between situation could be created. For instance hygiene is greatly lacking at 99.9% of Southeast Asia's soaking sites, but simple measures need not cost too much but can result in far better hygienic situation. My own preference? Well that would be a bit unfair. making a choice. The soaking culture in Southeast Asia is mostly non-existent and / or real foreign to myself whereas the experience above isn't ...

Faux

After visiting Binh Chau hot spring in the south of Vietnam, I was astounded at the contrast of experience of soaking here and that in other Southeast Asian countries. Was I witnessing progress? Could what is achieved here, be only be done with communist autocratic government? Or are the Vietnamese so totally different?

The main swimming pool complete with faux rocks and cascades.

Vung Tau
But let's start at the beginning. Binh Chau is a hot spring located in Ba Ria province, about 150 km from Ho Chi Minh city (or as some say Saigon), a two and a half hour drive away.
Besides Ba Ria, Vung Tau is another large city in this province and the focal point of tourism; Vung Tau being the beach of Saigon.

From the point of Cap Saint Jacques, Vung Tau is essentially a major area of hotels and beach resorts stretching for about 10 km along the sea facing shore until an expansive coastal flood plain after which a number of smaller resorts dwindle as one continues along the coast north and eastwards.
On the Saigon side large scale industrialization has taken place.

One of these smaller northeastwards located resorts, Binh Chau is a reasonable sized town located 70 km from Vung Tau. As the number of resorts peter out here, so does the quality of the road. From Binh Chau one needs to drive 2-3 km inwards towards the hot spring site itself.

Claims to fame?
Once through the entrance area there is a massive development, wide avenues and big reception buildings. Our car is parked close to the entrance. A 200 m long road leads to an intersection where one can proceed onward by foot to more park -like area, accommodation and the springs proper. Go right and one goes to the soaking section.

The hot spring resort is run by an investment operation called Saigon-Binh Chau Tourist Joint Stock company which includes a local beach resort. Since the turn of the century facilities have been improved and

'in August 2003, the happiness and success of this investment are rewarded by the World Travel Organization’s recognition that Binh Chau Hot Spring is one of the 65 areas of sustainable ecotourism development of 47 nations around the world'.

Yes, that accolade looks good. But looked at it in more detail, reveals that Binh Chau was merely

'a compilation containing 65 case studies received from 47 countries about exemplary practices in small ecotourism businesses (SMEs)'.

I.e., a slap on one's own back rather than 'recognition'. As the publication is not freely available on the web, little insight can be given to the aforementioned claim.
It's also not clear exactly what the WTO understands as ecotourism, their website lacks any definition.

More possible future (investment) development around the Binh Chau includes a safari park and villa's, which might just throw a different light on the eco claim ...

The naming game: call it eco and it is?

Developing hot springs and protecting the environment
Aside from the eco claim, it's not totally clear, but there are a number of references putting Binh Chau hot springs as part of a larger protected area. Amongst these is Lonely Planet which lists:

'Until about a decade ago there was wildlife in the area, including tigers and elephants, but it seems humans have nearly won the area over'.

Binh Chau's own web site refers to the ecological reserve:

'11.000 hectares of forest, known as Binh Chau - Phuoc Buu natural preservation zone'.

Note that Bin Chau hot springs site themselves are only 35 ha.

More info on the natural reserve can be found in this document from 1997. It contains a forewarning:

'Binh Chau hot springs is designed to suit the tastes of affluent Vietnamese tourists. The flower-lined walkways among hot springs, shady cabanas and a litter of bright painted stucco figures is pleasant and charming.

But, more concerning, the resort also holds a small zoo containing several rare species. Among other things, an eagle sulks in a purpose-built cage shaped like giant a spider's web and listless binturong (Arctitis binturong). It is illegal to keep the endangered binturong. I could not identify the eagle but several species of eagle and buzzard in Vietnam are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. Long-tailed macaques Macaca fascicularis, also on the IUCN Red List, were in two small cages. The centre-piece of this exhibit is a giant painted concrete structure resembling a coiled snake, strangling a rampant deer.
When I visited in December 1996, new structures were being added to the zoo complex.Clearly, this architecture enforces common perceptions of nature as mysterious and evil. 'Nature' - the Vietnamese word is 'nguyen', - carries a reproachful connotation of 'primitiveness'. Zoos of this character do nothing to show how precious is nature of itself. Nothing is here about the natural history of these species. Nothing to allow people to empatize with wildlife. Nothing to encourage them to protect their wild resources'.

