Singapore's one and only natural hot spring that is accessible to the public (The other one is at Pulau Tekong; Dr Ng Eng Hen, Singapore's Minister for Defence posted an image of Tekong Hot Spring on Facebook previously), The Sembawang Hot Spring Park, which was closed for development works since Aug 2018 finally opens its door to the public on 4 Jan 2020. You can read my previous post for more information regarding the Hot Spring if you have never heard of a hot spring in Singapore.
Around 450 residents witness the launch of the park led by Sembawang GRC MPs Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung, Amrin Amin and Lim Wee Kiak, with Nee Soon GRC MPs Lee Bee Wah and Faishal Ibrahim, as they planted Island Lychee and Hairless Rambutan trees to mark the occasion.
The new park has not only expanded in size from the original 0.1 hectare to 1.1 hectare but also features multiple new enhancements such as toilet facilities which are based on feedback from the member of the public during the consultation conducted by the National Parks Board (NParks).
The following are some of the new enhancements that you can find in The Sembawang Hot Spring Park: Flora Walk
First thing you will notice when entering the park is the flora walk with fruit trees and edible plants such as ginger, rambutan and chiku as well as flowers commonly seen in Singapore in the 1960s and 1990s. There are many informative signs indicating the species of plants that can be found in the park.
The area that I love most about the park is the stream just before the main area. It gives the park a natural boost. However do take note that the water running through the stream is extremely hot (70 °C)
Cascading Pool
The centerpiece of the park is a four-tier cascading pool with hot spring water coming out of the top tier at around 70 °C, and slowly cools to about 40°C at the lowest tier. Visitors can enjoy a foot bath by soaking your legs in the water while seating around the edge of the lowest tier.
Kudos to the park management for preserving the original well that was used to fetch the spring water.
Water Collection Point
Taps, tables and benches with various heights are installed at the main water collection point to facilitate collection of water using various size of containers or buckets.
Wooden buckets are provided by the park for you to fetch the water.
Expectation VS Reality
There is even a separate receptacle just for egg cooking (a popular activity here in the park). Do be very careful though as the water running from the taps are very hot (70 °C)
Café
A café called Sembawang Eating House is also a welcomed enhancement to the park by the public. It opens daily from 08:00 to 20:00 and serves local dishes like nasi lemak and finger food like fries and nuggets. Do note take pets are not allowed in its precinct and also it is in the midst of getting halal certification for its food.
Toilet
The biggest change after the renovation for many of the visitors is the installation of toilets. But for me i am more excited to find water coolers here.
Rooms For Improvement
Even though the new Hot Spring Park is way better than before in terms of space and facilities, there are still areas that i think can be further improve as follows:
No Parking Area The hot spring park is not exactly located at a location which is easily accessible just by public transport. Clearly it is quite an obvious assumption that most visitors would be visiting the park by driving. Hence a lack of parking space would be a very big push factor for those who like to visit but does not leave near the park. Even though there are parking space at the nearby HDB estate, I believed it would become annoying for residents staying there as well in the long run when their parking space constantly gets invaded by visitors to the park. No Changing Area or Shower Facilities I remember previously when Yishun Central opens its new community water park which is also free for public to use, it comes with facilities like shower room and changing rooms. I would believe that changing room and/or shower facilities are the very basic facilities to expect at a place involving water. Hence I was actually quite surprised that the Sembawang Hot Spring Park only comes with a very small toilet with no shower facilities nor space for changing (somemore it is located at a distance from the main hot spring area). Lack of Clear Instructions It is true that there are direction and information signage everywhere. But what I feel needs a big and clear signage (maybe in 4 languages) is at - the washing bay for you to wash your feet before soaking into the pool, - the main area to inform people that it can become a health risk if they soak in the hot water for too long (indirectly preventing them from hoarding all the buckets) - Reminder to visitors to wash the buckets after use (some buckets were smeared with egg remains) My Verdict
So is the Sembawang Hot Spring Park worth a visit? In terms of rarity I would say yes. But I would not recommend you to travel all the way just to experience the hot spring unless you stay very near (like me :P). My suggestion is to pay a visit to the park if you are near or plan a half day trip to visit the hot spring as well as the nearby areas like Chong Pang Food Center to make your trip more worth it.
One last thing, the park is too hype up right now. So if you really want to enjoy the park, I would suggest visiting maybe 1 month later. Details
Name: Sembawang Hot Spring Park
Opening Hours: 07:00 - 19:00 hrs Address: Gambas Ave Nearest Bus Stop: 400m away at Sembawang Road Nearest Car Park: 114 Yishun Ring Road Fee: Free Admission
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KelvinYo. I am from Singapore. I love to travel. Follow me as I share my experiences and tips for budget travelling as well as my hunt for Ho Kangs around Singapore. Archives
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