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💧 Relaksasi di hot spring

🏡 Stay di Villa Elfame Lokon

✨ Escape to tranquility under Lokon Mountain.

📍 @VillaElfameLokon

#VillaElfameLokon #HotSpringTomohon #EscapeToTranquility #TomohonTrip”

If you hardly publish anything, then no wonder that you get the feeling you are way behind things. So guess what?

On the other hand, despite all the geothermality on offer locally, there's conspicuously little finding it's way to even some obscure website. So if there's nothing to share?

So a little info on Southeast Asia to start off with. And then a lot on Eastern Asian bathing traditions and experiences.

Adventures and sunsets (Jul. 6, 2025) has some real news to share:

'Bali’s beautiful new hot spring

Located in Kintamani at the base of Mt Batur, Cinze Natural Hot Spring has almost 15 levels of bright blue hot springs pools that look like they’re maybe even modeled after the grutas tolontongo in Mexico or some other famous tiered springs! They’re v aesthetic with the volcano, lake, and mountains surrounding it  the perfect place for a drone flight!

They also have some villas on site with little private pools. We stayed at a Glamping site nearby though that we loved - more on that soon!

How it works is that the very top pool is the actual hot spring, and the pool at the bottom is cool. The pools gradually get cooler and cooler the further down you go!

It’s 150k for entry (about $10) and includes a towel and welcome drink. They also have a small and basic restaurant for refreshments!

More Indonesia.

You have a deal. To preserve and protect. In this case a deal with UNESCO. Concerning conserving a spectacular rainforest. But the deal predates the thought to exploit the available geothermal resource. Mongabay (Sep. 30, 2025) has the details:

'Indonesia is seeking to redraw the boundaries of a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest to pave the way for geothermal projects — part of its renewable energy push but a move environmentalists warn could devastate biodiversity and tarnish the country’s green reputation.

The Ministry of Forestry has proposed excluding two degraded areas — Suoh and Sekincau in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Lampung province — from the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS).

The TRHS is a 2.5 million-hectare (6.2 million-acre) site that also spans Gunung Leuser and Kerinci Seblat national parks, making it one of the largest conservation areas in Southeast Asia and the last habitat for many endangered animals.

Officials say the boundary change would free up some of the site’s vast geothermal potential, estimated at 5 gigawatts (GW), while maintaining TRHS’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) required by UNESCO.

“TRHS sites cannot [be used for geothermal], but we know there is huge potential there. It would be a pity not to make use of it,” said Satyawan Pudyatmoko, the ministry’s director-general of ecosystem conservation, as quoted by local media Sept. 18.

The government submitted the proposal in November 2023, with a decision expected in 2027'.

But UNESCO rules forbid this. The article continues:

'The narrative that geothermal is clean and low-impact often overlooks these risks, said Ki Bagus Hadikusuma, energy researcher at the NGO Auriga Nusantara.

He cited Sorik Marapi in North Sumatra, where gas leaks since 2022 have sent dozens of people to hospital and killed five, including two children.

Geothermal is also a water-hungry industry, like mining, which could threaten critical water sources in protected forests, Ki Bagus added.

...

For conservationists, the risks extend beyond biodiversity loss.

“Altering World Heritage boundaries for extractive projects like geothermal in TRHS not only threatens ecosystems and local communities but also risks damaging Indonesia’s standing in global diplomacy,” Atina said'.

More from Mongabay and Indonesia, this time (Jan. 16) on Flores:

'When Indonesia designated Flores a “geothermal island” in 2017, identifying up to 21 geothermal sites, the policy was framed as a cornerstone of the country’s renewable energy transition. Backed by international lenders and enshrined as a “national strategic project,” Flores was positioned as a global showcase for clean energy.

Eight years later, key geothermal projects on the island remain suspended, derailed by sustained resistance from Manggarai communities who argue that the transition has come at the expense of justice, safety and cultural survival, found a study published Nov. 13 in the journal Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space.

...

For now, geothermal operations in Wae Sano and Poco Leok remain paused, not resolved. Whether Indonesia’s energy transition can move forward without repeating old injustices, researchers say, remains an open question'.

Báo Phú Tho (21 Aug. 2025) in a Vietnamese article looks at exploiting the local hot springs of Than Thuy. Translated: 

'Possessing abundant tourism resources, especially natural and unique hot mineral resources, Thanh Thuy commune is focusing on exploiting its potential and strengths to attract tourists and become a key tourist area of the province'.

Over to Cambodia. Phnom Penh Post (Mar. 25, 2025) on the country's only hot spring:

'The Te Teuk Pus (Hot Water) geothermal site is being developed into a community-protected natural area and nature tourism corridor, adding to the almost 200 community-based conservation sites that the Ministry of Environment manages, across 15 provinces.

...

A rare geothermal site, its water temperatures reach up to 70°C. The six hot springs in the area emit water with a scent similar to sulfur and limestone. They cover an 80-square-metre water surface within a 5-hectare natural area filled with tall grass, reeds and red sandstone.

According to the provincial administration, the Suoy indigenous people believe Te Teuk Pus is a sacred site that brings good fortune to visitors. It is also believed to have healing properties, with some locals claiming that washing one's face in its clear waters can help cure ailments'.

The Vientiane Times (Jul. 1, 2025) on a long shot initiative:

'Bokeo authorities have begun transporting hot spring water over a distance of nearly 50 kilometres to the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, aiming to install hot spring facilities for visitors and promote tourism in the area.

The Poung Loc hot spring contains metasilicic acid that is rich in various nutrients that are beneficial to the human body and have health benefits.

It promotes heart health and blood circulation, strengthens bones, and nourishes the skin.

...

The water temperature in the Poung Loc hot spring is as high as 90 degrees Celsius. After being transported to the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone through a 47.45-kilometre pipeline, the temperature can be maintained at around 60 degrees Celsius.

The daily water volume is stable at 2,000-3,000 cubic metres, which is 

considered sufficient to lay a stable foundation for future developments'.

From Thailand, a national Top 10 hot springs for relaxation. WanderOn (May 29, 2025):

'Thailand’s got a secret: hot springs. Not just any hot springs, but steamy pools hidden in jungles and mountains. It is one of the best places to visit in Thailand. Imagine stumbling across a natural hot tub while hiking, that’s what we’re talking about.
These aren’t your average puddles. The water’s hot enough to boil an egg. Locals swear by them for fixing everything from sore backs to skin problems. Some people even drink the water, claiming it’s good for their insides.
You’ll find these hot springs in Thailand all over, from Chiang Mai in the north to Ranong down south. Some are wild and untouched, perfect for adventurers looking for adventure activities in Thailand. Others are decked out with massage rooms and fancy pools'.

A good overview.