It's therefore chilling to note the following announcement:

According to Management Board of Binh Chau - Phuoc Buu Natural Reserve, from the beginning to May, 2009, the reserve has attracted 20 tourism projects under ecological- tourism forms. Total investment area of these projects are about of 1,500ha'.

Soaking
To proceed to the soaking section one needs to purchase entrance tickets in an adjacent building.

This building incorporates changing facilities, showers and lockers, never seen a locker at a soaking site in Southeast Asia!

Beyond the entrance are two palm fringed pools against a backdrop of faux rocks stacked up 5-10 m. This tiled area is backed up by a free form 2 m wide pool, meant for kiddies, containing less warmer water.

In 1 corner are amenities while beyond the kiddies pools are places for mud treatment and VIP soaking rooms. On the other side a track extends into a swamp where there a number of other in-huts-enclosed-tubs, varying in size and thus price.

The main pool though is heated and goes to depths of more than a meter. The soaking experience is somewhat placid, late on a hot weekday most visitors are middle-aged Vietnamese, day visitor tourists already having left. The pool itself could do with some painting and the visible quality of the water could be better.

However, strikingly, almost all patrons are wearing bathing costumes, much in contrast to nearly all other soaking facilities in Southeast Asia. So much so that I wonder whether this is in Southeast Asia at all. It could be Europe or Australia. Canada or the states. I wonder whether this bathing custom is something Vietnamese or simply limited to these facilities.

The sights of Binh Chau: mud baths, hot pool, more mud baths, private pools and jacuzzi.

Throwing Mud
On offer are also mud baths or the opportunity to cover oneself in healing (?) mud.

Possibly this claim is true but what I find weird is why if it it so good, why the need to keep bathing clothes on. Especially women wearing a full one piece suit can be seen covering their suit in mud (below), can't see much health gains in that.

And though there are private enclosures, these are not meant for au naturel bathing. Inside photo's (above) disprove this as well as the fact that the material used allows for outside viewing.

Nguyen Pham's untitled muddy picture from Binh Chau.
Question is if mud equals health,
does this mean that females can not fully profit from the perceived health benefits?

An introductory youtube video on Binh Chau hot springs

Getting there: From Vung Tau head north / east along the coast until Binh Chau village. Take a left on the other side of the village followed by a right turn and after a km you'll arrive at the hot springs site.

Soaking experience: Certainly pleasant, considerable effort has been made to make soaking a worthwhile experience. Of the near 30 soaking experiences I have visited in Southeast Asia, this ranks highly amongst them even though the metamorphosis into a some what sterile soaking area comes at a loss of naturalness.

Overall impression: With in mind that this has been created to attract tourists, one could argue that this has been done tastefully. Certainly it could be a lot worse.

Part of the attraction park are the natural hot springs located away from the soaking pool itself.
It's said that they number more than 70.

Updates for January 2010

Despite my intention to stem the flow of self typed updates, there were quite a few worthwhile articles on internet to warrant yet again another monthly update.

The Soaking Blogs
During the past months I have been updating the links list. Some links have gone dead, mostly those of government sites and/or geocities sites which have ceased to exist. I've tried to replace some links, though others remain (dead) as the alternatives were non-English sites or links to PDF files which I feel reluctant to link to. Other links have altogether disappeared, but I'll maintain these in the listing, I've seen that with the growth in internet they can reappear again.

In all there are / were 376 links, one third of which come from Indonesia. Others with many links are Thailand (94) and the Philippines (69).

First hand visits now account for 28 of these links, over half of which are from Thailand. Maps have been added to give a (rough) idea of where they are located as Google Maps coverage of Southeast Asia is not yet up to standard whereby one can directly pinpoint the correct location.

On the Himalaya site more (descriptive) links have been added on soaks in Nepal, India and Tibet.

