Convenience

biancakyburz

Little known fact, Hsipaw's hot springs are conveniently located next to the local motorcycle wash.

Much is to be said about what will happen once the Corona crisis abates. The same also applies to the world of wellness & travel.

Starting off with Global wellness trends for 2021. A bit late, but nonetheless as much of the world is still locked up, pretty much a prediction for what the hordes (read ourselves) will do / go when cut loose.

Little newsworthy trends, basically same same as always just described differently. If anything it will be still very much elitist. 

No. 9 on the list with some relevance:

'The coronavirus pandemic acted as a near complete brake on travel in 2020 and consumers and suppliers looked to rebooting travel for the better. The next trend? Look for all travel to become wellness travel as manic getaways are replaced by slower, closer and more mindful experiences. The over tourism epidemic will be challenged, tentative travel will become a new buzzword, and people will strive to leave a place better off than they found it'.

As said, when we are all set loose again, slow travel will not survive. The pressure we exert on each other for new experiences, for greener pastures will trump the slower travelling and experiencing trends. The time we missed, the eventuality that something so weird may well happen again will mean that we have lesser time to see (and experience) whatever landmark still on one's bucket list.

I suspect home wellness will become more and more important. Why rely on seeking commercial facilities located further away when you have virtually the same experience at home? And you determine your own times and rules!

The Sydney Morning Herald (Jan. 5) has its own list of wellness trends:

'With the coronavirus pandemic shaping our entire world in 2020, it's no surprise that we'll see its influence extend into 2021 lifestyle and wellness trends.

- Comfort crafting

In terms of mental wellness and self-care, Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's trend expert, says "little luxuries" and "wellness-focused rituals" are going to be popular. This includes things as simple as reinvigorated fitness routines and long baths. Another trend that Johnson predicts will "really stick out" is comfort crafting.

"It's really a time to craft, to learn a new skill and it can certainly serve as a form of self-care and grounding," she said.

...

- Friluftsliv, which translates to English as "free air life," is an appreciation of being outdoors and incorporating outdoor activities into your life.

...

- Trampolines

...

- Slow travel'.

No news. 

A more regional look. 

The current (Covid-19 induced) crisis is one in which national tourism agencies seem to be trying to reinvent themselves. 

Here, Couchfish (Feb. 26) discusses how Thailand hopes to move ahead, basically by focussing on the high end of clientèle:

'At least within a Southeast Asian context, much of the focus is on “high value” tourism rather than backpackers. By high value, what tourism boards really mean is “high–spending”. This is a mistake—budget travellers are the biggest spenders of all.

...

I’m not arguing that high end tourism should be consigned to the scrap heap—tourism comes in many flavours, and each has pros and cons. Backpackers though punch above their weight and it is folly by tourism boards to (at best) ignore them or (at worst) tell them to stay away'.

It doesn't seem that the local Southeastern Asian governments are grasping reality. 

faisarj1 near Banda Aceh:

Terakhir ke sini tahun 2009. Not bad!

Soothing
Talking about reality, TravelandLeisure (Dec. 12) presents 

'The worlds most instagrammable hot springs'. 

Europe gathers most hashtags (f.i. Blue Lagoon), closerby NZ gets 2 mentions, Oz 1 and Japan 2. None in Southeast Asia. 

It actually refers to an article put together by Parkdean Resorts which has a more extensive top 25 (again nothing from SeA!) and describes the methodology which compiled data on November 2020. 

No doubt the method has its limitations, as it not really incorporating other languages / scripts. But probably the less biased, though it would have been great to compare to a year before. 

Several mentions should have been non-starters: 

- Mammoth hot springs (US) refers to an area with a fair number of hot springs, 

- Aquadome and Termebucuresti are not really natural, 

- Cascate del Mulino made it to 20, but the same place but referred to as Termi di Saturnia made it to no. 6,

- Jigokudani, gets the numbers of Jigokudani monkey park whereas 

- Sawtooth National Forest actually may have a hot spring but the expansive name includes many, many non-soakers.

So a good effort but needs improvements ...

