hot taps at sembawang

singaporeans are basically crowd followers. they tend to go where the crowd converge or gather. remember the time when much hype and publicity was given to the hot springs at sembawang? crowds started visiting the place, and throughout the whole day you had throngs of people streaming in and out of the track leading to the hot springs.

today, the place seems to have been forgotten, by-passed by the so many people who had gone there to seek treatment for skin problem and other related ailments. when i visited the place at about 10.00 a.m., there were only five people - i could assume they were regulars - at the hot springs.

actually, the place should be renamed hot taps. you do not get to see water bubbling and steaming out of the ground. you do not even get to see a bit of ground. the whole place has been cemented. there is no uncovered or open part when you can tell that water is coming up to the surface from deep underground. the only indication that the water comes from a hot spring is the smell of sulphur.

all you see around you are plastic chairs, pipes, plastic pails and tubs. there are enough pails and tubs for at least fifty persons at 'hot taps'. some of the pails were already filled with warm water. the people who go there, go prepared to wash or bathe themselves. there is an open shed where you can change, but in full view of everyone.

unlike in the past, you cannot drive your car or ride (your bicycle) to the place. the nearest car park is across the road, next to either block 114 or block 116 yishun ring road.