Southeastasian Soaking News
Vietnam's Binh Chau hot spring, already one of the country's better developed hot springs, is set to be turned into a massive development site:

'The Kim To Trading and Service Co., Ltd late last week started work on its Binh Chau Hot Spring Villa project in southern Ba Ria –Vung Tau Province with a total investment capital of VND470 billion (US$254.5 million)'.

That last amount has the decimal in the wrong place, it's only US$ 25.5 million! Included are shopping facilities ...

Phuket, Thailand is adding attractions which it's visitors are supposed to love. Despite Phuket already being Southeast Asia's premier tourist destination, nothing is complete without a water park. So Phuket see's two water parks opening up for bizniz in the coming months (source). Surprisingly Splash Jungle includes a hot spring pool (natural or not?) which serves as an 'escape for parents'. And a wave pool, located just a few hundred meters from the beach!

In Malaysia, Sabah is all set to add another tourist trap in the form of a hot spring park in Tawau. Already possessing one of Southeast Asia's most sought out soaks (Poring; beware though, most visitors are quite disappointed), government and bizniz seem to think that more of the same is required. Apparently because not so many folk visited the natural springs development more development was needed so as to make the general public aware of the benefits of hot spring soaking. Tough luck for those nature lovers ....
The 16+ ha park-like setting contrasts with the previous natural setting. Luckily the developers will also concentrate on ensuring that visitors enjoy fresh air.

Soaking Gone Crazy
Yes, so it seems. From travelpod.com a (slightly delayed) report from 10,000 students gone soaking in Xianning, Hubei, China:

'A total of 10,012 students bathed simultaneously in the city's seven hot springs, setting a new Guinness World Record'.

Last month I highlighted the weird ways of soaking in Japan, unaware that all all this can be experienced in just one onsen in Hakone, Yunessun. Coffee and wine for instance. And:

'From there it got even crazier: Green Tea bath, Sake bath, Black Tea bath, and then a Japanese Traditional Bath. That one was super cool because it had literally 50 floating half-grapefruits in it, along with a ton of other fruit and lemons and citrus... just floating in it?! This is apparently a very traditional bath style and it rocked'.

Asian Soaking Etiquette
Onsensoaker has a revealing post on wani's (Japanese crocodiles) who are making bathing uncomfortable for female soakers in Japan's (hot spring) baths. Trouble is that the more uncomfortable one is, the less females participate. This in turn means that the wani's have less to focus on, leaving the remaining victims who do soak, even more uncomfortable.
Time for societies to change? At least the government should start opening the 'hunting season' for the wani's without giving too much coverage to the subject. As soon as the media pick up on this they have to picture it in black / white terms because they believe their public will otherwise not understand the issue at hand. To be continued.

Malaysian soaker in Korea experiences some awkwardness despite the absence of wani's:

'I kept looking at the floor so that I didn't have to see any...er...interesting things'.

In Hin Dat, Thailand a blogger believes it's all Russia's fault for the poor pool spring water quality:

'bus hordes of Russians were unloaded and headed straight for the pools. But … not a single specimen of the pallid northerners headed for the toilets.
Well, a few minutes after dozens of Russians took over the pools a strange subtle odor seemed to emerge from beneath. Not the kind of sulphur smell. But an acrid, distinct urine-like smell.
In an instant we were out of the water heading straight for the showers. Must have missed a similar busload the other day … Russians arrive there every day by the busloads, we were afterwards told'.

Cross cultural mis-communication of sorts?

Kaekie:

'Enjoying hot spring Thai style'.

Probably in Chiang Dao.
Funny though, their 'enjoying' is simply making takes of tubby Thai tubbers.
Not taking a soak themselves.

Updates for October 2009

A few changes on the site itself. I've created a mirror site dedicated especially for Thai soaking sites, aptly named Soaking in Siam, while at the same time I've added another blog site concerning Waterfalls in Southeast Asia. Though a soak is great, sometimes a cool soak can be just as invigorating. What's more, like where I live in Cambodia, there's only the 1 soak so visiting waterfalls makes sense, sort of. I'll leave the reader to decide on that ...

There have also been a couple of smaller changes as well on the site, most notably the linkwithin widget. It has instantly became one of the better referrers. See also the Top Posts. How the ranking works I don't know, but already 6 posts are graded at 10 (out of 10). By the time the whole top 10 is such rated I'll have to ditch this widget, doesn't add much.