More Thai. Channel News Asia (Jul. 24, 2025):

'The Thai government is pushing a nationwide policy to position the kingdom as a top-tier wellness destination, with a hefty budget and multi-year strategy to develop infrastructure.
...
The policy aims to build up the capacity and connectivity of lesser-known hot spring areas
...
A survey by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in 2023 identified 118 hot springs throughout Thailand. They vary in kind and location, from natural areas to urban settings. Others are more rural and isolated, with the majority located in the country’s north, while there are 13 located in Ranong.
“Our concept connects hot springs with nearby attractions to create an international Thai hot spring brand and distribute income to secondary cities,” Nattareeya Thaweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, announced in May'.

Though it's understandable that governments want progress, it seems the focus on hot selling these to foreigners is a bit off emulating Japan's mostly locally used hot springs.

jojoo_bu

Guess who is stuck in the pai hole?

Pai is about so much more than just chilling in hot springs. It was about watching my mind and beeing overwhelmed about how it looks like and how big it is. It was about dealing with my mind screaming inside of my head. It is about finding my intuition back.

Pai is not only about finding answers, it is more about realising that i don't even have all the questions and to enjoy the journey of finding them. Its about getting trust in life.

One more thing i learned: A bunch of beautiful red flowers braided in the hair of a horse is kind of toxic. So instead I let them be part of the soap bubbles emerging from the side of a cube, dancing in the wind.

#paihole#pai#northernthailand#thailandtravel#hotsprings#friends#travelbuddies#meditation#travelsolo#wanderlust#fernweh#weltreisen#nature#naturelovers#healing#backpacker#backpacking

Stay

The wider region then.
Think GeoEnergy (Jan. 27):

'In the past two to three years, more and more of the locals in the village of Dazhaozhuang in Wucheng County in Shandong Province, China, have decided to return and stay, despite the harsh winters. Much of the credit for the revitalization of the village goes to the 1500-meter geothermal well that now supplies the heating systems of the villagers’ homes.
...
Zhao Jinli, the village property manager, explains that the geothermal well in the east of the village discharges water at nearly 60 °C. The water is then filtered and purified before it enters the heat exchanger, which produces water at 40 °C. This is then supplied to the village’s heating system and fed to the homes of the villagers.

And then bathing traditions. Those foreign to foreigners.
The West Australian (Jan. 24) looks at global bathing traditions. (East) Asia? Onsen and jjimjilbang.
So what makes these so special? Starting with the latter.

Sydney Morning Herald (Mar. 23, 2025):

'For my 50th birthday, friends wanted to treat me to a Korean bath experience. Having had a conservative upbringing, I was horrified. I’d have to get my kit off in front of my friends. Fortunately for me, the Korean baths they’d chosen had closed and we enjoyed a high tea instead'.

What follows are the sharing of a bath in Lake Baikal.

Again from Australia, Escape (Jun. 27, 2025):

'Call me crazy, but I generally try to avoid getting naked in large crowds. Obviously, it’s generally frowned upon in the eyes of the law, but there’s also a level of… let’s call it ‘quiet discomfort’ that comes with getting down to skins in front of hundreds.

Unless, of course, I’m in South Korea and I’m headed to a bathhouse, then all rules go out the window and I can’t strip down fast enough.

...

I dump my clothes, gather my courage and strut my naked self through the change rooms out to the hot springs (they give you a hand towel, but it is nowhere near enough to protect your modesty). Everyone has to scrub down at a washing station before entering the bath and I do, but the minute I enter a body of 40-degree water some five minutes later, a spa mistress becomes incensed that I haven’t washed my hair (which is up in a bun) and starts shouting at me to get back out and try again.

...

Is a Jjimjilbang experience for you? Only if you’re completely comfortable with public nudity. Me? I plan to go back, but next time, I’ll be sure to bring ear plugs'.

We' re now well and truly in the experiences. All following of Japan.

CNN (Oct. 17, 2025) on what's it really like ... to visit a Japanese hot spring:

Onsen are baths filled with geothermally heated, mineral-rich water. They’ve long been part of Japanese culture, but foreign travelers often struggle with the nudity aspect. Boaz Rottem/Alamy Stock Photo

...

Growing up in the UK, bathing nude with strangers was not something I ever experienced — or even imagined experiencing. But in Japan, it’s a part of everyday life.

...

Today, countless onsen are dotted across Japan, from local towns to large purpose-built resorts — more than 3,000, according to the Ministry of Environment — each filled with hot spring water.

...

“At first, I was a bit shy, not only because I was undressing in front of a friend, but also among total strangers,” says bathhouse expert Stephanie Crohin. Originally from France, Crohin quickly realized that she was the only one thinking about nudity.

“Everyone else was just scrubbing, chatting, or soaking — so I relaxed,” she recalls.

It wasn’t until years later, when visiting a type of public bathhouse called a sentō with a university friend, that she fell in love.

....

Hot spring newbies may think they’re going to stand out or draw attention in a local onsen, but Crohin says the reality is the opposite.

“Every body comes with its own imperfections, and this is the only place I know where nobody cares,” she says.

Her advice for bathers who are feeling first-time nerves: treat it as a cultural experience, not just a bath. After a few minutes, the discomfort of being naked in public is quickly forgotten.

...

The same sentiment is shared by Hoshino Resorts. Opening its doors in 1914 as Hoshino Onsen Ryokan, a small family-run ryōkan, as traditional Japanese inns are called, in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, the company has since grown and now has accommodation options across Japan and the rest of Asia.

“For Western visitors to Japan who are feeling nervous about their first visit to a public bath or unsure about the etiquette, our primary advice is: don’t worry!” says Chanel Cai, a resort representative.

“In fact, Japanese people are not observing or aware about other people’s bodies in the public bath, it’s simply a part of daily life here.” As soon as they are immersed in hot spring waters, she says, bathers are in a world of their own.

“There’s no need to feel self-conscious.”

...

Then, I made my way to the hot spring pools. Under the freezing night sky, snowflakes falling, we sat and soaked among groups of women and small children, chatting about life, problems and hopes.

That calm atmosphere stayed with me. Whenever I travel around Japan, hot spring visits are a must.

There really had been nothing to worry about'.

Another UK perspective on onsen culture. Metro (Jul. 12, 2025):

'But I didn’t quite expect a deeply respected tradition that dates back centuries to be so…revealing.

I’m talking nude public bathing. Or, rather, onsen.

...

Being nude is considered part of the cultural practice, and wearing clothes is considered disrespectful and unhygienic'.

Vogue (Apr. 9, 2025):

'... my first priority when I arrived in Japan last spring was to experience a Japanese hot spring pool, known as an onsen.

...