The NZHerald (Jan. 7) has a national list of (only!) 5 geothermal hotspots.

JapanToday (Dec. 23) has a ranking of Japans most popular hot springs:

'Travel company Jalan surveyed 13,342 users and asked them about their favorite onsen areas, the ones they liked so much that they want to go back, and they all seem to offer much more than just soothing hot waters and Japanese ryokan inns.

...

For the 15th year in a row in Jalan’s annual survey, Hakone, just an hour and a half outside of Tokyo by express train, was voted to be the best onsen resort area in the country. There are a lot of reasons why Hakone is a popular tourist destination, not least among them the startlingly beautiful proximity to Mt Fuji. And with plenty of things to do there–ferry boat rides, a cable car over a volcanic mountain, a scenic railway, shrines temples, and museums, just to name a few, there’re lots of reasons to love Hakone enough to keep coming back over and over again.

That Hakone made the top spot once again isn’t entirely surprising, though it is interesting that the top 10 remains largely unchanged since last year, except for Kurokawa Onsen, which jumped up two spots. Perhaps that’s because travel was limited due to the coronavirus, or perhaps that’s because these places are just too good to pass up. Either way, if you’re looking for an authentic, fun, and memorable onsen resort experience, look no further than one of these top places'.

Locally, 8 best hot springs near Manila (by viatravelers (Dec. 19)), though the definition of 'near' may need some explanation.

Traverse-blog (Mar. 1) on how to experience your first time at a Japanese onsen. Nothing surprising though.

Desperate times? The Mainichi reports (Oct. 30) on the slowing business of onsen hosting:

'NISHIWAGA, Iwate -- The local government of this northeastern Japan town, known for its hot spring resorts, put seven of its 10 municipal spa facilities on sale following falls in visitor numbers, but as of Oct. 29 -- the day before the deadline to register interest -- it had yet to receive a single application.

...

Conditions also apply: for at least five years the buyer must operate the hot spring facility and cannot resell the property in the period.

Nishiwaga's local government started to build municipal hot spring facilities in the mountain town from the 1980s, and it has aimed to develop the town as a spa resort location. But the town has been hit by serious depopulation in recent years, and the number of visitors has continued to decrease'.

NZHerald again (Jan. 25), hopes yet another article on the (n)on-goings at Waiwera Thermal Resort (not so long ago one of NZ's bigger waterparks):

'The iconic Waiwera hot pool complex closed its doors for a $3 million renovation in February 2018 and has never reopened.

Instead, the past two years has seen court battles over rent and trademarks, liquidations, cancelled leases, and a realisation that the damage to the infrastructure of the 50-year-old water park (and its more recent bottling plant) is so bad almost nothing is salvageable.

...

But there's a potentially happy ending to the tale: the present owners in September 2020 made preliminary decisions on a $250m masterplan.

....

They say the whole project could take as long as 10 years'.

Blessed

alx_alex_forever

Friday. Pool day 🐟🐟

Ready for water game 🐰🐰

#alxforever #holiday #holidays #2020 #travelblogger #travelphotography #asia #laos

A new Laotian soaking opportunity (photo above)? A new swish resort in Xieng Khouang. There's not much to find, it's managed /owned by Asa Power company and only has a Facebook page. There's also very few reviews as of now.

FindingHotsprings notes (Jan. 16) Wareerak (Krabi) as its best soaking spot in Siam:

'... you’ll be able to soak in five hot spring fed pools found on the property, of varying temperatures. To determine the healing properties of their springs, Wareerak had the waters tested by the Institute Fresenius in Germany in 2017, and it was found that the waters met the German standard for “Natural Medicinal Water”. Additionally, the waters do not contain any strong sulphur smell. With a PH of 7, the waters are very good for the skin and may be used for drinking as well. A signature of the property is its hot springs waterfall, a true natural wonder'.

