North - GreenerBali

The Banjar Hot springs are just about 30 minutes from Lovina. Just drive towards Temukus and you will see the signs showing you the way to the hot springs. If you do get lost, there are enough people who can guess where you are heading and are happy to point you in the right direction. Before actually getting to the hot springs, you have to pay the 20.000 Rph for adults and the 10.000 Rph entrance fee at the parking lot and pass the string of shops. These shops sell the usual things such as bags, hats, and shirts. My girlfriend and her friend thought it would be a good idea to buy a t-shirt which they could wear when taking a bath in the hot springs. They came up with this ‘brilliant’ idea after seeing how crowded the hot springs were with fully dressed Indonesians. We were there on a Sunday, the day that all Indonesians go out for day trips. So if you want to enjoy your bath with just a small crowd, avoid going there on Sundays. Anyway, after crossing a bridge we found ourselves in a beautiful flowered garden in which the ancient-looking hot springs are located. There are three baths where you can puddle in 38ºC sulfur water. The first bath is filled with dragon statues spewing water, which then overflows in the second bath located lower. The first bath is shallow and seems to be slightly warmer than the others. Along the walls, there is a small ridge where you can sit in the water. Water from the first bath overflows into the second Be careful when climbing down the stairs though. The water is not that clear and the steps are not really visible. When I was dozing off in the hot water I was awakened by a huge splash. Somebody had slipped down the stairs and stumbled into the pool with less grace... Just like the other pools, the third pool offers a great place to soak in the warm water too. Here the water pours from 3 m high giving you a great back massage. You are not allowed to jump in the bath nude and you can’t bring your bar of soap with you to the springs. This is not that surprising considering it would be a horrific sight, seeing dozens of people scrubbing their armpits. Soak in hot sulfur water... There are changing cabins and lockers just under the restaurant. If you feel like taking a shower, there is an open-air shower right next to the hot springs. Here you can shower with 4 people at a time under a roof of flowers. And do you still remember the t-shirt my girlfriend and her friend bought so they could wear it in the hot springs? Their plan didn’t really work out the way they wanted to. Our friend, Barbro who's shirt still looks as it should be... After jumping in the hot springs the t-shirt shrunk in such a way, that they couldn't even wear it. So don’t use any cheap t-shirts in your normal size, always buy the bigger size. The Banjar hot springs are open daily from 8 am till 6 pm. There is also a restaurant that serves Indonesian food.