I was delighted to discover a public onsen located two floors below my room in the Sheraton. As I entered the women’s changing room, I noticed a woman with an amputated arm bathing herself in a long line of women seated on small stools rigorously scrubbing their bodies. All bodies are welcome here, I reassured myself.

...

Worse, I worried other women would see my thin body as a representation of diet culture and resent me. I tried to remind myself my worries were mostly a projection of my own insecurities and that the women around me were likely more preoccupied with their own reflection to care.

....

After letting my gaze linger a little too long, I realized all the other women had their eyes downcast, suggesting that here, a woman’s body is no one’s business but her.

...

Turns out there is real evidence that getting naked boosts confidence. Research by Dr. Keon West, a professor of psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, finds that spending time naked around others—what he refers to as ‘naturism’—improves body image, self-esteem and life satisfaction. The research describes naturism as an important counterforce to overexposure to the idealized bodies we grow up believing are the norm.own. But what struck me most was the silence. There was an air of confidence that can only come from women who are living in their bodies, fully embodied and present. A woman in the corner of my pool had her back turned to me and was transfixed on a tree in the inner courtyard. In the changing room, another woman gazed at herself in the mirror—not fixing or perfecting, just observing, as if seeing herself for the first time.

...

Unlike the quiet Japanese onsen where you keep to yourself, the Korean jjimjilbang was boisterous and convivial, and everything was shared ...'.

Metropolis Japan (Apr. 15 2025) a Japanese soaking experience from a US perspective:

'What the Japanese Bathhouse Can Teach Us About Body Image

Does it feel weird to be naked in a sento?

...

You walk in, strip down, wash thoroughly and then soak. It’s not revolutionary—but what is different is the total absence of self-consciousness. No one’s comparing sizes, scars, shapes or skin. The rules in the bathhouse are simple: be clean, be quiet and don’t splash. That’s it.

Somewhere around visit three, something clicked. I stopped walking with my arms crossed. I stopped turning my back to the room. The bathhouse taught me something no Instagram therapist ever could: When you stop hiding your body, you stop hiding from yourself.

It wasn’t about confidence—it was about neutrality. I wasn’t suddenly proud of my thighs or excited about the curve of my stomach. I just… didn’t think about it. That silence was more powerful than praise'.

Rolling

So if onsen bathing is such a positive experience, why then is the tradition as such under threat?

The Nikkei Asia (May 11,2025) notes this :

'As Japan's traditional bathhouses, or sento, face a wave of closures across Tokyo, the metropolitan government is launching initiatives to help find new ownership and to assist with renovating facilities.

With aging owners confronted with a shrinking customer base and costly repairs, many sento are shuttering rather than passing the torch. As a result, the number of the public baths across the capital has plummeted to just one-sixth of its peak.

Starting in fiscal 2025, Tokyo is rolling out a new program to support ownership transfers. It will help current owners work with consultants to find successors for their bathhouses and to cover part of the rent and renovation costs typically borne by new management'.

designboom (Jun. 14, 2025) looks at Nude Architecture. Well that's the title of a book:

'Architect and visual storyteller Yuval Zohar brings more than ten years of travel across Japan to life in his latest book, Towards a Nude Architecture, published by the Dutch imprint nai010. Using a curated mix of photographs, hand-drawn diagrams, collages, and maps, Zohar takes readers on a journey through Japan’s unique bathing culture.

...

As communal bathing becomes less common in modern urban life, many of these traditional places are disappearing or being transformed, with Zohar’s book reflecting on this change.

...

Zohar, based in the onsen town of Yugawara, takes readers on an immersive, almost topographical journey, where water and steam become guiding metaphors for transformation and collective intimacy. His visual documentation, both personal and precise, includes baths nestled in mountains, forgotten rural sento slowly reclaimed by vegetation, diagrams showing how volcanic activity shapes site planning, and collages where human bodies dissolve into clouds of vapor.

Even though architecture here serves as a membrane between the social and the elemental, the story Zohar tells is also one of disappearance. As local bathhouses shutter due to aging owners, dwindling visitors, and the rise of mega-facilities or in-home baths, the future of Japanese communal spaces faces an uncertain future. The book becomes a quiet call to action, aiming to protect these fading sanctuaries of the everyday, where the unclothed body exists without hierarchy and where architecture hosts a fragile form of coexistence'.

Nikkei (Mar. 22, 2025) also chimes in, a very nice read. And review:

'After a four-hour boat ride Zohar arrived at the remote, sulfuric island, where he rented a bicycle and pedaled through tropical shrubbery to his destination -- a natural hot spring bath right on the ocean known as Higashi Onsen.

"The sky was a perfect blue, the emerald water was striking, and I couldn't wait to get in," Zohar says of his experience.

"I stripped off my clothes, stepped into the baths, and looked out into the beautiful landscape while steeping in the heat. The feeling was magical; it is not often that my jaw actually drops. I just stared out at the water and kept saying "wow ... ."

Zohar's journey to Higashi Onsen, a place of exceptional beauty but so remote that he had the emerald waters of the onsen (hot spring bath) almost entirely to himself, underscores his passion for soaking in these Japanese baths -- an experience he describes as "a beautiful connection between nature, architecture and the naked body."

...

The unusual title, Zohar explains, was inspired by the Japanese concept of hadaka no tsukiai, which can be translated as "naked friendship," a phrase used to describe the honest and equal relationships between people from all walks of life that happens when they are sharing a bath, stripped of all the accoutrements of social status.

...

Despite its history, though, public bathing faces an uncertain future. The number of sento and onsen is dwindling, partly because most people have their own baths at home and partly due to a growing labor shortage.

As numbers fall, the kind of bonding that flattens the hierarchy of normal daily life and is only achieved by being naked with strangers is disappearing, Zohar noted.

Even Dogo Onsen has had to experiment with new ways of attracting visitors, particularly young people who may not find the act of soaking in a hot bath with strangers as appealing as older people with ailments.

When I visited Dogo Onsen more than a decade ago, the town put on a mesmerizing projection on the facade of the 130-year-old Honkan building and several hotels turned their rooms into art-filled galleries. My hotel room was decorated with photographs of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and red dots that covered everything from the refrigerator to the shoji screens. Other hotels featured different artists.

...

Whether or not Zohar succeeds in raising public awareness of the benefits of communal bathing, "Towards a Nude Architecture" will deepen international interest in and appreciation of Japanese bathing culture'. 

chickenmansphilosophy

- 體驗簡單與自然， 捨棄對於物質的執著與不滿；

接受不完美， 欣賞無常， 活在當下。

🪨 @ezaischill 📸 @chickenmansphilosophy

For something different.

