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Trip to the Hot Springs near Malinau

Last Sunday marked the start of Idul Fitri which is the biggest public holiday here in Indonesia and marks the end of Rhamadan (the month of fasting for Muslims). So, with everyone on a rare day off, we all took a trip out of town to locate the local hot springs.

When I say local, I actually mean a 2 hour drive away over what can barely be described as roads. If I’d know just how bad the roads were going to be I’d never have opted to use a couple of Toyota Avanzas for it!

For those that don’t know, the Toyota Avanza is a small people carrier style car about the size of a Ford Focus but can seat seven people. It’s very old school underneath with a live rear axle and rear wheel drive. Just the thing for serious off roading. NOT!

It was a massive relief when we finally got to the springs to be able to rest our backsides from the hundreds of bumps they’d had to endure on the trip. The warm waters under the waterfalls were a comforting place to relax and take in the fantastic surroundings. The only slight disappointment was the usual amount of litter strewn around the place. I just wish the locals could learn to pick-up after themselves!

 

The water falling over the falls comes from a river into which feeds boiling hot water from underground. So we had to go and find the source of the hot water, before it got mixed into the cool river. So a gentle 15 minute hike along the river was in order. It turns there wasn’t just one source but many small ones all along the river.


Boiling hot water escaping from underground
Bathing in the hot waters next to another hot water outlet
Suitably boiled, it was time to head back before the incoming thunderstorms made the “roads” impassable. Once back on the main roads near Malinau, the drivers wanted to give the cars a good clean, understandably. What none of us were expecting was for them to drive into a river!  
Malinau car wash

It turns out this spot is well known with the locals with everyone washing anything from cars to motorbikes and even themselves. Only in Indo!


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