Hazimi bin Nyak Tapin, a Malaysian journalist, enjoyed the warmth of his first sulfurous water bath in the hot water swimming pool of Alam Sibayak, at Semangat Gunung village, at the foot of Mount Sibayak, North Sumatra.

“This is my first experience with sulfurous water. The water is very warm and although the smell of sulfur is pungent it makes my whole body feel good,” Hazimi told The Jakarta Post in Alam Sibayak, Karo regency recently.

Hazimi indicated he was interested in sulfurous water baths because of the health benefits. Hazimi added that the experience could also be a refreshing way to spending leisure time with families and friends, especially because of its idyllic location beneath Mount Sibayak.

“The atmosphere here is cool and fresh, which prompted us to try the hot baths,” Hazimi said, observing the water gushing out of its spring not far from the foot of the volcano, north of the town of Berastagi.

The pool in Semangat Gunung is about 4 kilometers from the mountain’s base. In this village nine businesses offer sulfurous spring water bath services, including the Panorama and Karona establishments.

The Alam Sibayak pool has a huge spring that feeds 10 pools, each designed for the convenience of children or adults, with the warm sulfurous water.

Pool attendant Sidik Karo-Karo, 53, explained that the sulfur grade in all of the ponds was around 60 percent — any excess of that mark would be very uncomfortable for people as they would become overwhelmed by the strong sulfur smell and high temperature.

Sidik added that the pool heat rates were all regulated so that they were comfortable for people of all ages. For children, for example, the temperature is only 10 degrees Celsius whereas for adults it can reach as high as 30 degrees.

“The water will remain warm although the weather is very cold in this mountain forestland. The warmth of the pool is maintained by a natural outlet of water from the Sibayak spring,” Sidik Karo-Karo told the Post.

Sidik, who has worked at the swimming pool for 23 years, suggested that those bathing in sulfurous water for the first time should, at first, avoid immersing all of their body, because the sulfur could cause dizziness.

“Instead of plunging straight into the water, dip your legs in for about 10 minutes and raise them for a while, before dunking yourself to the waist in the pond for 10 minutes. With a moment’s break, go down again to immerse your body repeatedly, each time for 10 minutes. Only then can you stay soaked as long as you wish,” he advised, warning against bathing on an empty stomach.

According to Sidik, the water flowing from Sibayak’s rock fissures is believed to cure assorted skin complaints, allergies and remove dandruff. Although not all the healing properties have been medically verified, many people have experienced positive after effects.

“I myself once had an allergy on the neck but after bathing in the water several times, it was gradually cured,” said Sidik, who also recommended the smearing of sulfur powder all over the body while bathing for speedier recovery from skin ailments.

Sulfur powder is obtained by sieving sulfur water after being laid exposed for one night. It is sold at the price of Rp10,000 (US$1.04) for three packs. Many tourists buy the powder. Sugiran, a tourist from Medan, was one of the visitors buying the powder. He said he had taken a sulfurous bath for the first time and was interested in applying the powder to heal his skin disorder. “The rash on my body will hopefully be cured by this powder,” added Sugiran while soaking in a pool.

Sulfur spring swimming pools in Semangat Gunung village are open to the public from 8 a.m. to 23 p.m, West Indonesia Time. Generally, the bathing facilities are teeming with tourists from afternoon till late evening.

For admission, visitors are charged twice. They have to pay an entrance fee of Rp 2,500 per person, imposed by the Karo regency administration, to enter the area in which the pools are located. To enter the sulfurous pools, tickets are sold at Rp 5,000 per person for adults and Rp 3,000 for children.

This sulfurous spring tourist destination, easily accessible by public transport, is situated in the Lau Debuk-Debuk area, about 60 kilometers from Medan and 10 kilometers from Berastagi, Karo regency.

At the crossroads of Lau Debuk-Debuk, travelers need to go an additional 4 kilometers to reach the pool site. Although the road leading to the sulfurous bath facilities is bumpy with scattered heaps of stones, the trip is far from boring as the mountain scenery with farmland and green foliage creates a cool and fresh atmosphere all the way.

— Photos JP/Apriadi Gunawan

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