Japanese musician Meitei on a recent release of his ambient music (Aug. 2025) which includes the sounds of onsen bathing. Listen to for instance Sen'nyū. How the musical project came into experience:

'In the final month of 2024, Meitei arrived in Beppu, a city long steeped in vapor, myth, and mineral memory. Invited to create onsen ambient music commemorating Beppu’s 100th anniversary, he immersed himself in the city’s geothermal psychogeography, where sound rises from the ground and time clings to mist.

Known for his Lost Japan (Shitsu-nihon) works, which channel forgotten eras into flickering auditory relics, Meitei took residence in the warehouse of Yamada Bessou, a century-old inn perched by the bay. Over two weeks, he listened intently to steam, to stone, to the atmosphere itself. The resulting work, Sen’nyū, traces the inner spirit of onsen culture. Like water finding its path, the music emerged with quiet inevitability, shaped by Meitei’s synesthetic sensibility and deep attunement to place.

Equipped with a microphone, he wandered Beppu’s sacred sites: Takegawara Onsen, Bouzu Jigoku, Hebin-yu, and the private baths of Yamada Bessou. There, he captured the breath of the springs, bubbling mud, hissing vents, wind against bamboo, and the murmurs of daily visitors. These field recordings became the sonic bedrock of Sen’nyū, an act of deep listening that attempts to render even the rising mist and shifting heat into sound.

Unfolding as a single, continuous piece, Sen’nyū drifts like fog through sulfur and stone. It traverses the veiled madness of Bouzu Jigoku, the spectral resonance of Yamada Bessou’s inner bath, and the hushed voices of Takegawara Onsen. It is a gesture of quiet reverence, for water’s patience, the land’s memory, and the hands that have bathed here for generations.

Where Meitei’s earlier works conveyed his personal impression of a fading Japan, Sen’nyū is grounded in tactile presence, music not imagined but encountered. Here, his practice moves closer to the spirit of kankyō ongaku, environmental music born from place, shaped by it, and inseparable from it.

As part of the project, Meitei conceived a two-day public sound installation inside Takegawara Onsen, culminating in a live performance. Bathers soaked in mineral-rich waters while submerged in sound, an embodied ritual of place, body, and listening'.

sonthanapg

#Outdoor #onsen #beppu #yamadabessou #oita #japan #kyushu

Hongkong's Standard (Aug. 14, 2025) features an article on Le Furo:

'Japan's famous "onsen" hot springs were long considered unexportable, until an idea struck Naoki Mita one day: what if he could condense them like espresso coffee?

Mita's Tokyo-based venture firm, Le Furo, has invented a technology it calls "craft onsen" -- whereby hot spring ingredients are extracted and filtered into an ultra-high concentration.

...

The entrepreneur says many commercially available "onsen powders" are synthetic and put an emphasis on mimicking the relaxing colour and scent, and don't necessarily contain the necessary ingredients.

Only after solid metals such as iron, magnesium and zinc dissolve into water does it become possible to chemically resemble onsen and recreate the therapeutic effect, Mita said.

Le Furo's technology sticks to the natural soil and minerals of hot spring sources, and uses a special method to make them soluble in water'

Finally in this section, the perceived threat to onsens, physically. Think GeoEnergy (Nov. 18, 2025). See also f.i. earlier mention of Indionesian developments:

'The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) have launched the Geothermal Frontier Project to address long-standing barriers to geothermal development. These include high exploration risk, long timelines, complex permitting rules and limited access to promising sites within natural parks.

Yuzawa City has been confirmed as the first candidate site for the programme. JOGMEC will conduct drilling surveys and fumarolic tests in designated areas and share data with operators. The agency will also take over completed wells at the request of developers, reducing upfront risk and cost'.

Diversion

zachary_chen_1125

新年必來的野溪溫泉行❤️

#芃芃溫泉

Hot spring info from the region.

So very little. Or maybe everything is becoming so non-informative.
Anyway we start from Taiwan, not even in the region.

TaipeiTimes (Oct. 21) on another natural soak set to disappear. Also the lead photo.

'The Fanfan wild hot spring (梵梵溫泉) in Yilan County is to be diverted to formal tourist facilities and closed to the public if approved by the local council, as overtourism is harming the area’s ecology and disturbing residents.

...

The Fanfan hot spring has become popular in recent years, with many visitors driving their vehicles directly onto the riverbank, barbecuing and leaving trash behind.

The situation has raised the ire of local residents, who have closed off the access road to try and stop people from coming to no avail'.

Hotspringjourneys (Feb. 4) lists 12 "best" Indonesian finds. Oddly no. 1 isn't even a hot spring, then there's also a duplication.

A report from the Philippines News Agency (Jan. 10), where apparently new hot springs are occuring:

"Reports of hot springs in Barangays Sinisian and Calawang in Lemery date back even before (the) 2020 eruption. The(re) are videos on YouTube as early as 2014," Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in an interview.

A video posted recently by Facebook user Imman Supremo showed an apparent hot spring at Sinisian East Beach.

The video had 105,000 views as of writing'.

Plugging

A wider look at soaks and soaking.

From New Zealand (even outside the wider region) intriguing news concerning the fate of Waiwera hot spring (NZHerald, Mar. 9). The main points of the article:

• 'After decades of decline, Waiwera’s famed coastal artesian hot springs are showing signs of recovery.
• That recovery has come after the 2018 closure of the iconic Waiwera Thermal Resort, which was demolished altogether in 2023.
• Scientists say it’s possible the springs could again become a tourist draw if the remaining leaking boreholes are plugged'.

Further more, the prospect / potential nightmare:

'If the springs were to return through sustainable management of the system, Viskovic [ study lead author] said they could again become a major tourist attraction.

He noted the 700,000 visitors who flock to Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach each year.

“The community in Waiwera is not set up for those numbers of visitors, but these kinds of natural springs are hugely popular with international visitors, so [it] could have a positive economic effect on the economy of the local area,” Viskovic said'.

Further Magazine has a shout out (Dec. 24, 2024) to Greta Rybus's world tour of hot springs, in book form:

'Hot springs aren’t just great for unwinding. As Rybus demonstrates in the essays accompanying her photographs, their depths contain stories — and diverse ideas about wellness, environmentalism, and social life. For the book, she visited 23 hot springs on five continents over several years, a journey that sent her from the wind-whipped salt flats of Bolivia to the desert sands of South Africa and the fjords of Greenland. We talked to the Maine-based photojournalist about what she found'.

Snippets from the ensuing Q and A:

'You’re an American who spent part of her childhood in Japan. How did that affect your perspective?

I grew up going to hot springs as a kid in Idaho, where we did things like climbing and skiing, and where enjoying nature was almost this competitive or work relationship. But then my parents, who were schoolteachers, moved us to Japan to teach on a military base and I noticed this difference in the hot springs there.

How so?

