Sloppily

Right, the main source; straight in front, the main soaking pool with a number of overflow pools to the back, right. This is what constitutes Lau Debuk Debuk hot spring site.

Semangat Gunung, it's not
Lau Debuk Debuk (also written as Lau Debuk-Debuk or Lau Debukdebuk) seems an odd name for a hot springs. And after visiting this site I can only say that it did look a bit odd.

A quick look on the internet gives a confusing overview. Though Lau Debuk Debuk hardly counts any first-hand experiences, the links are mostly tourism related overviews.

Lau Debuk Debuk is quite often referred to as the already 'Blogged by SEA' Semangat Gunung hot springs. This site corrects that assumption as follows:

'The hot springs that most tourist visit is however not Lau Debuk Debuk, but the Gunung Semangat hot springs, which sloppily is also called Lau Debuk Debuk'.

It furthermore reveals:

'Every month on a certain day, a unique traditional Karonese ceremony / event takes place here called Erpangir Kulau'.

Erpangir Kulau?
Erpangir Kulau? Explain please:

'The Erpangir Kulau ceremony takes place once every month on the day of Cukra Lau, the best according to the Karonese calendar. On this day, people come to pray and ask for help, to get well, to find a wife or husband, most people come before noon and normally come in small groups and dressed in white'.

Erpangir Kulau is translated here as 'the hair washing ceremony' but seems to be an elaborate ritual including dance and music leading to:

'participants becoming possessed by the begu ['spirit or soul of the dead'] of their ancestors and other spirits'.

Then on Roughguides Travel Talk, I found this extensive entry by sumatrahornbill:

Lau Debuk Debuk Hotspring
When you climbed Sibayak volcano, and you down to Semangat Gunung hotspring, this place is a bathing place with natural sulfuric water is also effective to cure many kind of skin diseases.
But when you left that place and by walking directly to the main road of Medan, and before the main road about 1 km, in the left side you will also see a small road to go down, and you can find small lake or we call Lau Debuk Debuk, as also hot spring area the water is not too hot but the sulfuric smell are really strong.
This area is very quite [quiet?] area because normally this place is a ritual activities called "Erpangir Kulau". So everyside of that area full of worship places, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Pemena (Ancestor spirit religion, Animism, etc). And for you if you really want to do ritual there by your self or invited a guru for calling spirit you have to offer some plowers, tobacoes, betelnut, incense, jeruk purut (a citroen family [family of the lemon is meant], normally people used it for all ritual). And also you can do Erpangir Kulau (clean your body with some kinds of plowers, jeruk purut and burn the incense), this ritual is kept away from all kinds of evils, bad luck and illness.
If you want to do by your own ritual, you have to buy all the offering stuff in special herbal medicine man shop, and they will prepare to you,and with sincerity you do a ritual in that places, hope you can get contact with your spirit, ancestor spirit, etc'.

Better days?
Um, well that explains something, then again, I obviously did not visit during the monthly Erpangir Kulau ceremony, so maybe that's why I failed to see much of a soak here.

It seemed, as observed elsewhere in Southeast Asia, that the hot springs have seen better days. Somehow, development has taken place in the past and a picture on this site shows a different view of the site than the one which I obtained.

Lau Debuk Debuk hot springs in better days: stalls along the pools, not overgrown. Why has the site, representing such a religious symbolism, been allowed to deteriorate?

Unfortunately, I again failed to retrieve this information prior to leaving for Sumatra, otherwise I would have put more effort into timing my visit. Who knows, possibly the ceremony does not take place anymore, thus explaining why the site looks desolate.

Site is partially overgrown

Experience?
The Lau Debuk Debuk springs are also difficult to find. The Semangat Gunung road which originates from the main Medan - Brastagi highway, hugs the base of the mountains, but you only need to follow this road for about 500 m when, on your right hand side, you can see a track splitting off the tar-sealed road and continuing downhill, towards the valley floor. Oddly enough, you think, the track leads only to a large space with a very small but solid building. This is (was?) the car park with entrance gate / guard post. Well, there's nobody really on guard and while I passed this building it had acquired an alternative use, as motorcycle garage.

