Did you know Singapore has its very own hot spring?

Neither did I.

And no it is not like the onsen that is ubiquitous in Kyoto.

Ours look more—Singaporean, to say the least.

Singapore Hot Spring

If you know about the said hot spring, then you can skip this portion.

Named the Sembawang Hot Spring, it is tucked away in Gambas Avenue.

It is a very humble space; only taking up 0.1 hectares of space.

It was originally found in 1908 by a Chinese merchant, Seah Eng Keong, Channel NewsAsia reported.

The place has been through a lot, it was a thermal bathhouse for Japanese soldiers before MINDEF acquired the land in 1985.

Even before the acquisition, there were talks about revamping the place into a tourist spa resort, miniature golf course, restaurant or nature reserve.

But unfortunately, they were all just talk.

Apparently said merchant was not the first one to discover the place, instead, it was a British soldier named William Arthur Bates Goodall, according to a signboard at the entrance of the spring.

History is never-ending.

Present moment

Now, it is enjoyed by Singaporeans—aunties lepaking with their feet placed in pails of hot spring water, cooking eggs using the hot spring water and just basking in the “kampung life” while they can.

A huge park in 2019

Yes, while they can.

National Parks Board announced on 25 Nov that they will give Sembawang Hot Spring a major facelift as it will be turned into a huge park while still retaining the kampung vibes by 2019.

You can expect a pool where hot spring water will be flowing (foot bath anyone?),a designated area for you to cook eggs and not to mention a café for the hipsters.

You can also expect fruit trees like chiku, jambu and rambutan.

You can have a say

The best part is that you can have a say in what goes in the park from its landscapes, amenities to activities that you would like to engage in.

For now, you can head to the fairly new Admiralty Park, just make sure you don’t use the slides if you’re a full-grown adult.

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This article was first published on goodyfeed.com

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Featured image: Channel NewsAsia / Vanessa Paige Chelvan