IS soaking in hot springs good for you?
Hot springs are widely believed to offer various healing benefits due to their mineral-rich waters and warm temperatures, and research supports these claims.
Studies indicate that soaking in hot springs can improve musculoskeletal pain, skin conditions, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being.
For these reasons, I desire to try out its potential health benefits and at the same time to relax in the natural phenomena in Paku, Bau, called Paku Hot Spring.
While at the hot spring, I followed all the recommended guidelines (not set by the Paku hot spring management) for soaking in hot springs, such as limiting the duration and temperature to avoid potential adverse effects.
I tested the water before I immersed my legs in the warm, mineral-rich waters for relaxation and potential health benefits, while being mindful of safety and etiquette, as I did not know how hot the water is.
As I slowly immersed my feet into the water, it just feels like warm water; as warm as the bathing water for babies.
At the same time, I enjoy the unique outdoor setting as well as the environment, which had been renovated and upgraded into a modern setting; of course, not forgetting to hydrate and pace my legs soaking time.
I also drank plenty of water, especially before and after soaking. Although I only immersed my legs, not my body, I limited my soak time to 15 minutes to prevent overheating, and take breaks to cool down and hydrate.
Having spent about an hour there, I can say that the revitalised Paku hot spring offers a peaceful and natural environment, perfect for unwinding.
Friends who like to soak in hot springs can soak their bodies and their feet or relax here; the Paku Hot Spring is suitable for relaxing and chilling.
This is definitely a place for you to bring your friends, companions or partners on the weekend. There is also a place for barbeque at the side of the hot waters’ pool.
It is also well worth a visit. Adults only need to pay RM5 to enter and enjoy the facilities. The fee collected is used to manage and maintain them.
From my personal experience, soaking in the hot springs, even if only my legs, helps relax my muscles and ease aches and pains in my feet and joints.
How it works, I am not entirely sure. Perhaps the minerals present can also be absorbed through the skin, potentially nourishing it and aiding in detoxification. As for whether the hot spring water in Paku is truly beneficial for the body, I cannot say, as I only managed to speak to the person manning the counter on the day I visited.
While there’s evidence of some early investigations on hot springs in Malaysia, it is said that comprehensive, in-depth studies on the hot spring water itself are limited in Sarawak including the one in Paku.
Even if there were studies being made, they might have focused on the general characteristics of hot springs, their location, and potential geothermal energy applications, but detailed chemical analyses and their impact on human health or the environment are areas that require further research.
About 40km from Kuching City, the Paku Hot Spring is located specifically in Kampung Sibulung, about 6km from Bau town.
The hot spring has been upgraded with new facilities like pools, changing rooms, and more, as part of the Serembu Rural Transformation Programme to revitalise as a tourist attraction.
The Paku hot spring is divided into five pools, four for adults and on for adults or children. The four pools are about waist deep while the other one is hardly a knee deep.
There are two spring sources at the main pool; one seems to be collected through borehole, drilled into the aquifer, and another, which is smaller, seeps directly through a PVC pipe planted into the soil where the water flows out.
At the shallow pool, two or three bubbles can be seen rising from the pool floor, where spring water seeps through and fills the pond.
The floor of the main pool was covered with tiles while the shallow pool, pebbles and concrete sheet slabs were laid on its floor.
Visitors to the hot spring may soak their legs or immerse their body or bath in either of the pools available.
The water in the main pools was slightly murky, while it was clear and soft in the shallow pool. Overall, the water temperature was very warm and pleasantly comfortable.
At the pool sides are sheltered sitting places for visitors to relax, to take breaks or to cool down and hydrate after bathing over a certain period of time or before they leave the place.
The facilities and surrounding environment are well maintained and clean, with a calm and peaceful atmosphere, especially on the day I visited, when there were few people around.
Before the Paku hot spring underwent a major facelift, it was just an open air pool without any building or a sheltered area. There was also no changing room and toilets there.
At one time, the hot spring was left idled and looked like an abandoned pond; all it had was a sign board.
Today, it is one of the must-visit places in Kuching and Bau, for both locals and foreign visitors.
The Paku Hot spring is the nearest among the three hot springs in Kuching and Serian, and probably the most modern one.
According to Serembu Assemblyman, Miro Simuh, he had spent about RM700,000 from his Rural Transformation Project (RTP) fund to revitalise the Paku Hot Spring.
The upgrading works were implemented into two stages, with the first stage took off in 2021.
Now, at Paku hot spring, there are roofed pools for body soaking and bathing, and pools to soak legs, tiled surfaces, proper drainage, toilets, changing rooms and parking lots.
Miro said he had set aside quite a huge sum from his RTP to revitalise the Paku hot spring because he believed it can attract tourists seeking relaxation, recreation and cultural experience.
He also believed that hot springs, including the one in Paku, can boost local economies through increased tourism, job creation, and infrastructure development.
He said tourists spend money on accommodation, food, transportation, and other services, which help boost local businesses.
“If the hot spring can attract tourists, jobs would be created in hotel, restaurants, tour agencies and other related services.
“Even businesses that supply goods and services to the tourism industry also benefit, creating further employment opportunities in a long run,” he said.
