The hot hot spring news, mostly from Southeast Asia. As the lead photo exemplifies, we're off with Thailand.
Thailand's Nation (Apr. 26) on the direction the elite in power wish to head:
'Thailand is moving to develop its natural hot springs into global health and wellness tourism destinations, with about 118 hot spring sites spread from the North to the South of the country....A memorandum of understanding has recently been signed between the San Kamphaeng Hot Springs management subcommittee, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, and the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation to upgrade San Kamphaeng Hot Springs in Mae On district into a national model for thermal wellness and to create jobs and income for local communities'.
Reality check. Blond travels in Thailand (Jul 9) heads off to a (too) hot spring near Chiang Mai:
'We entered the main area with a nice, little garden, fountains and a small swimming pool. Wooden bungalows lined the paved path. We peaked in one of them. There was a group of Thai men soaking in crystal blue water. We stood outside thinking if we should go in and what should we do with our clothes. A few meters further I saw a caucasian man standing outside of one of the bungalows and I decided to ask him. As it turned out, for 150 Baht you could have your own private hut, where you could spend as much time as you wished....We picked one with a sign ’empty’ on its door and went it. We were tempted to just go into the water naked, but there was a big gap between the ground and the wall through which people from the nearby bungalows could see us, so we changed into the clothes we had been given....We didn’t stay much longer at the Pong Kwao Hot Springs. The heat of the water, combined with the outside temperature was a little too much. But, once we got out we felt light, refreshed and relaxed, just like a session in a sauna'.
Then something from Cambodia's only hot spring, Te Teuk Pous. The Phnom Penh Post (Aug. 3):
'Located within the Koa Doun Tei community of Trapeang Chour commune, Te Teuk Pus was once neglected.Following a direct instruction from Prime Minister Hun Manet, the Ministry of Environment has breathed new life into the area.There is now a fence around the hot spring, and parking facilities for the buses that bring a growing number of pilgrims and tourists....Noeun said that on its busiest day, as many as three thousand people visit the hot spring.Beyond the new facilities for tourists, the surrounding homes are also enjoying new upgrades'.
You can also check this news item from KPS99 Media Television (aug. 18) it provides a better overview. Note to my readers (link to article from 2008), little has improved in the last 20 years. But is development yet again in the pipeline?
A difficult to comprehend article on Vietnam's Than Thuy hot spring (vietnam.vn, May 19):
'Tokyu Retreat directly benefits from the operating Lynntimes Thanh Thuy hot spring resort complex.Instead of relying primarily on seasonal tourism like many traditional resort models, this complex develops in the direction of health and wellness resorts, capable of operating year-round thanks to the advantage of natural hot springs and the increasing demand for physical recovery. According to the investor, Lynntimes Thanh Thủy currently welcomes approximately 35,000–40,000 visitors per month'.
That's a lot. More (onsen.fuji, Dec. 6 2025) on this:
'Tokyu Retreat is located in the heart of the Lynn Times Thanh Thuy complex, situated on the core of a rare radon mineral vein, just a 60-minute drive from Hanoi....Thanh Thuy Hot Spring – a treasure of nature, pure and precious, with its Radon content maintained at the perfect temperature of 37-53 ° C. For moments of immersion in the blessings of nature'.
Must share news (Apr. 11) on Taipei notes this:
'A man in Taiwan has been sentenced to five months in prison after being caught secretly filming six men at a hot spring resort in Beitou.Kao (name transliterated from Mandarin) used a towel to conceal his phone as he took 32 photos of the six men....The Shilin District Court judge sentenced Kao to five months in prison, commutable to a fine, with a two-year probation'.
Bathe like a local from Culture of bathing (Jun. 22), this time from Singapore. Very little background, more the focus on recommendations.
Squeals
Asian culture and bathing. Sorry, that's mostly Japanese bathing and culture ...
A CNN (June 10) reporter shares the onsen experience. And describes the onsen culture:
'It’s certainly not a place you’d expect to find a Western tourist on a Monday afternoon. So naturally, I was a bit surprised to see a foreign woman walking into the hot spring facility’s bathing area.Taking a quick look around, she headed straight for the source, where water gushes out of a pipe at temperatures well over 50 degrees Celsius, or over 122 Fahrenheit.Without hesitating, she started scooping it up with her hands and throwing it onto her body.“Hot! Hot! HOT!” she squealed while doing a frantic little hop as her skin quickly turned red.She was engaging in what’s called kakeyu — the pre-bath rinse. Everyone does it. But somewhere near the hot spring entrance, a well-meaning sign in awkwardly written English seemingly confused her: “Please pour hot water on yourself before bathing.”Technically correct, she followed the sign’s instructions. Just not the intent.“Not that water — you’ll burn yourself!” I called out from the hot spring pool. “Use the bucket and scoop water from the bath, not the source.”She paused and blinked.“Ohhh. THAT’S what the sign means.”I witness moments like this all the time while traveling around Japan — small misunderstandings that can ruin a foreign visitor’s entire experience.And Japan’s famed hot springs, or onsen, are full of invisible tripwires, from nudity to tattoos, along with a host of unspoken protocols in between....That takes us to a question many foreigners ask: Why do Japanese people bathe completely nude anyway? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to wear swimsuits, especially in mixed-gender baths?In Japan, naked bathing is a centuries-old tradition rooted in health, culture and social norms. Communal nudity was once normal, and mixed-gender baths were common. Plus, inns often didn’t have the resources to provide separate baths....Though rare, the essence of traditional mixed naked bathing — called Konyoku — still endures, especially at onsen with a toji tradition, which means guests spend days, weeks or even months at a destination with the sole purpose of soaking in its mineral-rich waters for health and healing.The author then continues with many more slighter issues, explaining from first hand experiences, a very nice read'.