There is only one obvious route beyond this guard post and it passes a few rice fields before sqeezing between two buildings and coming to an end on the lip of a small drop. From here you can see a number of ponds. Continue down the slope and you will come to a partially cemented fast flowing hot springs. Let me correct myself, not hot, but warm. Ish. Tepid. I believe that is the correct word. Sites refer it to being 35 C. Air temperature thus.

The main source emitting tepid waters

The water of these springs flows down to a a bigger pool with clear water. In this pool bubbles still appear, so most probably, this is also a hot spring directly sourcing this pond. There are steps leading into this pool so, presumably it probably does not get warmer than this. Oddly though, as if there is a need to cool this water, there are a number of huge basins functioning as overflows. Even odder is that this water is white; would they have a different source?

Hygienic standards seem failing and, with none other soaking, I think that giving this site a soaking pass might be wise.

Overflow ponds or just more soaking space to the monthly rituals?

The hot springs site is of course very much deserted, so no one to answer my questions. I walk around the basins, see the eventual overflow and return to where I started where there are or more correctly were toilets / changing rooms.

More info on the surroundings can be found in the post of Semangat Gunung.

Getting There: Lau Debuk Debuk hot spring is located 500 m up a side road of the main Medan - Kabanhanje road. Take the first side track to your right at the point where you have a clear overview of the surroundings; a small guard post building in front of a parking area should also be able to be seen from the turn.
The small road eventually going partially up Sibayak volcano originates from a crossroad, roughly 10 km before the mountain resort town of Brastagi, where there are ample opportunities for overnight stays. Continue 3 km's up this road and you'll be in the hot springs resort village of Semangat Gunung.

On guard? Pass the guard post (on the left) and continue for 100m before getting to the warm spring itself.

Soaking Experience: One could soak if one would wish, but the pools up the road at Semangat Gunung would be a far more superior experience. They are also hot, as opposed to the tepid water at Lau Debuk-Debuk. Then again Semangat Gunung hot springs miss the religious significance.

Overall Impression: Satisfies your curiosity, but 10 minutes here suffice. If the ceremonies still take place, it would be a great time to visit.


Update [22-08-08]: The previously cited sumatrahornbill adds:

'Lau Debuk debuk is still exist as a ritual of Karoneses and Hinduism and buddhism. Not many Backpakers know that area, the area is just used by locals for family party when they make a ritual of calling family spirit.
The area is not far from the junction to hotspring so from main road only ten minutes and turn right down a bit to Lau Debuk Debuk. It is a good changes when you can see the local make ritual, you may take the pictures,it is ok. The good way to know the ritual, according to Karo calender or every saturday or sunday, normally we can see them'

Many thanx for that.

Elusive?

Elusive tranquility: the hot springs source reflects the palm oil trees nearby

Where am I?

How had I come to sitting at this table was a long story. Opposite me was the patriarch, his family crowded behind him. We were somewhere just above a stream in a palm oil plantation, somewhere north of KL, Malaysia's capital. He offered me some durian.
Obviously they don't see real tourists that much here, but that fact I had already established on this seemingly un-endless goose chase. On the other hand I knew I was near the hot springs; I had already asked a local laborer at this palm oil plantation twice, with differing answers but with the assurance that it was just one km away. But where?

Nearly there?
The first quest brought me to a five way crossroad of plantation tracks, all similar in size, none clearly indicating where they would end. My second effort, leading in a different direction, ended at an enclosure, surrounding a small stream. From the outside it was obvious that this area had been enhanced, so thinking that the hot springs must be here, I jumped the fence. Unfortunately once inside, the stream waters were cool. Some dams had been made and with the stream bed made of white sand, it certainly was a nice place for a picnic, but not what I was looking for.
At the far end of the enclosure I could see a motorcycle parked. I strolled over there, discovering a void in the fence and downstream, a young lady in a flowing and colorful dress was scooping up water out of the stream. I asked her for the directions and in excellent English she managed to communicate that

• a. yes, she knew where the hot springs were,
  
• b. they were not here,
  
• c. she was useless in giving directions and
  
• d. let's have a chat with her father, he knew the place.
  