News / Features
Roxanne

An interesting post by Roxanne Downer which is to be published in Spafinder titled

'Spa Customs around the World'.

Spafinder mentions its global reach but has only 3 hot spring spa's in Asia (out of 5,000), one of which is in Southeast Asia (COMO Shambhala, Bali; which actually is not a hot spring spa ...).

Anyway Roxanne's article tackles the most anxiety causing issue, nudity apparently:

'Understandably, being undressed with someone you’ve just met can feel awkward. It certainly doesn’t help that customs regarding nudity at spas vary from country to country'.

If anything most people have problems being naked with people they know...
She then cites an Italian spa marketing manager who explains that it's due to Catholicism that nudity is a no-no in that country. Funny that in catholic France, Spain and Austria there are less qualms. Roxanne fails to guide us through on this the most anxious issue ....

Filipino (and Catholic?) Jhayelle Schluter takes undoubtedly a for Roxanne confusing bath in Japan.

Then feel reassured as:

'take comfort in the knowledge that, in many locales, single-sex treatment areas or hours and same-gender therapists are the norm'.

That's probably the conservative American in her speaking.

She then highlights how soaking in Japan is besides a ritual practice a social one, though again she lacks to mention that nudity is de-rigeur, even co-ed ....

Finally she tackles the American issue of utmost importance, tipping, though again no real guidance ...

Anxiety in China?
More on the aforementioned most anxiety causing subject. And in relation to China where they claim that nakedness is a western undesirability.
A good piece (from last year) in the China Daily by Raymond Zhou. He states:

'Is public nudity legal in China? I do not know. I have not heard of a law that legitimizes or forbids it, but it certainly goes against China's social mores. The puritanical constraints of Confucianism essentially put these matters off limit for rational debate. ...
Paradoxically, the Chinese society has long put up with social nudity. Someone told me of women in rural places, young and old, who in the old days did not bother to wear tops in the suffocating heat of summer. ...
In a country with more pressing issues to solve, naturism is something that concerns a tiny slice of social life. People who are into it should exercise common sense and refrain from creating a scene; they should visit secluded locations for their activities such as sun-bathing and swimming. While the public should be more open-minded, the gradual pace of social acceptance is the intangible rule that guides such things'.

The father of the nation, Mao, even was partial to a skinny dip:

'Mao took a liking to swimming naked [but not co-ed]'

(page 354, Mao, a biograhy by Ross Terrill).

Unfortunately Mr. Zhou may have said it all when stressing the lack of conformity in social mores and reality. Take Singapore a largely Confucianism based society:

'A 19-year-old student, who was one of the women participating in a topless car wash, has been expelled from her college ...
The student ... said she had only two months to her graduation'.

Source.
Though I personally view the whole idea of car washing half naked as a particular form of sexual exploitation (and childish), why a woman would get kicked off a school for doing what a male can do without any second thoughts seems obnoxious.

Promoting soaking?

'Guangdong Provincial Tourism Bureau has announced that October 25 will be Guangdong Hot Spring Tourism Day'.

From China Hospitality News.
Possibly there may be some understanding as to what a hot spring is:

'Guangdong is among the best provinces for hot spring operation, construction and services. It now has more than 300 hot springs that can be developed, 130 have already been developed, and 70 already in operation'.

That's a lot of hot springs. This list nearly contains 1200 references to hot springs and Guangdong.
Wonder what they mean with 'developed'?

Developed
A possible answer comes from the Philippines.

'Millions of pesos in government funds and taxpayers’ money were spent on an infrastructure project aimed to boost the tourism industry in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, but it has now turned into a “white elephant”, said incumbent officials of that city. ...
The officials are referring to the Mainit Spring Development project, where an unutilized swimming pool was built sometime in 2005. ....
However, as the project was well underway, it was discovered that the elevation of the swimming pool was way above the hot water source, and for still unclear reasons, the construction of the facility was stopped'.

Blogoshere
Malaysia

• A photographic guide to Annah Rais in My Life, My Sharing.

