Sembawang Hot Spring – Singapore’s Only Hot Spring

Located at Gambas Avenue in between Woodlands Avenue 12 and Sembawang Road, Sembawang Hot Spring is the only natural hot spring on the little red dot of Singapore. Believed to have healing powers and various health benefits, it is with much pity that there are plans in the works to fully convert the area around the hot spring into a national park by the end of 2018.

But there is no need to worry because the Sembawang Hot Spring will still remain and be converted into one of the elements of the new park. Nonetheless, it is crunch time to lay down some plans to visit Sembawang Hot Spring in its original state this weekend, before it is too late.

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THE BACKGROUND OF SEMBAWANG HOT SPRING

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Discovered in Sembawang by a Municipal ranger, W. A. B. Goodall, the Sembawang Hot Spring was thereafter founded in 1908 by Seah Eng Keong, a Chinese merchant who owned the grounds on which the hot spring stands.

During its humble beginnings, the Sembawang Hot Spring received much love from neighbouring villagers for its valuable medicinal properties. It was also claimed that the water from the hot spring was like the water you would find in mineral hot springs.

As Seah saw great business potential in the Sembawang Hot Spring, he decided to brand it as table water under the brand “Zombun”, which was later acquired by F&N and rebranded as “Zom” and “Vichy Water”.

The Sembawang Hot Spring also played a vital role during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945. Aside from a number of thermal baths being built around the spring, the hot spring also served as a recreational area for the Japanese officers.

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WHAT TO SEE & DO

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First things first, bring along an empty bottle or small pail so that you can have a taste of the water from the Sembawang Hot Spring. There is truly no better way to appreciate the hot spring and its healing benefits for illnesses such as rheumatism and skin problems that include acne and psoriasis.

But a word of caution that the water is extremely hot so do exercise some patience and let it cool down before consumption. As the saying goes, curiosity kills the cat.

If you are feeling adventurous, you can even bring your own bathtub and have your own hot bath right beside the spring. Even if you don’t reap the above health benefits from your experience there, the warm and soothing spring water would definitely relief you of muscle and joint aches.

However, do note that the Sembawang Hot Spring is not like a typical Japanese hot spring. But instead, you would find three separate areas to draw spring water from, and this would be from standpipes on small concrete bases.

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SOME TIPS TO FOLLOW

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Since the spring currently sits on Sembawang Air Base grounds, do note that the spring will only be open to the public from 7am to 7pm.

Also, bear in mind that this is a non-sheltered attraction so if the weather is hot, it will be brutally hot. As usual, load up on the sunscreen and pack along an umbrella to use whenever necessary.

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HOW TO GET THERE

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If you are planning to drop by via public transport, take a train to Yishun MRT Station and exit from Exit C. Then, take bus 812 or 858 from the bus stop (B59079) and alight after 3 and 4 stops, respectively, at Sembawang Road.

Walk towards the overhead bridge and straight down the road until you notice the “HDB Centre of Building Research” sign at the zebra crossing. Turn left and walk along the road until you see two red signs on a high gated fence.

Carry on walking slightly further and you would have reached Sembawang Hot Spring.

If you are driving, do note that there is no parking available on site and the nearest parking available would be at the neighbouring HDB estates. It will be a 10-minute walk from the carpark thereafter.

Sembawang Hot Spring
Along Gambas Avenue
Daily: 7am – 7pm
Nearest Station: Yishun