So that was part of the story of getting here.

Where?
Hulu Tamu was the name of the hot spring I'd been on my way to. My info had narrowed down the search to the Hulu Selangor district, Selangor state. The day preceding, while looking for a good map in one of the un-endless shopping malls of Kuala Lumpur, I'd been able to find a map of Pahang state with an overview of Genting Highlands, showing a hot springs near Hulu Yam Baharu. Having pinpointed the hot springs on a map, it should not seem too difficult to find the place.
Hulu Yam Baharu is located just off state highway 1, north of Kuala Lumpur. About 30-35 km from the city center. After some weird procedures, the hotel enabled me to rent a car and this morning ten-ish I believe, I left the sprawl of high rises behind me.
And now, I was, what seemed to be the middle of a palm oil plantation, ever so near, but still not near enough, to see this my first hot spring of Malaysia.

Sungai Sendat
The trip up to Hulu Yam Baharu had gone brilliantly. On the map I also saw a named waterfall nearby so I decided to visit this as well; if only because it was sign posted.
The waterfalls of Sungai Sendat are relatively easy to find. Continue down the main street of Hulu Yam Baharu coming from the north and continue through a small neighbourhood ensuring you have the river on your right. After leaving the village the road becomes a little steeper and you'll be going through rubber and palm oil plantations. These give way to rainforest and the tar-sealed road turns into a dirt road. Eventually after about 3-4 km's beyond the village center, the road leads to a bridge, with a security gate across it. You can park here, I mean before the bridge.
Continue past a guard post and within 200m, you can see the main fall with a big pool in front. At the moment of my visit, construction work was under way; they are looking into sprucing the site up, so it seems. It did look a bit desolate, but the enormous amounts of refuse were ample evidence of recent visitors, so clearly the customers must have been satisfied. It being a week day, evidently meant that I was the only visitor.
If you climb up above the main pool, there are a number of other deep pools and falls, a really beautiful area, now why on earth would visitors trash the place?

Sungai Sendat: a great place to trash?

AllMalaysia.info ignores this last issue and concentrates on describing the waterfalls as follows:

'Paddling, swimming, picnicking - if that sounds like fun to you, then head for the Sungai Sendat Waterfalls. The falls are surrounded by greenery and kissed by sunshine; truly a place for relaxing and rejuvenating yourself'.

Well, if the Sunday crowds turn up, you might be just unlucky.

Back on the road
Leaving the falls site, I asked the guardsman for the way to the hot springs, to which he replied, turn right in the village. That means the road to Genting Highlands. After taking this turn, 500m out of the Hulu Yam Baharu, I take another turn right leading to ... well somewhere (There's a sign to Amberstone Eco Resort).
I continue up the road for about 3 km's, but obviously it's not leading anywhere. After some hand and foot work, a local manages to communicate to me that I should return and turn right to the Bundoora Estate (or is it Bindoora?). It being a narrow lane with no side roads, the turn to Bundoora is obvious. There's even a sign post. Five hundred meters up this road and you are entering the palm oil estate. And that's where it gets tricky.

Made it
With some translation by his daughter, the man opposite me now knew where I wanted to go. Fortunately he did not ask why. He set off trying to explain where it was, but translating this proved tricky. "You with car?" "Um, ...yes?", I replied. "Well, let's go!"
With that, we crossed the stream back to where I had parked the car and he had parked his motorcycle. He jumped on the motorcycle and I followed in my Proton Wajah. We returned to the earlier five way cross road, roughly 1 km beyond the plantation entrance. I don't recall which of the five we took, probably the most left, it leads across a stream from where you should take the next track right. The road is rocky and the Wajah is (still) scratch free. Therefore, I park the car here and follow the motorcycle for another 50 m on foot.
It's all pretty obvious though, there's only 1 stream and the waters of which originate from the hot springs. My guide shuts his motor at a small, foot high dam in the stream. "Air Panas" and stretches his arm. I feel the water. It' hot alright. There's also some trash around, so this must be the place.

