Updates 15 January 2011

Coming back from a recent visit to Lao, there are 2 entries coming. Both from Xieng Khouang province: one already published, one to be published later this or next month. This brings the list of countries with hot springs featured up to 7, nearly 40 featured soaks in all.

Despite the difficulties in traveling Lao it must rank high on anyone's 'to do' list. Culture and scenery are beautiful. And if willing to put up some effort, there are also nice hot springs and beautiful waterfalls to be visited (see Waterfalls of Southeast Asia). More entries in the waterfalls blog have taken place on Thailand, Lao and Cambodia.

Publishing new entries on Hot springs of the Himalaya has come to an end, from now on there will be only re-publishing as and when time allows, hopefully keeping the info published up to date.

Press
Other interesting news is being kept to a minimum, despite this being the ultimate season for soaking in Asia.
Sydney Morning Herald has put in a glowing overview of Banjaran Hotspring Resort near Ipoh, Malaysia. "Spectacular" is a quote which seems to justify the reporters free overnight stay; other than that she seems not very impressed.

Thanhniennews has a feature on Binh Chau, a hot spring I visited (and featured) earlier last year. added info is the fact that the springs were

' “discovered” in 1928 by a French doctor named Salle'.

As if not known before ... Overall a very positive article though again not very journalistic.

Further away, Cityweekend's Shanghai edition hopes it can get it's readers naked. At Tangshan hot spring.

'People have been getting naked there for 1,500 years, due to the hot springs and their famously curative waters. It was fenced off as a royal sanitarium for most of that time. These days, though, anyone with a little coin can take the plunge'.

Then it transpires they mean Kayamunis:

'You see, the Kayumanis is all about privacy. The 21 villas—each over 300 q. meters—are all enclosed by high walls. Inside you’ll find a cold plunge pool and what you came for—your own private hot spring nourished by 50 degree Celsius waters containing numerous healing elements. High walls means no roving eyes. Bathrobes are optional in your private estate, even in cold, early spring weather'.

The walls come with a price, upwards of $600 per night! Stay a few nights and you could have spent the same amount on a new bathroom with your own hot spring (?!).

Geothermality
A mainstream article by National Geographic looks at the future of geothermal power generation. Apparently Kenya will be leading the way followed by Indonesia.

Readers'tips
From the UK press, the Guardian comes this list of reader's tips concerning

'spa's and hot springs - the best places to chill out in warm water'.

The winning tip concern's New Zealand's Hot Water Beach and Kerosene Creek, even though they are nearly a day's drive away. From Southeast Asia the only tip concern's Thap Ba (Vietnam) while Asia at large gets tips on a hot spring in Jordan and 2 in Japan. So much for soaking being a popular past time ...

Hot Water Beach: dig in? (visited 2007)

Update October 2010

In the ever expanding soaking related blogs concerning Thailand, Southeast Asia and the mainland Asia more has been added.

Visits to hot springs in Indonesia (Songgoriti, Cangar, Parang Wedang, Cumbleng/Saptatirta and Thailand (Mae Kasa and Mae Klong).
In depth features on now nearly all hot springs in the Himal (added Afghanistan, India's Northeast) Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Guanxi/Guizhou and Mongolia) and north of that.
And the addition of a Tumblr photo site, just to celebrate soaking. Called Spirit of Soaking it compiles photo's from all over the world of people enjoying a hot soak as naturally as possible.

Just one of today's entries to Spirit of Soaking: Skinnydipper hot springs, Idaho, USA.

Art
Many of Southeast Asia's soaking sites are replicable and certainly not inspiring. Often it's the natural setting that makes them more likeable.
However that may not need to be the case always. An example of thinking out of the box came via this article on Naoshima sento (bathhouse), Miyanoura Japan. Residents in Miyanoura, Japan can now soak in their bathhouse which doubles as a work of art itself.

Naoshima bathhouse exterior

More art. Jennifer West makes films. Two and a half minutes long. One film from 2007 is entitled: 'Naked Deep Creek Hot Springs Film'. Not posted on Youtube?

Avoiding face
Despite some places in Asia where bathing naked is the custom, when entertaining guests from here, not always is this practice commonplace / accepted. Alan Eagle:

'When night falls during the Canadian summer, vacationers often peel off their clothes and jump in the water for a refreshing dip. It's partly to feel naughty, but mostly to feel free of society's burdens, gliding through the water like happy wild animals.
Recently a friend and I visited the beach at Beidaihe, and after a few late night drinks, decided it was time for a skinny dip. We invited some other friends to join in, but there were no takers. In fact, our Chinese friends seemed absolutely scandalized.
This puzzles me. I peeled off my clothes steps from the water, in the dark, where no one had a chance to see me au naturel. I think you could say the act was quite modest.
Especially as the tight Speedos favored by Chinese men leave no detail to the imagination. You can easily take the full measure of a man with a quick glance - something impossible to do with the baggy bathers preferred by Westerners.
(This is in contrast to the modest one-piece swimsuits with attached dresses and built-in falsies favored by Chinese women.)
So I'm not sure by what standard my midnight swim would be calculated as immodest. At any rate, I don't care because I enjoy shocking people'.

Talking about swimming naked, CNNGo has nothing better to do than list

'7 sexy skinny dips - Seven spots in Asia where clothing is just a chore'.

China, Sri Lanka, Thailand; all are places where going au naturel is fine. But strangely they are all exclusive resorts where the privacy you might want comes at a gigantic price, the cheapest quote 373 $US, most above $600. Surely the are other secluded places where the same effect can be achieved at no cost at all?

Malaysia
A slightly delayed update on Banjaran hot spring, near Ipoh. Since opening it has been getting good feedback and winning awards. Pity though that the price makes it exclusive. Nice for photo opts, not so for soaking ... the Star signs out as follows:

'The Banjaran experience calms your mind, energises your body and gives you a healthy glow, but since it is a plush retreat, expect a dent in your wallet . . . but worth every sen'.

Thailand
A new resort in Thailand's upcoming destination of Krabi. Scheduled for a January 2011 opening, Natthawaree is a hot spring resort and spa located at Ban Phueng, south of Krabi town. Forty four rooms (source) and many pools though the website says 77 rooms, so let's just see.
It's located near all other Krabi hot springs, might just be worthwhile visiting there this November ...

Singapore
More info on the history of Singapore's only public hot spring Sembawang. A very thorough article.

'People gather around the hot springs. Kawah Domas, Mount Tangkuban Perahu'

by Ripi