I saw more families going. I have a very distinct memory of going to this onsen that was really popular with old ladies and having an elder tell me to clean more thoroughly. I wasn’t being admonished; I was being invited in. They’re using buckets of water, washing their hair, scrubbing under their nails, brushing their teeth. For most Americans, this whole process is not something we’re used to'.

So Japan then. Japan Times reports (Dec. 23) on how the town of Ginzan onsen is trying to limit the number of visitors:

'Many [visitors] share photos online of its old-fashioned buildings blanketed in snow and illuminated by lamplight that create a nostalgic atmosphere.

However, authorities in Ginzan Onsen, as in more famous destinations such as Kyoto and Mount Fuji, have become fed up with a rise in road problems, quarrels and other nuisances.

From Monday, only people staying at local hotels will be allowed to enter the town after 8 p.m., while those wishing to visit between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. will need a reservation'.

Knobbly

Over to soaking culture, we would like to share from the region, though it's mostly from Japan.

The Times (Feb. 28) for instance, comes with another one of those "how taking an onsen changed me; to the positive":

'Because, as I bore it all that day, unshaved legs and knobbly knees included, I joined a crowd of women who were comfortable with how they were. And it made me realise that my body hang-ups were the most insignificant thing in the world. Here were all kinds of bodies. Young. Old. Wrinkled. Smooth. Decrepit. Sexy. And no one cared. I had been so desperately worried about taking my kit off and — now that I had — I was just another bare arse in the crowd.

It was something quite beautiful to behold. A sea of security. A celebration of the female form and an acceptance that just to be, as you were, was good enough''.

But even this is slowly evolving. 

Hotspringaddict suggested (Jan. 28) bathing habits are changing in Japan, notably that's how he experiences it:

'Around three decades ago, my Japanese wife brought me to Suzume-no-yu, a traditional hot spring within the boundaries of Kyushu's Aso-Kujo National Park. It was my first time bathing naked or almost naked with men and women that I had never met before. But soaking unclothed in the hot mineral water of this konyoku, which means a mixed-sex bathing area, felt natural and relaxing.

...

So I was shocked when I recently returned and discovered all the bathers wearing swimming suits. Japan has changed considerably in the last thirty years.

...

The fear of being photographed while innocently bathing and having one's body exposed on the internet shows the pernicious influence of smartphones and SNS on bathing culture.

I predict the number of public baths where naked men and women can bathe together in a relaxed environment will continue to decrease'.

Chic

Then an article on the above (communal bathing dare we say?) from Sydney Morning Herald (Feb. 1) which likens this as the new fade in Australia (thus the neccesity to report on):

'But as they [the rest of the " older"? world] have done for millennia, public baths are evolving and driven by our ever-expanding interest in wellness. Now a new generation of bathhouses is rising in urban destinations, including Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

...

Chic design and easy accessibility for those living in and visiting cities are the hallmarks of these places. So too, bathing suits – unlike many of the traditional experiences where nudity is requisite. Dean says what also sets the new-style bathhouse apart from the traditional is connection.

“While traditional bathhouses focus on silence and introspection, we believe wellness is about conscious connection as much as self-care. Soak is a space where you can spend quality time and enjoy genuine in-person connection with friends, family, or even just yourself. We’ve also brought the healing powers of the natural world into the urban location, creating a serene environment where guests can reconnect with both themselves and the natural world around them.”

So just a notch above the swimming locale?

From Sense of Self (Jan. 22), a blog about well-being burnt-out:

'While the idea of ‘wellbeing’ is supposed to help us move away from destructive behaviours and move toward a healthier, happier version of ourselves – the commercialisation of what makes us well could be doing the opposite.

...

Recent reports show that the relentless pursuit for wellbeing is actually keeping us from being well. Misinformation on social media platforms is adding to societal pressure to ‘appear well’. This is obviously counter-intuitive to avoiding further stress, anxiety and burnout. To quieten the noise of wellbeing messaging, we now need to make a conscious choice to resist the clutter. To allow oneself to rest has become a radical act of self compassion.

One of the possible solutions:Instead of accumulating more things, invest in a visit to the bathhouse, taking yourself to a film or simply a day off to do nothing at all'.

Finally the sauna movement of Japan as reported by Japan Times (Nov. 25) is gaining ever more popularity in the country:

'According to a 2024 survey by the Japan Sauna Institute, the number of sauna enthusiasts — or “saunners” (pronounced saunā), as they’re called in Japan — has grown by an additional 1 million in the past year alone.

...

If you’re a budding saunner looking for a place to start your journey, why not start at the top? Mimicking the authority of Michelin’s gourmet rankings, sauna consulting collective TTNE confers its own prestigious Saunachelin Awards upon a handful of locations each year.

This year’s No. 1 spot went to Totopa, a gorgeous location in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward with several saunas, breathing rooms and other amenities. An hour there will only set you back just over ¥2,000 with tax. Coming in at second and third place were Tokyo Sauna and Treatment Sauna SteaMs, both in Minato Ward.

Concerning the popularity among younger generations:

'With pandemic restrictions over, saunas not only provide young people with a place to meet but a reprieve from electronic devices. As an escape from the relentless barrage of notifications, social media and surveillance, saunas have become spaces where patrons can savor meaningful bonds or find contemplative solitude.

An architect of sauna and sentō (public baths), Kentaro Imai notes that financial challenges also play a part in their popularity.

“One factor is that young people today don’t earn much,” he says. “In that context, I think many young people prefer to spend time with just a small group of close friends or like-minded individuals. For just a few thousand yen, it’s the perfect leisure activity.”

At the same time, amid broader trends of self-improvement, fitness and beauty in Japan, saunas also offer the tangible benefits of radiant skin and relief for tired muscles, making them an appealing choice for young people seeking both wellness and connection'.

anna_kozics

The forest birthed her soul in me, and I belonged to every tree. 🍃

Cracked

womanbewild

There are natural hot springs in Bali that overlook layers and layers of rice patties. The kind of place fairytales are made of.

While I was sitting in the springs, thunder cracked and rain poured like I’d never seen it pour. It was so spectacular I laughed. It was so beautiful I cried.

In that moment I knew, that’s what we’re here to feel. We’re here to feel things to their extreme.

Another well overdue post on some topical issues on soaking and bathing in Southeast Asia and the wider world.

Staying local first.

The Smart Local reports (Oct. 16) on hot spring resorts near Singapore that almost feel like Japan. Nearby is defined as less than 4 hours flying! Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Klook presents (Feb. 15) 14 mostly natural Taiwanese hot springs.
Mytour clocks up (Feb. 15) 12 Vietnamese hot springs, all very much resort like.

A larger newsitem from Khaosod (Jan. 22) on Thailand:

'The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has set the goal of urgently upgrading the hot springs in Thailand to “spa towns” like in Europe or “onsen towns” like in Japan in order to create a hot spring economy.