• More Sungai Klah at Netmoirs from a Solemn Rover:

  'Here is some facts about Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park (SKHSP) or Taman Rekreasi Air Panas (TRAP) Sungai Klah. First of all, this place is a must visit especially if you are a local as this place was carefully managed by FELDA, the leading agency spearheading plantations and agro-tourism industry. This place was inaugurated in December 2003 (mentioned above) with the building cost of over RM6 million. SKHSP is reputed to be one of the best hot spring in Malaysia. The hot spring is located 200 ft. above sea level at the foothill of the biggest mountain range in malaysia, the Titiwangsa Range. You pay a tenner per person, and RM7 for senior citizen'. ...
  'We wondered around not much as most stalls and shops were closed. It was Monday and it is such a pity that this kind of place are only lively in the weekends. Good news for xenophobics, if you hate contact and being a crowded place, this place is good for you during the weekdays!'

Thailand

• Pong Duet by Betty:

  'Pong Dueat is definitely not a world class attraction, but it is a beautiful, little-visited, quiet rest stop on the way to Pai. The hot springs must be a real attraction during the cold months, when mornings are positively chilly in the mountains. Also highly recommended if you want more scenery than concrete to go with your hot spring experience. ...
  As usual, Thai visitors were taking a dip all dressed up and we did not stick out'.

Vietnam

• A write up on Binh Chau by Sarahelaine, the nation's southern most hot spring. Resort: quite expensive. Rooms: very clean. Hot springs: lovely. Massages: very nice. More on the trip there and back here.

Cambodia

• Nyo Nyum August/September 2009 Edition of Cambodian Life . Click on photo above for full picture and text of Cambodia's only hot spring.
  

• Yet again more info on Kampong Speu's hot spring this time from an updated guide to the province on Cambodia.com:

  'The country’s only hot springs are found in Kampong Speu at Phnom Te village. Known as Te Teuk Pous, it is well off the beaten track and is easy to miss. Its name is derived from the name of its founder Lady Te and Tuek Pos, which is Khmer for boiling water. There has been some development around the springs to create a pool to collect the hot water from the ground but the developer appears to have dropped plans to convert the area into a golf and spa resort [appears refers to leaving the place deserted ...]. Changing rooms, soaking tub and picnic tables have been built but otherwise, there are no other facilities, nor people in attendance The springs are sacred to the Suoy minority tribe that still uses the site for religious ceremonies. To the Suoy, healing spirits reside in the hot springs. Small archaeological finds suggest that Angkor kings would use the springs for their therapeutic properties and the area could have been part of an Angkorera burial site. The belief in the spring’s healing waters still prevail today as the Kampong Speu locals who make their way to Te Teuk Pous believe that it will cure them of afflictions'.

Co-incidence or not, two foto's highlighting the difficulties in dealing with English while visiting a hot spring in Southeast Asia:

Source

Source

Updates for July 2009

I'll not bore too many of you, out there. As you can see there are a couple of original postings added / being added to the blog from a recent sojourn near Kanchanaburi, to the west of Thailand's capital of Bangkok.

Again I'm astounded that there are more hot springs than thought but despite the Thailand promoting it's 'unseen' side, there's too often difficulties in accessing these unseen places, while simultaneously there are places with loads of signboards which turn out to be decrepit sites, long beyond use.

From the press there is not too much going on. China, not being in Southeast Asia, does though provide some original news:

First of all there's the case of a fish spa, with ferocious fish. Though still to catch on elsewhere (and not always deemed safe, see blog entry 'Updates for May 09'), fish which tend to eat dead skin off soakers and as such, add an extra spa treatment. These fish succeeded in biting where you would not believe them to be:

'The man, .... sat in the water for half an hour without realizing the special fish were nibbling on his special parts instead of the dead skin. The manager of the club saw the man bleeding as he stepped out of the water and rushed him to a nearby hospital'.

The China Daily article (9 July 2009) does not mention what exactly was the damage. He was refused financial compensation as the manager mentioned that

'it was mandatory to keep pants on during treatments in the club'.

Some questions remain. If the fish are supposed to devour dead skin, what on earth were they doing there? If it was mandatory to have bathers on, why was the soaker naked?

The naked issue brings me to the next piece of press. Singapore's Strait Times (23 July 2009) mentions how soaking naked is a hot topic in China:

'Hangzhou - A naturist swimming resort to be open Saturday has ignited heated discussion in China where public nudity is still taboo'.