A complete guide (Feb. 14) to Sai Ngam hot spring, Pai (Mae Hong Son province - Thailand) by Jonny Melon. Though excessive, by no means complete. And why whine about national park entrance fee?

where_is_jon

This was such a happy day for me. It was one of the last days of swimming for me in Thailand because I was getting my feet tattooed the next day. By the time they healed, I would have left the country. So we decided to drive about an hour or so past all of these small villages and into the heart of the mountains. Protruding from the ground was this huge bubbly rock that was spewing boiling hot water from the Earth. The local people built a system to let some of it travel through to two pools for soaking, while the rest just merged with a nearby cold river. It was surrounded by mountains and beautiful nature. We spent hours here, soaking up every last minute. I truly remember being so happy about this decision. Sometimes you have to go out of the way to see some new things that speak to your heart. Was blessed to swim at these hot springs.

The same Jonny also has a recent (Jan. 16) posting on Ardent (Camiguin, Philippines):

'As I mentioned earlier, these hot springs sit at the foot of Mt. Hibok Hibok volcano which is where the thermal water is derived from. The water temperature is around 40°C that is slightly cooled on the way down to the lower pools.

Ardent Hot Springs are man-made pools surrounded by lush rainforest and the water is transparent with a tinge of blue. For a man-made structure, they’ve done well to make this place a tranquil experience for visitors.

The water cascades from the top of the valley and divided into four separate pools. The two larger pools at the bottom are the most inviting and there is an arched footbridge between them'.

GettingStamped (Feb. 20) introduces everything you need to know concerning Maquinit hot spring.

'Looking for the perfect place to end a fun-filled day in Coron? Consider a visit to the tranquil Maquinit Hot Springs. As the only saltwater spring in the Philippines, Maquinit Hot Springs is fueled by an active, underwater volcano.

However, you don’t have to worry about any dangerous eruption. The hot springs are entirely safe. Not to mention, soaking your aching muscles in the warm waters is the perfect way to unwind after a long day of island hopping and outdoor adventure'.

NikkeiAsia (Jan. 9) on a slice of Japan in north Vietnam:

'Yoko Onsen resort lies nestled deep in lush mountain forests in Vietnam's Quang Ninh Province. It has all the trappings a traditional upscale Japanese resort needs, from luxurious ryokan-style buildings to baths bubbling with mineral-rich hot-spring water.

Since it opened in June, the new leisure complex has become a hot topic among trend-conscious Vietnamese. It may help spread the Japanese onsen culture of bathing nude for relaxation and wellness in the country, where the closest thing to an onsen is a hot-spring pool to take a dip in while wearing a bathing suit.

Yoko Onsen, the first Japanese-style hot spring resort in Vietnam, is a three-hour drive from Hanoi, the capital. It is located off the beaten track and in a beautiful tranquil setting overlooking forests and hills in the karst landscape stretching from Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

...

All baths are outdoors. The complex is divided into three zones: separate areas for men and women, and one for both men and women to bathe together in swimsuits.

Besides 25 bathtubs, the complex also has bedrock bathing facilities and saunas. The water is rich in sodium and chloride ions, and the temperature of the spring's source is 42 degrees Celsius. The spring water is diluted with no other water.

Unlike Japanese, Vietnamese do not bathe or soak with strangers completely naked. When this reporter visited Yoko Onsen, young guests were making a lot of noise in the mixed bathing area. A manager at the resort said it will try to help Vietnamese learn how to enjoy onsens in the Japanese style'.

thylaan at Yoko onsen:

Sun in my eyes, navy blue skies

These are the reasons I can survive ☺️

#sunset #13degrees

Not often, but a scientific article (pdf, Oct. 9, 2020) on one of the regions hot springs, which for a change does not look at geothermal potential (read how to make money easily), but looks at how the environs of Annah Rais hot spring (Sarawak, Malaysia) can be monetized. !!!

'The Hot Springs has potential to become a tourism destination that can contribute to Malaysian Economy'.

And non-Malaysians were prepared nearly three times as much as locals, suggesting the need for more local education. ?

Expansion

Onsen soaking
Miho Tabuchi is a well-known name within the the global soaking culture. At home (Japan) she is known for a Japanese language onsen review site as well as a publicist of articles on onsen. The English language part of the world will be familiar with her onsensoaker blog.