The source of Ulu Kalong: in the middle of a palm oil plantation

Ulu Kalong hot springs

I proceed to follow the stream to it's source. There's another small dam, 20 m upstream with an overgrown pool close by. A further 20-30 m upstream, I come upon the source itself. The water flowing from a caved in gap in a 50 cm high wall is hot. Very hot. The pool itself is very tranquil. No bubbling.
After taking a few pictures I return to where the motorcycle is parked. My guide has just finished soaking his feet, strips to his underwear and takes a full body soak in the 30 cm deep water. Having no underwear on and unwilling to cause offense, I limit myself to a foot soak, hoping my host might leave me alone sometime soon.
After 15 minutes, it's clear that that's not going to happen, so I thank my guide who takes this as a sign for ending his soak and our paths diverge. I to return to the hustle and bustle, he to return to his hut on the beautiful river.

A futile attempt at developing the springs? About 5 m out of the hot springs stream bed, a large bath tub has been constructed, but is now filled with earth and partially overgrown.

So what's it called?
I hoped that this was Hulu Tamu hot springs, but my informer mentions it as Ulu Kalong. My map refers to it being "hot spring". Well, that's not much help. What I should have done on forehand was to look more carefully on internet.
Wikipedia's entry on Ulu Yam, refers to no less than 3 (!) natural hot water pools (if only I had known). The pictures to Hulu Tamu hot springs certainly don't reflect what I visited. Kerling, another hot springs in the area, it's not either.
This description of an ANZAC day run describes the location correct and refers to it as Hulu Kalong and the springs to be called "Ladang Jasmin (Air Panas)"; the Air Panas translates as "hot water". The plantation company is referred to as Bindoora. And somehow that's all the info out there. And now this. Elusive no more?

Getting There: From Kuala Lumpur take the old road to Ipoh and turn off this road, roughly 30 km after leaving Kuala Lumpur, towards Hulu Yam Baharu. (or Ulu Yam Baru or any variations of this). Entering the village from the north, turn left in the center towards Genting Highlands and turn right, 500m up this road, well before the main road to Genting Highlands starts. Follow this lane for 2 km, turn left (signposted Bundoora Estate).
After entering the estate take the dirt road right, more or less straight on from where you are coming from. Stay on this main track for another 800m leaving an abandoned building ('No trespassers') on your left. You'll come upon a five way crossroad. Follow the track (left?) crossing the nearby stream and take the first track right, after the stream. From here it should be easy to see the stream originating from the hot springs.

Soaking Experience: Well, what it lacks in depth, it makes up in naturalness. And though, the surroundings point to quite a bit of rubbish, the waters themselves are clean.

It's clear: a soak is required. The main soaking area, about 50-60 m below the source.

Overall impression: Truly a find. Despite the small quantities of refuse, the area is very tranquil. It being a palm oil plantation one would not expect it to be so 'natural', but only little has been enhanced in the springs themselves. You could hear birds jibbering and jabbering and I managed to spot a Kingfisher proof enough of a worthy visit. Let's hope it stays like this!

Appeasing the mountain spirits

One of the Semangat Gunung hot springs resorts, called Rindu Alam. Unmistakably in the background is the Sibayak volcano with visible thermal / volcanic activity.

Soaking (In)donesia

In the coming months you'll slowly see the number of soaking sites visited rise, especially after my most recent visit to Indonesia, arguably the top spot for soaks in Southeast Asia, at least in numbers. But how do they compare in quality?