It appears that a hot sporing site was wanting to create two different pools, one for the ladies, one for gents and that bathing au naturel would be de-rigeur.

'Naturism has its root in western culture as Europeans were eager for self-expression after the Renaissance, which has little to do with the Chinese culture, said a column in Qilu Evening News in the eastern Shandong Province.'A naked pool is totally unacceptable in Chinese tradition and social customs. China need not to be in line with international practice in this regard,' the column concluded'.

Well, the Strait Times simply agrees by the looks. But is it the case? Surely in times bygone bathing naked in China was common (see link, scroll to Huaquing hot spring). In last months updates, there was precise the issue of soaking half-naked in China, which outside the developed eastern part seems still to take place. Even in the east, China does not seem so closed as it's rulers would like: '

'The naturist pools also have supporters. A survey by Zhejiang Online, a major portal Web site of Zhejiang province, showed that more than 40 per cent of the netizens said 'yes' to the naturist resort while 30 per cent regarded it unseemly and immoral'.

So 40% yes, 30% unsure, 30% against. Well, those against would need not to visit, so marketing wise it's should be ok, socially it seems ok, but ... those in say have other ideas, sadly.

And then there's giving the west the fault, surely Japan's bathing culture can't be categorized as western?

According to the Shanghai Daily (27 July 2009):

'A naturist swimming resort in Zhejiang Province was told its patrons must wear swimsuits the night before it opened as the authority described its business as "indecent."'

Bummer. It shows just how much Asian rulers are behind in times, a point which I have raised on other occasions when it comes to skinny dipping in Southeast Asia.
A 23 July 2009 article from the same Strait Times, but describing an author's onsen experience:

'In contrast, I and two other girls from Singapore tittered nervously before eventually dropping our robes. Thankfully, no one stared and we quickly grew comfortable walking around in a crowd of women. After a while, we even ventured outdoors to try the outdoor hot spring or rotemburo. Here, water gurgled down a tiny waterfall and into smoking pools under the sky and trees. Lying lazily in the hot water with the cold night air buffeting my upturned face and the sounds of rustling leaves and soft laughter, I could not remember why I had ever felt awkward. We emerged rosy, glowing and wonderfully relaxed'.

Back home in Singapore, this would be an obscenity even if done in one's own house! In the coming updates I'll illustrate that simple nakedness and soaking need not be immoral.
More on this article from China from Asianaturist and Cat's Chat.


More though, there actually already is a bathing area in China which allows nudity:

'A nudist bathhouse at a resort in Hongya, Sichuan Province, reopened Saturday, six years after closing due to pressure from local campaigners, the Sichuan Daily reported Sunday. The facility is at the Yuping Mountain Scenic Area and provides separate bathing for men and women. Security guards patrol the area and the taking of photographs is forbidden, Li Jun, manager of the resort, said.
...
“In foreign countries nudist bathhouses are usually opened by groups of like-minded people, but in China they always have a commercial purpose and attract a lot of pubic attention,” he said.

Apparently it was shut down after a year ... Actually it's unclear either way ... Anyway it concerns waterfalls, not a hot spring! In the Yuping Mountains ...

Blogging then:
I've weeded through all the searches and hardly found anything, but some photo's.

Philippines
Lisa Felipe from the Philippines enjoying a naked ('really') hot tub on Bohol(?).

• Some beautiful pictures from Mainit hot spring made by hradcranska.
  

• Coron, a picture of non-naked immorality?
  

Indonesia

• 
  

From Dylulena's flickr account the photo was taken last month:

'Indonesia, North Sulawesi, not too far from Tondano lake. I arrived there with the afternoon light .. Couldn't start shooting before my soul were fulfilled. There's a natural hot springs pond as green as the rice fields around it, naturally divided for men and women... Villagers keep coming there regularly just for the afternoon bath.. The view was unforgettable and will be always on my mind'.

• More info available on Suban hot spring (South Sumatra) here, looks good.

Thailand

• Suan Mokkh, Chaiya: not for men, not for women, but for monks. Photo by witpim.

Sorry, nothing from Malaysia ...