Laying claim to being a global expert, at the time of this publication, Miho has visited 215 hot springs in 28 countries excluding Japan (and counting China and Taiwan separately). If including Japan, the number of soaking sites visited rises to 1,500 hot springs in 29 countries, a very impressive count indeed.

Miho at Jinata Onsen, Shikinejima (Shikine Island), Tokyo 

Gifted
Miho, what would be your favourite hot springs and why? 

"Let me answer my favourites this way:
My favourite hot springs area is Beppu, Oita prefecture, Japan. Beppu is a rather big area and actually consists of eight hot springs: Beppu, Kannawa, Myoban, Shibaseki, Kankaiji, Kamegawa, Horita and Hamawaki. There are various soaking spots in Beppu, especially many public baths. 
Outside of Japan I liked the hot springs of Iceland, Indonesia and Taiwan. Iceland and Indonesia are geothermally active. Taiwan is geothermally not so active, but this mountainous country has many unspoiled wild hot springs and Japanese style public baths. 
I prefer though the wild hot springs and public baths as I can feel hot springs are gift of mother natures while soaking in wild ones".

Mugen-no-sato, Horita Onsen, Beppu Onsenkyo, Beppu City

Trendy
In your blogs we see you are concerned with onsen closing. 
Do you have figures to illustrate this?

"The latest statistics from Japan's Ministry of the Environment (March 2013)  show that the number of the day-visit onsen (commercially run onsen without accommodation) was 7,771 which had increased by 54 from a year before. However the number of ryokan (onsen with accomodation) were 13,521: a decrease of 200.

Additionally, according to the first issue of the Onsen Hihyo, the number of konyoku decreased from more than 1,200 in 1993 to less than 700 in 2013".

Can you describe the reasons behind these trends? 

"I think the main reasons for the number of ryokans to decrease are a lack of successors and changes in our lifestyle. When the Japanese economy was booming, visiting big onsen hotels as part of a tour group was popular. Many larger hotels counted on these groups. But after our so-called economic bubble burst, the number of these tour groups decreased sharply. However, many hotels had invested in expanding their capacity and couldn’t avoid bankruptcy.
Small-scale ryokans and hotels also suffer from the economic down turn and the lack of successors. Very often ryokan owners’ children tend to prefer working in larger cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, rather than taking over the family business.
More recently, new building standards have been introduced to prevent damage by earthquakes. Since, some ryokans and hotels have had to close their business as they couldn’t afford to renovate their buildings in accordance with the new standards.
Revitalization / regeneration business is booming. Specialized companies acquire bankrupt hotels and ryokans, and turn them into economical hotels and ryokans. They omit service as much as possible to offer cheap accommodation prices. For example, they serve buffet dinner and breakfast. If you stay in traditional Japanese style ryokans, they will serve your meals dish by dish in your room".

As we have noticed, you have been to many hot springs outside of Japan. 

What are your ideas about the development of wild and / or rural hot springs into resorts?

"For Japanese, onsen means bath / soaking place. Outside of Japan, hot springs are for swimming / for leisure / for drinking / to cure disease / forcooking and so on. I always enjoy finding these different kinds of use. However, I don’t like resort type hot springs myself.

Resort hot springs are rapidly increasing in China and Southeast Asia. They are though nice places to visit and watch other visitors".

Resources I have the impression that taking an onsen bath in Japan is very important aspect of life. 

To what degree are the surroundings (natural / non-natural / enhancements), price, catering and the ability to stay overnight important aspects in selecting where to take an onsen?

"It’s very important to me personally, but generally speaking, I think we Japanese love taking bath. It’s usually humid in Japan and I take a bath every day. And if it’s an onsen bath, the better. I prefer natural onsen bath, but if impossible, circulated onsen water bath is fine to me. Sometimes after visiting a wild onsen, I have to drop in to another onsen to wash off mud and other dirt. 