...

To this end, the hot springs in nearby provinces will be developed into a system of 7 hot spring or wellness routes and linked together to create a global marketing brand and expand tourism to secondary cities'.

a_yokohira

#worldbathingday

らしいので私も古い写真から

秘蔵フォトを📸😂

マロボ温泉♨️2011夏

東ティモール🇹🇱を各所、温泉冒険した時のこと。ここはポルトガル統治時代に造られたと言われてるところ🇵🇹

遺跡のような建造物、お湯は滝のように流れてて水路をつたい巨大プールに注がれてる。なんて強力な源泉掛け流し！🥺これがまた最高な泥湯で泥パックし放題。付近の川もそこら辺が温泉♨️温泉天国すぎてそれはもうびっくりだった。

当時はオーストラリア軍が治安維持に入ってた頃だったんだけど、地図も詳細なものがまともに存在しておらず驚愕。どこに連れて行かれるか毎度謎のまま、道は現地のアテンド任せでなすままに。今Googleマップ見ても道ないね…笑　航空写真からは確認できた。当時は廃墟みたいでそこにこんこんと沸き続ける湯、という風情もなかなかに琴線に触れるものがあった。今は建造物も色々つくられてきてる模様。予定通り観光地化を進めてるのかな。

それにしてもうっかり干支一回りしてしてた！なんてこと！

ここ何年か温泉疎かにしてたけど、年齢的にめちゃ必要になってきてしまったことに最近しみじみ気づき、改めてちゃんとした湯をまた選んで入りたいなと思ったのでした♨️

#marobo #marobohotsprings #timorleste #東ティモール

#onsen #温泉 #世界の温泉

#hotsprings #hotspring

忘れてたけど#温泉ソムリエ #温泉入浴指導員 #温泉観光実践士

今は放置だけど#旅程管理主任者 #添乗員 #ツアーコンダクター だしわりと特殊な#プロ添 #ツアコン

#なおこの時より5キロ増 涙

Filipino Business Inquirer (Jan. 8) shares this:

'The Consunji family conglomerate DMCI Holdings is developing a 40-hectare (ha) leisure estate in the Philippine hot spring capital of Laguna province, which will include a Japanese-style onsen and villas, as part of efforts to diversify its property holdings'.

Then loads of blah, blah, blah.

The Diplomat looks at Indonesia's geothermal development (Nov. 21):

'Indonesia’s investment plan for the $20 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) calls for rapid growth in renewable energy of all kinds. This includes variable renewables such as solar and wind, and also what are called dispatchable renewables like geothermal and hydropower.Solar and wind are intermittent sources of power generation, because they depend on whether the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. Geothermal and hydro can supply the grid with steadier and more predictable forms of electricity generation.

According to the JETP scenario, by 2030 solar and wind together will be generating 14 percent of Indonesia’s electricity. In the same year, geothermal and hydro will produce 22 percent'.

South China Morning Post (Jan. 21) focuses on Taiwan's few naturists. One way to escape textile culture:

'Hot-spring culture is popular all over Taiwan, but is usually gender-segregated. It may be traditional to go nude, but hot-spring locations will either separate men and women or require bathing suits in public spas.

However, that doesn’t stop some from renting out a hot spring for a private party and using it however they like'.

duolong_ at Espa Yeh Panes Penatahan

Aeon has a large feature (Feb. 2) on how bathing water should be a cities future:

'In my daily life in New York, as a working parent with two young kids, I find solace in water. And not just baths and beaches, but the many watery environments that urban planners and designers call ‘blue spaces’: rivers, pools, coastlines, ports and other waterways and watercourses. More than anything else, water calms me and brings me to the present. I love the way it sounds, the way it looks, and the way it smells. But, most importantly, I love the way it feels. And I’m not alone.

...

Appearing in many culturally distinct shapes and sizes, communal city baths – including ancient Roman thermae, Turkish hammams and Japanese onsen – have long fostered a deep, healing sense of togetherness, abundance, relaxation and grounding. Many of these public spaces were successful because they were inexpensive (or free) and widely accessible. However, in New York and other unequal 21st-century cities, as more luxury baths and spas are built, public blue spaces are in decline. Pools are built over and poorly maintained; waterways are polluted and neglected; and ocean beaches are rendered inaccessible to those who most need their curative qualities.

...

As investment in public blue spaces has declined, there has been a concurrent boom in private ‘luxury’ spa facilities – a reflection of the growing influence of the ‘wellness’ industry on urban development. I must confess, a trip to one of these baths or spas is one of my favourite winter activities in the city, which I spread out because each visit is not cheap, ranging from around $50 to more than $100. These visits have become therapeutic rare treats, but also an indirect opportunity to create cultural connections with other bathers. After each visit, I leave feeling relaxed and closer to my local community. I also leave feeling irked that these experiences remain expensive due to a lack of investment in public goods. New York seems to have forgotten its past, its long history of communal bathing.

...

Models for collective bathing do in fact exist, they’re just not easily accessible in New York. In Europe and the UK, there are trends toward public cold water plunges and reclaiming parts of urban waterways for mental health swims. But such initiatives tend to emerge in national systems that use public funds to prioritise collective wellbeing.

...

We are living in times of crisis that require a global reconceptualisation of public health and urban planning. And some of our best solutions to the biggest health challenges may be the simplest ones. Water could do so much more for us. It is time to insist on our collective right to bathe'.

Japan Times reports (Nov. 6) on special made bathing costumes for breast cancer survivors:

“There are people who hesitate to go to public baths because they don’t want others to see their body, also for reasons other than surgical scars,” Masuda [user] said. “I hope it will become something that anyone can feel free to use, just like shower caps.”

The special bathing wear was created in 1998.

It is customary in Japan not to take clothing or towels into the water at public baths, and some facilities make it a rule for hygienic reasons.

The health ministry says there are no hygiene issues as long as soap is washed off before a wearer gets into a bathtub. Still, there have been cases in which the wearers were denied entry into bathing facilities or faced complaints from other customers'.

It all seems to fit better with official policy to promote the use of bathwear. Unclear what usuers think about this effort.

makishimaaa

Hot spring ❤️อยากไปแช่ออนเซนจัง 寒い！温泉行きたい♨️

#温泉 #温泉旅行 #温泉大好き #露天風呂 #露天風呂付き客室 #露天風呂大好き #天然温泉

#hotsprings #sunset

#ออนเซ็น #ญี่ปุ่น

#japan #japantravel #atami

#熱海

#🇹🇭 #🇯🇵

The Guardian on a local Australian issue (Dec. 23):

'Hiromi Masuoka, 78, recalls when she opened Australia’s first traditional Japanese bathhouse down a narrow Collingwood backstreet in 1998, her friends tried to talk her out of it. “I remember all my friends at the time telling me that it couldn’t work here – that Australians would not cope well with the nudity aspect,” she says.

“But for me that was just completely natural and the only way to keep it really true to the Japanese bathing tradition of purity and cleanliness.”

After 25 years of running Ofuroya with her daughter Mocca, the much-loved inner-Melbourne sanctuary is closing this week, citing the effect of Covid lockdowns, onerous council access regulations on the three-storey property and the cost of needed renovations'.

A slightly older article from Sydney Morning Herald (Jun. 2 2023) on forest bathing:

'It has been called “the new yoga” and it’s certainly a hot travel trend. The practice sounds ancient, but it’s a modern concept. The name shinrin-yoku was only recognised in 1982, when the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries coined the term for “absorbing the forest atmosphere”.

A recent publishing by Greta Rybus concerns our globe's hot springs.

A visual adventure of the unique topographies, regional uses, and cultural meanings of thermal baths.

Seek

agungyudika

Stay wild and free

Model by @rachel_loudy

•

Fyi tempat ini cocok banget buat list tempat liburan kalian saat tahun baru, tempatnya buat memanjakan badan dan pikiran karena disini kalian bisa berendam dengan air panas, kalau ada yang tahu tempatnya komen ya dibawah guys

What's there to share? Not much concerning the odd photographic evidence.
But some content.

Secret Retreats (Sep. 28) has a feature on Asian hot springs.
On Rinjani (Lombok, Indonesia):

'Take a trek to the emerald jungles of Mount Rinjani National Park to see Lombok’s wealth of waterfalls and then relax those tired muscles post trek with a soak in the island’s most famous hot spring, ‘Aik Kalak Pengkereman Jembangan’. Aik Kalak translates as boiling water and as the name suggests, it is a place where one can enjoy bathing in the warm, healing waters surrounded by nature. Aside from bathing, local people have long come to the site to perform rituals and seek blessings. Long considered a magical place, locals still today bring ritual items such as Keris (a dagger typically used in religious rituals) to the spring to wash and bless them and ensure their supernatural powers are intact. Legends have it that Sasak warriors, the Sasak are an ethnic group that calls Lombok home, would visit the spring to bathe after battles and the magical waters would heal battle wounds.

Aik Kalak Pengkereman Jembangan is located at about 2,000m elevation on the side of Mount Rinjani and in the late afternoon and evening the cooling air makes for a wonderful contrast to the steaming waters of the spring. The refreshing atmosphere of the stunning natural scenery on Mount Rinjani and the warm, healing waters of the hot spring are guaranteed to soothe and revive all who visit.

They also mention Pai (below), Sankamphaeng (both Thailand), Poring (Sabah, Malaysia) and Muang La (Laos). As witnessed from the above, their script writer is very much in form.

finebites.co

Thailand, February 2019.🍃🌞

Sometimes I feel like I forget to breathe. Not metaphorically speaking, but quite literally holding onto a breath I must remind myself to release.

Like there are so many tabs open in my brain I’m not present in the moment. I’ve never been an anxious person. But the last few years have been weird as hell and have brought on more anxiety and stress than ever before.

I’ve found comfort in my friends and family, holding them close, practicing yoga and meditation, being in nature, immersing myself in things that bring me joy and calmness. Finding beauty in the small things and focusing on how I can create a life of love, happiness and allow it to overflow to the collective. We all need more kindness in community as well as solitude; doing the inner work. I hope today brings you simply peace. 🙏🏼🦋💛

More Thai, more Pai.

Thailand Nomads has a 2022 review of Pai (Chiang Mai) most popular hot springs:

'Hot Springs are a treat to the eyes and souls of people who genuinely admire the beauty of nature.

The city of Pai has some really beautiful Hot Springs that you must check out on your visit here.

We have picked up the best ones for you in this blog'.

They note 4 local hot springs to enjoy.

Halved

Central Thailand. xyzasia (Sep. 14) looks at what's on offer around Khanchanaburi:

'The hot springs were the specific reason that I travelled to Kanchanaburi province. I’d been suffering some groin pain for nearly two months after a bad bout of Covid and couldn’t find any way to get rid of it. But when I spent a couple of days at a saline hot spring in Krabi in southern Thailand, I discovered that the pain had more than half disappeared.

...

Wat Wang Khanay Hot Spring

This very traditional public sulphur hot spring is located in a temple complex on the south-eastern side of Kanchanaburi city. It’s very conveniently located to the city – only about 15 km away – but it is unlikely to appeal to most international visitors. You’ll be invited to step into a large stainless-steel drum that looks like an industrial cooking vat after the attendant has filled it with hot water from the underground spring. There are several rows of the vats along one side of the temple courtyard'.

Continuing with Rock Valley hot springs:

'I had quite a long soak in the coffee pool, but it wasn’t my favourite. The next one was – the eucalyptus pool at No 13. This also claimed to help with blood circulation and skin detoxification, but I so loved the aroma. I could have soaked in this one all day. The temperature was probably only around 38-39°C so you can certainly spend longer in it if there are not too many other people at the hot spring.

That was the last pool that I spent much time in because No 14 was only straight mineral water at 38°C. It wasn’t labelled but I assume it was a ‘cooling down’ pool before the last pool which was labelled ‘normal temperature’. That is the largest of all the pools at the hot spring, but I didn’t get to try it because it was being cleaned on the day I was there'.

On to the south of Thailand.

elena_phuket

Travel to Phang-nga 4 years ago 🥰

#travelthailand #phannga #thailand #hotsprings

The Nation (Jul. 13) has yet another story on the dual pricing structure of virtually everything in Thailand, but now with special reference to hot springs:

'A TikTok video posted by a Japanese tourist complaining about “inequality” at a Krabi hot spring after having to pay an entrance fee 10 times the amount locals are charged went viral overnight, with many netizens having their say on Tuesday. The man posted the video after he visited Klong Thom hot spring, where he was charged a 200-baht entry fee as opposed to 20 baht for Thai visitors.

“A Japanese [tourist] feels the inequality in Thailand. I had to pay 200 baht while Thais pay only 20 baht,” he complained'.

Earlier the same source (Mar. 3) reported on what seems like research on aforementioned Klong Thom:

“The number of hot springs known for their healing benefits has changed from time to time, but not all hot springs possess the properties to help alleviate physical and mental ailments. Thailand is blessed to have a remarkable and curative hot spring located in Klongtom district of Krabi province. Aside from its properties to treat poor mental health and unfavourable physical conditions, the hot spring is also unique for its naturally sparkling saline water.

The Klongtom Salt Hot Spring is considered one of the world’s five best hot springs with mineral saltwater following those previously found in Taiwan, Japan, Italy, and Malaysia.”

