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