Sibayak
The first soak ever taken in Indonesia was in Semangat Gunung, which is located under the shadow of the ever active volcano Sibayak. No active lava flows or eruptions though (the last eruption was more than a century ago), but up in the crater of Sibayak, the volcanic activities exist of a number of fumaroles / steam vents; enough to give the mountain a permanent plume of white cloud slowly dissipating into the north Sumatran air. But no hot springs on the mountain itself.

Inside the crater of Sibayak: not too dangerous, just a fair number of steam vents

The steep flanks facing and leading down to Semangat Gunung are also fumarolistic, if such a word exists (does not seem so). The sight from the village towards the mountain is quite special, a huge gash exposing, as it seems, part of the innards of the volcano, producing a number of clouds.

Captured heat
The same facing flanks also produce a great source of heat. Coming down from the mountain you will pass a electricity generation project, a small 2 MW project run by Petramina, which possibly might be upgraded to a 10 MW plant, even that is not considered large. Surprisingly, This plant is just one of three in all Indonesia despite the huge existing potential. However increased investment is 'heating up', Iceland leading the way!

Harnessing the steam, Semangat Gunung's thermal energy plant

Mountain spirits?
Coming from the mountain one needs to make a sharp bend before entering the town of the mountain spirit. Continue straight at this bend (or right coming from Semangat Gunung) you'll come to the site of Pertek Teken (or secret place) where locals pay tribute to the mountain spirits by offering fruits and foods.
Continuing straight you'll run into a large number of hot spring resorts. Typically these are places which either offer extended soaking facilities or have a small pool adjacent to a restaurant.

The biggest of these resorts is Alam Sibayak, but the beats emanating from this resort shroud the whole village. From the adjacent road, we could witness guests doing their moves, pool side. Maybe this was a draw for the weekend crowds from the million plus Sumatran capital of Medan, which is just 1,5 hours drive down the road. Or possibly this is the way to celebrate a soak in Indonesia.

Rindu Alam
We settle on the resort of Rindu Alam, mostly because it has many pools on offer, there are other people in the water (always a good sign ...) and is the furthest away from the aforementioned hot springs disco. There are about 10 public pools, private pools don't seem to be available. All pools contain water with varying temperatures, not necessarily from hot to cold. The ridiculous cheap entry fee (0,5$) however apparently doesn't include maintaining any hygienic standards apparently; the waters are quite filthy and a maintenance man nearby, whose job for the day consists of scrubbing the tiles surrounding the pool, regularly lets the resulting rinse water, flow back in to the pool! Luckily all water is a very cloudy white which hopefully obscures any other irregularities.

Rindu Alam: 10 pools with blue walls covered with Disney characters. Now, can anyone explain the connection between the two?

Business is slack, despite it being a Saturday, but a few out-of-towners have turned up. Possibly Sunday might be a day to avoid.
Besides Semangat Gunung having an ex proportional amount of restaurants and resorts the town also has a small market where most cars park. On sale are the various products from the sloping mountain fields. The produce on offer mid July are strawberries, small mangoes, avocado's, oranges, rambutans, passion fruit and tamarillo's. Another crop widely cultivated in the area is coffee.

As if there are not places to soak, more are on the way. This one looks big, but hardly adds to the existing choice. Moreover it will be viewable from the road. Could it be their main selling point?

Surroundings
The main town here is Brastagi (also known as Berastagi), which offers tourists a breath of cool fresh mountain air and a large number of resorts to stay. In the evening, the main road sidewalks turn into a large food market. The daily fresh produce market is very busy, with much local produce on offer. There is also a tourist market from where horse rides can be taken.
A nearby peak offers views of both Sibayak and Sinabung volcanoes. The highlands around Brastagi are populated by the Karo Dayak, which give a certain distinctiveness to the area.

More information on Brastagi can be found here:

• Natural highlights of Brastagi,
• Karo region,
• Tanah Karo Guide or the
  
• Wikitravel entry and / or
• Virtual Tourist entry on Brastagi

Some sites mentioning Semangat Gunung also refer to the village as or confuse it with another nearby hot spring called Lau Debuk Debuk. Another blog entry on Semangut Gunung hot springs is by Neil Hogan.

Getting There: Semangat Gunung is located 5 km's up a side road of the main Medan - Kabanhanje road. The turn off is located roughly 10 km before the mountain resort town of Brastagi, where there are ample opportunities for overnight stays.

Soaking Experience: Despite some serious reservations concerning the hygienic standards, the pools provided a great place to sooth the possible pains and strains of walking up and over Sibayak volcano from Brastagi, a 5 hour venture. The pools were hot, but not too hot and had a good depth, though all pools were a bit small. Don't know why the resort was covered in Disney characters, I myself preferred gazing up the mountain. There were no private pools and most pools can be seen from the road side. Changing facilities were poor and despite the setting there was little 'natural' to the soaking surroundings beyond the view.

Overall Impression: Would I travel far to soak here? I think not, but it being en route to and from hiking Sibayak, this certainly encouraged a soak. Let's hope Indonesia has more like this or even better on offer!

Bo Klueng: End of the road

Worth it?

Besides Pong Krathing hot spring, Ratchaburi province has another hot springs site: Bo Klueng hot 'stream'. These springs are situated in the Suan Phueng area, a recently approved accessible area of Ratchaburi province quite near the Burmese border. It used to be off-limits to all but locals due to the Thai-Burmese border relations or lack of relations more probabbly.
The area is now seeing quite a lot of tourism related construction: due to the amount of natural attractions, it’s ease of access to Bangkok (two hours if you fail to take your foot off the accelerator), it’s slightly cooler climate (due to it’s higher elevation) and enchanting natural surroundings (or did I mention it already?). Recently finished are a number of resorts / restaurants with others set to open in the near future. Roadside stalls specialize in selling plants (esp. orchids) and ‘souvenirs from Myanmar’ the politically correct name for the politically incorrect country of Burma.

How to get there
From the town of Suan Phueng to the hot springs site of Bo Khlueng is a distance of roughly 15 km. The scenery changes markedly from gradual rolling hills to medium high mountains covered with (pristine?) forest and small valleys with swift flowing streams flowing between the remnants of valley forests and more recently planted fruit orchards.

The (re-)sources
Located just 1 km before the end of the road (a side road of highway no. 3087), a small car park is situated off the left before a small booth with barrier. After paying 5 Baht to a disinterested receptionist and taking a short stroll of 100 meter or so along a large pond, one comes to an intersection of paths.
Here are situated a number of restaurants. To the left is a large concrete lined pool (7 x 15m) which during my visit is empty and receiving a well-needed scrub from a number of hard working ladies. This pool, created by damming a stream, is situated at the end of this stream with an overflow to the previously mentioned pond. The water coming from the stream is warm. Some would say hot, but it is not too hot. When filled, this pool must be quite attractive as during its construction considerable effort had been made to retain a certain naturalness: huge boulders are located in and along the side of the pool. The water depth maintained would be about 1 meter.

Traveling all the way out here only to discover the main pool is getting a scrub.

From this pool I walk further upstream, the increasing heat evidence of becoming closer to the source of the hot stream or was it just the soaring mid-day heat? About 200 meter from the pool there are a number of streams coming from small holes in the red-hot rock bed of the stream, obviously the source of springs. These springs are also way too hot to be considered ‘bathable’.

The source of the intense heat: coming from between the rocks

Surprisingly for a Thai hot springs site, no one has come up with the innovative idea of cooking eggs in the springs; maybe it's more a northern Thai / Cambodian thing to do. But it also happens in Malaysia...., ah, it's possibly a long established tourist kind of custom, developed through generations of exposure to unattractive and boring hot springs ("I'm sure we can get hot water straight from the tap back home").

The hot water stream flowing downwards. Besides the water being hot, so are the rocks!

Back at the intersection, a small side path leads to an office-like structure which proves to be the entrance to a separate pool / bathing area. During the week (as now) use of these facilities is free, however during the weekend a fee of 80 Baht (by the time of publication nearly 3 $ US) is required, which local Thai residents might consider steep. It gives access to changing rooms, showers and a 5 meter round and shaded hot pool with a few loungers / chairs on its fringes.

And the non-natural soaking pond: actually not too bad for a dip during the cooler months or in the evening.

A cooler soak
An interesting side trip, is to take the footpath beyond and above the hot stream. It continues up and onwards ending near Pha Daeng (or Kao Chan?) waterfall. This waterfall lies in a wide but steep valley through which the river flows in a succession of waterfalls, though few are really spectacular. Maybe that changes during the rainy season but now at end of March, before the real drought onslaught, at best the waterfalls are just OK. Along the waterfall, going downhill, the path continues until it ends at a huge and empty car park. Possibly the emptiness is different with the weekend influx, but I can’t believe that Bangkokians will or have ever arrived in such numbers. Then again, near the car park is such an accumulation of refuse, that certainly must come from somewhere. Just near the car park are a couple of stalls.
The upper levels of the waterfall though are deliciously unpolluted and at that moment unvisited, great for an all-natural dip.

Pha Daeng or was it Kao Chan waterfall? Whatever, for late March it still made a pleasant dip.

Overnite
The day is drawing to an end and distant thunder is rumbling ever closer. Moving onwards to Kanchananburi, Ratchaburi’s northern provincial neighbour, seems a bit too far fetched and I decide to seek accommodation nearby; there is some choice to be had and the surroundings here are certainly crispier and more natural than a downtown Kanchanaburi hotel.
I drive back a couple of kilometers towards Suan Phueng, take a right turn and drive down to the reception of the Scenery.

"No, we are fully booked this evening",

says a receptionist, clad as a pristine nurse,

"but you’re welcome to tour the grounds".

She is very persuasive though not really um, ... real or genuine. As I start to wander further, she insists on leading the tour and asks me to hop on her golf cart which she uses to drive me along a duck pond with sparkling white spacious bungalows beyond it. At the end of the drive the artificial scenery gives way to a shaded forest along a 30-40 cm deep stretch of a river. Chairs are conveniently located in the stream as well as some swings, originating from the overhanging trees. What a beautiful place! But no rooms tonite.

My nurse advises me to stay at the near the entrance located, white washed Nagaya, which she assures me, has several rooms vacant this evening. After close inspection, I must say that it does miss the magic of the stream, but it does have a better backdrop / view than its neighbour. The rooms are quirky: each different and carrying names such as 'naked' and 'nude'. One might expect a clothing optional resort but, this being Thailand, the names are meant as a teaser, alas. Nagaya provides bikes, but the tracks beyond Nagaya are equally enjoyed on foot: following and crossing the river and meandering through fruit orchards, especially when the threatening thunderstorm finally unleashes itself, drenching me to the skin.

After this partially involuntary soaking, I change into drier clothes and head back over to the Scenery, as they are only resort within walking distance with a restaurant. It only now dawns on me that, there being no accommodation vacant at this resort, might have proven to be an advantage: on every tree a speaker has been mounted from which Frank S. is crooning. I manage to pass the reception without requiring the assistance of a golf cart to face the 100 meter stretch to the restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant sound system is not rigged to the tree sound system and though the meal is excellent the intermittent jazz / Sinatra takes away from the meal.

The Nagaya, something not so Thai. Pity of the pond. But still well worth a stay.

And there's more
After a good (non air-conditioned) sleep, I decide to discover more of the Suan Phueng area. Highway no. 6070 heads southwest from Suan Phueng towards the border with Burma. There might be a couple of waterfalls accessible, though the waterfall to Pachundara is blocked.
At Kaeng Som Maew / Queen Sirikit Forest Park (25 km from Suan Phueng, then a left side road for another 2.5 km) the waterfall is actually a rapid with a lot of opportunities for recreation (read picnic). Surprisingly, I only learnt after the visit that there is much more to be seen, it's a nature study center.

The Kaeng Som Maew rapids, lie near a nature study area with a royal hut.

However, Bo Wi waterfall (15 km from Suan Phueng, then in Bo Wi village a right hand turn before crossing the river, continue upstream for another km) is much more worth a visit. Located in a narrow valley this is again a multi-level (seven?) waterfall. Go up a couple of levels and on this week day, a pleasant skinny-dip can be had.

Objective met, time to return to the world, to Bangkok.

Bo Wi waterfall, great place to really cool off and spend a pleasant time in complete solitude (as you can see)

Discovering more

A bit of surfing on the i-net, has revealed more. As usual, there's a seemingly unending list of alternative names for the hot springs: Bor Klueng, Bo Khlung, Bo Klung, Bo Khlueng and probably many more variations; I settled on Bo Klueng as the first picture reveals (above this post entry): the fact that the place itself uses it.

There are some more visitors / sites who have posted their views / additional info:

• Bangkokmum:

  'there are two springs at Bor Krueng , a cement pond located outside for all to see and a swimming pool higher up … we went for the swimming pool cuz it’s shallow enough for kids to waddle in … people there jump in wearing t-shirts and shorts so i looked a little over the top in my swimming suits … it was quite relaxing , just soaking in the hot water and watching butterflies fly by …'

• Chomphrai reveals the history of the hot springs: prior to 1960 it was a mining area which explains why it is now private property. He / she also comments on butterflies and does more exploring nearby.

• The official Tourism of Thailand site mentions the temperature of the water and adds a couple of good photo's.
  

• On this travel agency site ('Thailand Travel Tours') they mention both Pha Daeng waterfalls ('riddled with leeches') as well as Bo Klueng ('nice place to relax').

• Extensive information on, not only the direct surroundings of Bo Klueng / Suan Phueng, but the whole of Ratchaburi province is to be found on wikitravel.

  'In winter, in the morning, the hot stream will combine and form a terrific fog'.

  It also provides more info on the trail between the hot springs and the waterfall:

  'Route 2: Start from the office and walk along the waterfall, passing Bo Khlueng Hot Stream and turn back to the office, taking 3 hours'.

  It also mentions the nearby 'Natural Science Park' from which the trail originates. It also refers to the waterfalls as 'Kao Chan' rather than Pha Daeng.

• Finally, a German language wiki mentions the waterfall (Kao Chan) having 9 levels.
  

Getting There: From Ratchaburi city, take highway no. 3087, just north of Ratchaburi on motorway no. 4. The 3087 bypasses the town of Chombung and after a gradual climb you'll find yourself in the town of Suan Phueng. Highway 6070 towards Bo Wi and Kaeng Som Maew / Queen Sirikit Forest Park is a left hand turn in town itself.
Bo Klueng however is a well signposted left turn, 5 km further out of Suan Pheung still on the same highway, 3087. The hot springs are about 10 km from this intersection, on your left.
The Pha Daeng / Kao Chan waterfalls are at the end of this road, 1 km beyond the hot springs.

Soaking Experience: Tough luck for me, the natural (free) pond was being cleaned, which of course deserves a very positive review. The hot stream itself has been kept natural, but simply too hot for anything other than a burn. The artificial pool is not enticing enough, but in the cooler part of the year certainly worth a try, especially if you can avoid the more busier weekends / Thai holidays

Overall impression: However, with the delicious natural setting and attractions around, Bo Klueng hot springs are certainly worth a very pleasant visit. Stay longer, it’s worth it!

Update here.

Developments

Slowly but ever so securely, I have been exploring and linking sites from all over Southeast Asia to this site. It's becoming a huge list!

Currently the number of links is well over 200 with the volcanically active Philippines left to be included. In the process the site has become the number 1 site purely dedicated to soaking and finding soaks in Southeast Asia.

Additionally, I have tallied a couple more soaking sites I personally visited, though with Southeast Asia's hottest season before us, more personal visits might have to wait ...

Again if any readers would like to contribute, feel free!