The Irish Examiner (Mar. 7) also heads off to Japan to discover onsen / herself:
'I had been aware of Japanese onsens before booking my trip to Japan. I understood the concept; it’s a place you go to bathe and soak, like a spa. I also understood the rules; you had to do it naked. Due to the latter, I assumed that I would never experience an onsen; I simply could not get my baps out in a room full of strangers. But as it turns out, I can, and feel not only squeaky clean, but also transformed in the process....In Japan, introversion and quiet reflection are valued highly, encouraging reserved behaviour when in a public space. You see these unspoken rules observed almost everywhere; you could hear a pin drop on packed public transport, as nobody dares to pollute the carriage with noise, and restaurants and izakayas are structured around quiet, solo dining....By the end of my time in Japan, I had shed more than just my clothes in the onsen; I had let go of decades-worth of body insecurities and self-consciousness. In return, I gained confidence, self-compassion, and a deep understanding of what it feels like to be truly present'.
Bathe like a local again, this time in Kyoto. Culture of bathing substack (Aug. 6):
'Kyoto is also a city of traditions, where an exceptional number of historic buildings are preserved, sentō architecture included. Nevertheless, every year several bathhouses close and sentō are demolished at an alarming rate. Despite their deep roots in Japanese society, sentō are now facing major challenges: the availability of private bathrooms, rising inflation and fuel costs, the expensive maintenance and renovation of aging buildings, and the aging sentō owners. All these factors are contributing to their rapid decline.Fortunately, a youthful generation of bathhouse owners in Kyoto is determined to carry the torch forward. Led by Sanjiro Minato and the Yutonamisha collective, these sentō activists are rescuing bathhouses from closure by reinventing and revitalizing bathhouse culture through concerts, exhibitions, cultural events, and collaborations with artists, craftspeople, and designers'.
It of course comes with some recommendations on Kyoto's sento. Very readable.
On reddit there's a thread (Aug. 9) on whether or not Australia should embrace sauna nudity. Quite a few answers, but no direction.
It possibly follows an article (Jul. 20) by the Guardian:
'Do as the Germans do, I say. Or the rational Scandinavians, where saunas originate. In both places, even in mixed gender rooms, saunas are done naked.Australia’s enthusiasm for saunas is still rising. In the five years to June 2026, Australian Google searches for “sauna” increased from about 120,000 a month to over 500,000....My contrast therapy (switching between cold and hot temperatures) club in Sydney’s inner west, Xtra, has three other locations with a whopping 13 more slated from Wollongong to Wetherill Park. Its founders are open-minded and experimenting with social, guided and Aufguss sessions, where essential oils are diffused on the hot rocks and air is puffed around with a towel. But textile-free time slots? “Something tells me that our broad customer base is not ready for it,” the founder, Anthony Simonetta, says.What is that “something”? Australians cannot be that squeamish about flesh, surely? We’re slathered across beaches wearing Speedos and string bikinis. We’ve seen a thing or two. What’s a thing or two more?Demi Durrand, the manager of Bondi’s 38 Degrees: The Bathhouse, says, “We’ve chosen to make swimwear compulsory to keep things simple, comfortable and accessible.”But as long as you use a towel (sitting on one is mandatory in swimsuit-free saunas) being naked is pretty simple. En masse, bodies are not as sexy as newbies might think, and blokes afraid of boners can study Reddit threads dedicated to deflating them....You won’t find swimwear because nakedness is compulsory (robes are worn while walking around or eating). “It’s less about nudity and more about equality and letting go of external roles,” says a Vabali spokesperson. “If it were optional, this dynamic would change significantly. Consistency is essential for the concept to work.”It surprises people to know that nude sauna culture is common in Germany, “but Germans do not necessarily think of a sauna as a ‘naked place’”, says the director of market management at Visit Berlin, Ralf Ostendorf. “Nudity is often viewed as a practical consequence, not the main feature.”It doesn’t mean free and loose, either. “A lot of Germans care intensely about sauna etiquette such as sitting on a towel, silence in certain rooms, showering first and following the cooling-off cycle afterwards,” Ostendorf says....Time spent naked is distinct from the rest of your day. You’re literally leaving it all behind'.
Not many comments:
'Not sure that mixed-gender saunas with full nudity would ever catch on in Australia. We just don't have a history of nonchalance around nudity the Europeans and Nords acquired; our attitude on the subject is still very much an inherited 'oo er missus'. Just look at the erosion of legal clothing-optional spaces and beaches in the country over the last decades. We hate to admit it, but we are a pretty prudish nation'.
Bali island of Gods and Foster Mother 💚🙏✨Mama Bali allow us to recharge our batteries and fill ourself with beautiful energies from her heart 💚It’s a privilege we have here in Bali thanks to the different hot springs, this one is incredible because of its secret location and preserved from tourism. the Kingdom of Adam and Eve.A few hours in this Eden garden is like 1 week of holidays. ✨🙏✨#travelwithheart❤️ #traveldesigner ##jalanbersamahati #travelwithme #secretplaces #hidengem#travelagency #indonesiamylove #bali #airpanas #sourcechaudenaturelle #travelinconscience #healingtrip #spiritualjourney #spiritualawakening #blessings #balispirit #holywatertemple #thanksmothernature#naturelover #naturalpools #localexpert
