Soaking in Southeast Asia: Instasoak

Thursday, 14 April 2016

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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: