What's HOT in Sarawak?

So, what is really HOT in Sarawak?

The hot spring in Kampung Panchor Dayak, Serian is what really HOT in Sarawak, me think. Indeed, I believe this is the best NATURAL hot spring in Malaysia.

Some of the hot spring sites I had been to look more like modern-man-made water park resorts while others look like they have been 'abandoned' and in very sorry state indeed.

So when I found this very basic but well maintained hot spring spot in Serian, I almost automatically fell in love with the place. Surrounded by beautiful 'nipah' forest, I would put Kampong Panchor Dayak hot spring in Sarawak at the top spot on the list of my favourite hot spring sites in Malaysia.

So how can one get the chance to experience the 'magic' of Kampung Panchor Dayak hot spring? Actually the place is pretty easily accessible. From Kuching town, take the Kuching/Serian Highway. It is only about an hour drive from Kuching (48 kilometres).

After passing by the small town of Tapah, watch for a roadside signboard for Kampong Panchor's direction. The hot spring is actually located only about 10" drive off the main road. In order to reach the site, one needs to pass through both tar-sealed road and also a gravel-filled one.

The Kampung Panchor Dayak hot spring is open all days to public. Nevertheless, on weekdays (Monday to Friday), visitors may need to call the caretaker via his mobile numbers. Luckily, there is a signage at the entrance showing the person's name and his numbers. So, after making the call, the caretaker will come over to open up the place for you. Easy does it:)

The hot spring pool is actually located in a forested area (a 'nipah' forest). Therefore, I would not recommend a female visitor to go on her own. Truth is... a place like this is best enjoyed together with family members or friends. The serene surrounding, the green scenery, the natural looking hot pool (with wooden boardwalks and no hint of concrete at all...thank god for that!)...all these and more would make the experience an 'almost-magical' one, indeed!

Magical it may be indeed... and may I add... there is also a 'mystical' twist in a local tale of this beautiful site. The locals warned that pregnant women and ladies having PMS are NOT allowed to take bath in the hot pool. And if you were to ask me 'why'?... well... that IS the rule there. But also, according to the locals, the rule came about after an incident which occurred at another nearby hot spring site many years ago. A pregnant woman took a bath there and the water in the pool later turned cold! The locals believed the 'magic spell' was somehow 'decoded'. So... ladies... don't tell that I did not warn you.

I must say again here that I truly believe Kampung Panchor Dayak hot spring is indeed the best NATURAL hot spring site in Malaysia. So, if you happen to visit Sarawak, I strongly recommend you to visit this 'hot spot' of Sarawak. Enjoy!

'Korean Hot Spring' of Hulu Langat

This is a 'hot spot' for Koreans! For some unknown and strange reasons, almost like storylines of those 'weird' yet wonderful Korean horror films, the hot spring of Sungai Serai in Hulu Langat, Selangor seems to be a 'popular joint' for Koreans living in and around Kuala Lumpur. Indeed, when I first arrived at the site, there were only a few people enjoying the hot pool... and they were all Koreans! And when I was about to leave the place later in the evening, a group of 15 overtly excited teenagers arrived. Yes, they were all Koreans too! Hmmm... is there something about this 'hot spot' that they know and we (the locals) don't?


Sungai Serai Hot Spring of Hulu Langat is easy to locate. There are many routes out of Kuala Lumpur city that one can take in order to get to this place.

And the good thing is... it is only about 30 minutes drive from the heart of the city!

And the best thing is... it is FREE! Yup, no entrance fee whatsoever!

From the city centre, I followed the Ampang Road and went all the way to Ampang Point shopping complex. From here I drove ahead until I reached the traffic light in front of Taman Kosas (on the left). I drove pass the traffic light until I reached the next one. I turned right at this traffic light junction and went to Jalan Taman Putra. I then passed by Carrefour on my right. Drove straight ahead. Then another traffic light. Here I turned left to a road that would lead to Kajang (and along the way... to a place called 'Ampang Look Out Point').

While driving up the hill, I had the opportunity of enjoying the awesome view of KL city (see photo above). And soon enough I already found myself driving down on the other side of the hill. I then came upon a T-junction. I turned right. Drove pass the 'Jamek Masjid'(on the right). Then Petronas station on the left. Then another smaller masjid called 'Masjid Ehsan' (photo) on the right. Then...there it was! Right infront of this small masjid ... a signboard for 'Kolam Air Panas Sungai Serai'(Sungai Serai Hot Spring). I had finally arrived!


Sungai Serai Hot Spring in Hulu Langat is conveniently located right by the side of a busy main road. But thanks to the many trees planted in and around the site, bathers would somehow not get 'distracted' by sound and sight of the traffic. Indeed, I was quite surprise when I found out how 'serene' the site was despite its close proximity to the main road. I believe the bathers would enjoy a much greater experience when they visit the site at night. Less traffic and noise. The hot spring site is open daily until 10 pm.


Apart from the hot spring pool, the place also has a hot spring well. Located close to the pool, the well seemed to be a 'favorite' spot for the elderly visitors, especially the women. So, if one doesnt feel like 'dipping' his or herself in the pool, then one can still able to enjoy the hot spring by simply 'bathing' from this well. The well is also used to 'rinse' oneself after a 'dip' in the pool.

All in all, I would say that Sungai Serai Hot Spring is a nice, cosy 'alternative' outing site for dwellers of Kuala Lumpur city. It may be small in size and facilities provided are very basic indeed, but then again, I would not mind coming to this place again... and again... and again simply because it is so very convenient to go to. And I always like it hot! And...errr...yeah...I enjoy watching Korean movies:)

The 'Hot Seats' of Sungai Serai Hot Spring

Korean couple enjoying the Hot Spring Pool. The Hot Spring Well is on the right, under the tree.

The Hot Spring Well

Hot Soda Pool of Parbubu

Imagine... soaking yourself in a hot natural spring pool while enjoying the awesome sight of the surrounding paddy fields and lush green mountains. Well... an extraordinary experience some may say.

But what if I were to say that the pool mentioned actually contains gallons and gallons of 'soda' warm water. Now... that is an 'extra extra ordinary' experience, isnt it?

To put it bluntly...it is like immersing oneself in a pool filled with gallons of warm fizzy drinks. Yeah. Soaking in hot, bubbly 'Sprite' or '7 Up'!

Indeed, that is exactly what one would experience when he/she goes to Parbubu Soda Water Hot Spring in Tarutung, Sumatera Island of Indonesia.

After I landed at the Polonia International Airport of Medan, Sumatera, I quickly made my way to Medan City. The next day I took a bus to Parapat. The 176 km trip took about 4 hours.

Parapat is a small scenic town located at the edge of Danau Toba/Lake Toba. There are all types of accommodation available to suit one's budget. So, worry not:)

Now... Lake Toba is an awesomely well known tourist destination within the Malay Archipelago region and infos related to the place can be found in abundance. So I would not go into details here about this heavenly place except for some 'quickies'....

• Danau Toba/Lake Toba is the biggest volacnic lake in the world
• 100km long & 30km wide
• 505m maximum depth! (longer than the Petronas Twin Towers! Its like... 'diving' from top of the twin towers all the way down to the ground level...and more! Brrr...eerily deep!)

Early next day I took a boat to cross the lake and landed myself at a spot called 'Tomok'. The place is actually the 'gateway' to Samosir Island.
This fascinatingly beautiful island is located right in the middle of Lake Toba. With an area of 50km long and 15km wide, Samosir Island is actually about the size of Singapore! Samosir is also the heartland of 'Batak' people and their culture.
Done with Lake Toba, Samosir and other popular 'touristy' spots of the area, I then decided it was time for me to move on. I was thinking of the 'soda' hot spring of Parbubu.
In order to reach Parbubu from Parapat, one needs to take the road that leads to Padang Sidempuan via a small town called Tarutung. Tarutung is actually some sort of a 'transit' town for people traveling through Medan, Parapat and Padang.

From Tarutung one can take the Public Transport (called 'mikrolet') to go to Parbubu. It is only a 15" drive from Tarutung town centre and the 'soda' hot pool is located by the road side. Surpringly, one will find that the entrance to the pool is actually for... FREE! Yeah, quite hard to believe but then again this is due to the fact that the site is used as a common pool for locals to take a bath.


Parbubu 'Soda' Hot Spring is truly a unique bathing site. The warm water of the pool really does taste like soda water! But please be cautious as not to actually try to 'gulp down' or drink the water. This may make you feel 'sick', especially in the areas around the eyes and nose.
And also, as advised by the locals...please,please refrain yourself from saying any bad words while bathing! If you may ask me why is that so and what will happen if one to ignore the advise... wellll...let's just say that ... after done with Parbubu, one would later be on the road again to head back to where one comes from. And that presumably would be a one hell of a looong journey. Along the way...many 'things' or possibilities can happen... so... 'watch' your words.

But then again... the experience of soaking and indulging oneself in the hot 'soda' water while enjoying the beautiful view of the paddy fields and the green hills is truly a remarkable experience one should not try to miss. Even, when one has to 'zipped-up' his/her mouth all the way while soaking in that bubbly-good-feeling hot soda water of Parbubu! Enjoy!

Hot Eden of the Philippines

When my Filipino friend, Jo, suggested that I should visit the 'Eden' of the Philippine (while we were busy doing our 'window shopping' in a crowded mall in Makati, Manila) I thought he meant a place not far from the city. Indeed, when I asked him how far his 'eden' was, he quickly (and cheekily) answered "... oh... only a few hours away". So, before noon on the next day, I found myself already seated comfortably beside Jo in an air-conditioned bus heading to a place called 'Baguio'.


It turned out that Baguio was a place situated at an altitude of 1,500m above the sea level... about 250km from Manila... and the trip actually took almost 6 long hours! Of course, Jo had 'tricked' me into agreeing to go to Baguio... but the truth is... I could not have thanked him enough for that. Baguio turned out to be a very unique place indeed!



Access to this fabled Mountain City took us through spectacular winding roads. Hair-raising experience it was indeed, but then again, the Kennon (zig-zag) Road showcased a breathtaking view of the mighty Cordillera mountain chain. Labeled as the Philippine's 'Summer City, Baguio is also often referred as the 'City of Pines'.

During my stay in Baguio, the temperature rarely rose above 25 degree C and at night it was really freezing cold! . So, it was not surprising to know that this beautiful place is a favourite among the locals for its cool, refreshing climate and spectacular scenery.

Baguio also served as the commercial and industrial heart of the highlands region. I was truly amazed to see offers of dazzling array of native arts, crafts and mountain foods when I browsed the markets in Baguio.

There were many attractions in Baguio, such as Burnham Park, Botanical Garden, Session Road or City Market... just to name a few. But the most famous 'crowd-drawer' to this city is the Baguio Flower Festival, or better known locally as 'Panabenga'. Unfortunately, it is held only once a year and that happens to be in the month of February. And no, it was not in February when I visited Baguio. Talk about 'wrong timing':(

But... there was actually another surprise waiting for me at Baguio. The 'Eden' that my good friend Jo talked about was not actually referring to Baguio City itself. Indeed, he was actually referring to another place called 'Asin'. Now... this 'Asin' place, according to Jo, was 'very near' to Baguio. Another trick? Again? And it was just a 45" ride from the city. And we could take a 'jeepney' to go to this 'eden'. Oh, really?

Well... this time around it turned out to be true. Jo was not pulling my legs. Indeed, Asin was located only 16km away from Baguio. The place was located in a town called Tuba in Benguet (just outside of Baguio's city limits). The spot was actually resided between mountains and at a lower altitude (290m above sea level). Naturally, the weather here was more 'warm' but without too much of humidity.

Asin was actually a 'complex' of several old and new resorts. The sulfuric water of the hot springs came from the underground vents deep in the mountains and foothills of the southern Cordillera. The Asin Hot Springs complex caters to all sorts of expectations and budgets. So, you would find accommodation with rates as low as Php 800 right to as high as Php2,000. Even the entrance fees to the pools are varied with a range starting from Php80 right to Php100 for days and night swimming.

Now... why would my friend Jo referred Asin as the 'Hot Eden of the Philippines'? Well... you may find/see the answer from the photos below...

A bridge in Asin.

Asin Hot Spring


Kids Corner @ Asin Hot Spring


Another view of Asin Hot Spring

Now... after spending 3 nights and 4 days in Baguio... I was getting restless thinking of that long, long trip back to Manila. And, ohhh... those winding roads again:(

Luckily, thanks to Jo(... again), in his effort of somehow saying 'sorry' to me for playing a 'cruel' prank at the beginning of this trip, he 'offered' to take both of us back to the city by taking... a plane! And what a brilliant idea that was!

All the flights leaving Baguio only in the morning. This is due to the visibility which normally would approach almost to zero in the afternoon. The fog starts to move in and cover most of the area surrounding the airport.

Loakan Airport, Baguio is located only 20" drive from the city. Oh yeah... only propeller driven aircraft is available. So... hang on tight to your seat...

SELAYANG Threesome

Lying under the shades of cooling trees... looking at the bright sky which is filled with various shape of clouds moving about above the head... feeling the gentle touch of the late afternoon breeze... while having your legs soaked in a wonderful, warm water of natural hot spring pond. How does that make you feel? Relaxing? Rejuvenating? And what if I were to tell you that the place where you can actually experience this is located only about 20km away from Kuala Lumpur city? Welcome to Selayang Natural Hot Spring.

And how can get yourself to this place? Its pretty easy actually. You can travel along Jalan Ipoh towards Rawang town. After you have passed the 'Pasar Borong Selayang' (Selayang Wholesale Market) on your right, continue traveling until you approach the KIA Service Centre. From

here, take note of a signboard on your left just before approaching the flyover leading to Bandar Baru Selayang (Selayang New Town). You are almost there. The hot spring is just about 20 metres away from the main road. Another useful landmark for you is the Selayang Hospital. The hot spring is located about 2 km north of the hospital.

Selayang Hot Spring has been around for about 10 years but realtively 'unknown' to many people until last year

when it was 'upgraded'. A new signboard has also been erected at the slip road leading to the site. The entrance fee is RM2 per vehicle.

The spring site has also now been provided with proper washrooms and even the ground is cemented. There is also ample parking space available. And if you feel hungry or need to quench your thirst, there are a few kiosks selling food & beverages located at the side of the area.

To be honest with you, in general, Selayang Hot Spring has 'nothing to shout about' ... really. But then again, people from all over Kuala

Lumpur come here to fetch the water and some even bring home to

their elderly parents! The water is believed to have healing properties and could cure some skin or aching feet. But most interestingly, the locals claimed that the water can actually remain hot for as long as for 6 hours even after they were brought back home! Must be awesomely hot!

And while you are there, you can see all sort of antics and interesting behaviour of some of the bathers. Some of them can be downright funny though...but then again...of course...they have own reasons for behaving in such peculiar manners:)

By the way, there are actually 3 different pools in this area. The first 3 pictures above were taken at the 1st

pool. This is actually the hottest of all! Only the brave &

those with really, really 'thick skin' would dare to dip in their feet into this pool:) Bubbles and steam can be seen rising from this turquoise colored pool. There is also a faint smell of sulfur detected at the site.

The 2nd pool (picture above on the left) is shallower and also less hot compared to the 1st one. The water looks a bit 'musky' but still has the same 'turquoise' color.

The picture on the right shows the 3rd pool. This is actually the favourite pool of the visitors. Eventhough the water in the pool looks really

muddy but strangely enough it seems that the crowd love to flock to this particular one. As with the 2nd pool, this is also a shallow pool.

Just as a gentle reminder to you, the very 1st pool that I've mentioned above is actually considered by many as a 'dangerous pool'. Indeed, several cases of drowning have been reported related to the said pool! So I guess, if you intend to venture out to this place, just bear on mind to be a little bit extra cautious and have a safe fun. And talking about 'fun', I remember that I could'nt stopped laughing when I read what was written on a signboard placed on the site....

Loosely translated:

Please Take Note: To all visitors, kindly adhere to these guidelines

- do not place your feet in the pool

- do not wash clothings in the pool

- do not wear underwear while bathing!

HOT In The City

That's right, you can get 'hot' even without leaving the city! Located right in the middle of the city (welll...almost. It is about 6km from the heart of Kuala Lumpur city), this used to be a very, very popular spot for getting 'hot & steamy in the city' back in the 60's & 70's! Wow! Talk about 'hot spot' retro style:)

The place I'm referring to is no other than the Setapak Hot Spring.

Back in those days, Setapak Hot Spring was indeed the centre of the community of the area! People living nearby would gather at this 15' wide natural thermal pool each morning to either wash their clothes (!) or just simply take bath. And now... in this present time...the place is not as popular as it was before. Indeed, not many people living in KL even know that the city has its very own natural hot spring spot. Nevertheless, this hot spring site still remain as one of the favourite places in the city for those 'faithful and in the know' who still loyally flock to the spot.

I went to check out the place recently. It was pretty easy to locate the site. I took the Jalan Pahang route and went all the way to Setapak via Jalan Genting Kelang. Setapak Hot Spring is located about 1/2 km from the junction of Jalan Genting Kelang and Jalan Air Panas. And to make things easier, it is actually located within the compound of a residential building which is aptly named 'Resource Spring Apartment'. Parking space is available on the road shoulder... or you might even want to ask the friendly guards if they could allow you to park in the apartment's compound.

The entrance fee is only for RM1, and that would even entitled you for a 'timba' (through used for scooping water). You see, no one is allowed to jump into the pool. Or swim in any part of the 'wavy pool' area. And to be honest with you, I don't think anyone would even dare to do such things. The water is piping hot! And... the water is believed to be even HOTTER during rainy season and also between the months of January until April. Don't ask me why....?

So, the 'timba' can be used to collect or scoop up the water from the pool. Oh yeah, by the way, you need to return the 'timba' before leaving the place, OK:))

Setapak Hot Spring is opened everyday from 7am - 7pm.

The site is generally comprises of 4 different zones:

1) The 'wavy pool' area
2) The 'spring outlets' area
3) Foot Soaking area
4) Bath Cubicles

To be honest with you, I was very disappointed with the condition of the Bath Cubicles area. The less said here is the better.

Anyway, I would recommend you to enjoy your 'hot-dipping-and-soaking' activities restricted only to those 3 areas (wavy pool, spring outlet & foot soaking areas). Enjoy!