The above explanation was given by Dr Jiroch Sinthawanon, a former senior expert of the Office of Permanent Secretary, the Ministry of Public Health, when conducting a research study on hot springs in Thailand.

The publication, named “Safe and Healthy Hot Spring Bath”, was aimed at disseminating knowledge on the use of hot springs to create a good image where people can fully trust their benefits and safety, and maximise the standard of health tourism.

Jiroch added that “the temperature and minerals found in the Klongtom Salt Hot Spring are truly outstanding. The seawater seeps into the basement of the hot spring through rock layers to be filtered twice. As a result, the water retains only a light taste of salt unlike the strong salty taste of seawater as well as the smell of sulphur.”

The article also leads to significant info on a real estate project hopefully profiting from positive imagery, probably the reason for the article (and research; the author mentioned above is hardly mentioned on google):

'Wichai [Wichai Poolworaluk, president of Woraluk Property Plc, a leading real estate company in Thailand and a major developer of the Klongtom community in Krabi] said, “As a real-estate leader, we want to be the one to transform people’s concerns into happiness backed by our standardised and trusted management. This had initially inspired us to work on the development of the Klongtom Heritage project. Situated on a vast area of over 200 rai (32 hectares), ...'.

Luckily the locals are set to profit big:

'The local residents will be offered greater job opportunities and a chance to earn a higher income, while the ecosystem and environment will play a vital role in making the community grow in a sustainable way. This will help people to improve and reinvent themselves, getting ready to upgrade their life to national levels, he said'.

Luckily they'll not to be patronized. Oddly the Bangkok Post (Mar. 2) runs exact the same article.

Continuing southwards. The Star (Oct. 13) has 7 Malaysian hot springs to share:

'Most of the hot springs are small, but there are a handful that have been turned into proper resorts and parks'.

j2_travels

Just 45 mins from Kuching's city center

Lies an all natural hotspring

Which is reputed to cure diabetes, hypertension etc

Damn....doctors are gonna be out of jobs

I do so miss the good old days

When the responsibility and stress of work was manageable....

Maybe all I need is another long relaxing hot bath surrounded by lush greenery

#malaysiatrulyasia #malaysiatourism #nature #naturephotography #siasitoksarawak #raonraonsarawak #sarawaktravel #sarawaktourism #sarawakmoretodiscover #amazingborneo #borneo

Want

Free Malaysia Today notes (Dec. 21, 2021) that the onsen trend has reached Malaysia:

'Complete with warm lighting, a single-sized tub filled with hot water and imported salts, a shower area, and Urban Retreat’s very own line of toiletries at your disposal, you will want for nothing but some peace and quiet once the 45-minute session begins'.

It's a trend getting more and more traction in the area. Is it the culture (here fakely presented)? Is the not need to head to Japan for the experience? Do onsens balance out the hectic city life? I have no idea.

But here are some more snippets concerning onsen experience in the region.

Thaiger (Apr. 18) looks at the Japanese style onsen baths on offer in Bangkok:

'What if we tell you that you can have an authentic onsen experience right in the bustling city of Bangkok?

On Yunomori:

'The Onsen mineral water bath uses water from Kanchanaburi’s Wat Wangkanai [sounds familiar?], so enjoy the holistic benefits in the heart of Bangkok'.

VNexpress (Aug. 27) shares an overview of Japanese style hot spring resorts in the Danang region. It's not always clear how the waters are sourced. For instance:

'The resort has a heated swimming pool on the top floor of the 22-story building that allows visitors to admire the entire Da Nang Bay.

With a variety of minerals imported from Japan, guests can experience mineral bath services at shared baths or separate areas for men and women'.

racvcapeschanckresort

Time to relax at Alba Hot Springs. Just a 15 minute drive from the resort!

📸 @albathermalsprings

More Vietnam.
Wellness Vietnam has an article (Feb. 15) named Best hot springs experience in Vietnam.

'There are more than 200 hot springs throughout Vietnam though only a handful have been developed and are safely accessible for public bathing. Our guide to the ‘Best Hot Springs Experience in Vietnam’ features six unique locations that combine wellness, adventure, and cultural immersion'.

A local insiders (Sep. 12) guide to Binh Chau hot spring (What to expect). It looks like the place has seen some heavy renovations since I was here.

Something from Myanmar. Mylocal passion (Apr. 1):

'Tanintharyi region also has natural hot springs and the water is warm and hot in every season. Tanintharyi hot springs are heated groundwater which is of high temperature water. Local people believe that the water of hot springs can be good for our body, relax our muscles and can heal neuralgia. I want to mention four popular natural hot springs among local people in the different areas of the Tanintharyi region'.

All still very rustic luckily.

Breached

Though times are a changing, but not yet in Singapore. At least where it concerns attitudes to bodyculture, which are yet to move forward and with this news snippet (Oct. 14) it doesn't look likely to change in the foreseeable future:

'The local edition of famed fashion magazine Vogue has repeatedly been found to be in breach of government content guidelines and, as a result, had its one-year permit revoked yesterday.

The magazine then reapplied for a new permit but was granted one lasting just six months.

In a Straits Times article, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) said that Vogue Singapore violated their content guidelines on four occasions within the past two years by including nudity and content that “promoted non-traditional families”.

The exact content that violated MCI’s standards has not been revealed. Although Vogue Singapore does not feature explicit nudity, Infocomm Media Development Authority’s content guidelines notes that semi-nude models with breasts or genitals covered by “hands, materials or objects” are also forbidden.

As for the part about content promoting “non-traditional” families? That is code for content that portrays queer or LGBTQ+ relationships in a positive light'.

Then finally some news from Quebec (Canada) ,not noted for it's geothermal highlights. LaPresse (Jun. 7):

'Un développement touristique incluant un lagon chauffé entre autres par la géothermie et la construction de 300 unités en partie chauffées et climatisées par l’énergie solaire doit prendre forme à 45 minutes de Québec, aux portes du Massif de Charlevoix. Développé en trois phases, l’environnement du GeoLAGON nécessitera un investissement privé de 300 millions'.

It's not clear from the article itself whether the lagoon's waters would be geothermally sourced or just geothermally heated. With all the geothermaility in Southeast Asia, it's quite astonishing that nothing has been done on a similar but somewhat smaller scale ...

nick.j.long

Sudah lama sekali ada cita-cita main ke Dieng; baru tahun ini impian itu dapat teraih 💙💚💙💚// Enjoying colourful lakes, ancient temples, meditation caves, hydrangeas and volcanic hot springs in a place I’ve wanted to visit for ages and ages: the beautiful #dieng #plateau in #indonesia. #mountains #lakes #temple #hotsprings