I don’t limit myself as to how much I spend when visiting an onsen, if a reliable friend had made recommendations, then I will visit there. But my favourites are small, old, family-run ryokans and usually they offer rooms with meals costing 15,000-20,000 yen (150-200 $US) or less per person. Once I stayed at a ryokan costing just 3500 yen (35$) with dinner and breakfast! 

Gorgeous places are usually rather new ones. However it’s difficult to find naturally gushing hot springs at these places. Many of these are obtain their hot springs from deep bored wells. Of course there are always some exceptions".

 

A look inside the latest issue of Onsen Hihyo magazine. 
And the article on Singa Tatopani, Baglung district, Nepal written by Miho.
   

You recently authored an article in the Japanese publication Onsen Hihyo (Hot Spring Critique). 

How important are these sorts of publications in Japan?

"Though it might seem in book stores in Japan that there are many onsen publications, they are mostly not of much significance. Many of these publications carry articles on onsen which have been sponsored. They look like an usual article, but onsen owners pay for favourable reviews. I know the writers and editors of these publications get their information from websites, blogs and social media, but magazines and guidebooks are resourceful for those who recently got interested in onsen, I guess.

The Onsen Hihyo is an exception to the above, as it has no sponsored articles or advertorials.

Otherwise, good information is available through internet rather than magazines and / or guidebooks".

Li-song Hot Spring , southeastern Taiwan

Enthused
Is there an aspect of hot springs bathing which you would like to highlight?

"My most memorable hot spring experience is a recent visit to Li-song hot springs in Taiwan. Maybe because I came back just a few weeks ago and my memory is still vivid. The hot spring itself was amazing and support from the Taiwanese was impressive. 
Let me explain about Li-song hot spring a bit more. When I first saw a photo of Li-song in an in-flight magazine 8 years ago, it caught my breath: I couldn't imagine that such a beautiful hot spring was there in a neighbouring country. 
But I can't understand Chinese and without any friends there to help me, visiting Li-song was just a distant dream. Since then, I have visited Taiwan 7 times, learnt how to travel and one by one made some friends.
When I visited An-tong Hot Springs in October 2013, the general manager there told me, if I wanted to visit Li-song so much, he could come with me next time. He kept his promise, even asked the #1 specialist of wild hot springs in Taiwan to come with us and the specialist came out of kindness.
The trail was so steep, I had to cling to a rope, and crossed the river twice, with short swims in cold water, but it was rewarding. I'd never been to such a beautiful wild hot springs before. I'm so happy and looking for next main target".

 

"What I like to do is to make people of other countries get interested in onsen and want to come to Japan. 
I've been to more than 70 countries in the world. People are generally nice to me wherever I go. So I want to welcome people to Japan in turn. And I believe onsen is worth visiting while travelling in Japan, I want to provide useful information.

I also want to make Japanese people more interested in hot springs in other countries. 
It might sound strange, but Japanese onsen enthusiasts tend to look down on hot springs in other countries even though they don't know any. They say "Hey, they take hot spring bath in swim suites, right? That's a swimming pool, not a hot spring at all". I want to change this by explaining to them there are so many attractive hot springs in the world. 

Finally I would like to build a network of hot springs enthusiasts like myself.
To visit hot springs in the world, I need up-to-date information from other hot spring enthusiasts.
I think I'm doing well, gradually expanding my network".

Thank you Miho for your effort in giving an insight into how you experience wild soaks from the Japanese perspective. 
It's also very interesting reading about the trends affecting hot spring soaking in Japan. 
Good luck in your future endeavours to highlight global soaking!

Notes
All photo's are used courtesy of Miho Tabuchi.

For more info on Jinata onsen, see the onsensoaker report. 
Concerning Mugen-no-sato, onsenaddict has a blog entry.
Singa Tatopani has it's own Facebook pag.
Li-song hot springs is featured at Lonely Planet ("most beautiful natural hot spring in Taiwan").

Japanese soaking vernacular:

Konyoku (混浴): Mixed baths 
Onsen (温泉): Japanese for hot spring 
Ryokan (旅館) : Traditional Japanese style inn