Cover Looking for places to rest and relax? Sample the bathing culture around Asia. (Photo: Roméo A. / Unsplash)
Looking for places to rest and relax? Sample the bathing culture around Asia. (Photo: Roméo A. / Unsplash)
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For travellers, bathing rituals offer a different kind of access: not the spa version of wellness, but the local experience—unhurried, communal and deeply rooted
The West may be busy rebranding the bath as a luxury, complete with eucalyptus-scented salts and overpriced “bath teas”. But across Asia, soaking rituals have never lost their soul. They remain purposeful, multi-sensory and deeply cultural. From mineral-rich hot springs to herbal steams and communal bathhouses, these bathing traditions aren’t just spa experiences. Rather, they’re quiet acts of everyday renewal.
As travel turns toward slower, more immersive wellness, there’s never been a better time to follow the water.
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1. Japan’s art of the onsen
Few rituals are as poetic (or as disciplined) as the Japanese onsen. Drawn from natural hot springs scattered across volcanic terrain, these mineral baths are a national institution. But it’s not just the water, which is rich in sulfur, iron or carbonic acid, that matters; it’s the ritual: scrubbing clean before entry, entering in silence and bathing until time stretches and then dissolves. Whether tucked in mountain inns or by the sea, the onsen is a place to recalibrate the nervous system, with etiquette as soothing as the water itself.
2. Korea’s jjimjilbang experience
The Korean jjimjilbang is less a bathhouse than a wellness complex. You can also consider it a social institution. You’ll find hot tubs, cold plunge pools and sauna rooms lined with jade or charcoal, as well as lounge areas where families nap, snack and rehydrate. Bathing here is equal parts cleansing and bonding, done in the buff and unhurried. Between scrubs and steams, it’s not uncommon to catch up on TV dramas or sip sweet sikhye in your robe. In a culture known for hustle, the jjimjilbang is the great equaliser of rest.
3. Thailand’s herbal steams and postnatal rituals
In Thailand, bathing culture is tied closely to healing. Herbal steam baths, traditionally made with lemongrass, kaffir lime, turmeric and camphor, are part of postnatal recovery for Thai women and still practiced in rural villages. Unlike the stillness of an onsen, these baths are more sensory and humid, often followed by a compress massage or light body scrub. The Thai philosophy of wellness is circular: cleanse, warm, heal, rest. And whether in a spa or a village hut, the ritual remains the same.
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4. Taiwan’s alkaline waters and mountain soaks
Taiwan’s mountainous spine is home to a lesser-known but thriving hot spring culture. These springs, often set in lush forested regions, offer water profiles ranging from iron-rich red springs to rare alkaline carbonate waters believed to smooth skin and relieve fatigue. Bathing here often comes with panoramic views—soaking becomes both a physical and visual reset. Unlike in Japan, Taiwanese bathhouses often welcome mixed-gender or swimwear-friendly formats, making them more approachable for newcomers.
5. Vietnam’s hilltop baths and medicinal steepings
In Vietnam’s northern highlands, ethnic minority groups have long practised herbal bathing as a form of seasonal cleansing and health preservation. These steeped baths are often dark with tree bark, roots and forest herbs, which are used to relieve cold, fatigue and even spiritual malaise. Increasingly, these traditions are being revived not just as cultural heritage, but as boutique wellness draws. The smell alone—woody, sharp, earthy—lingers in memory long after the water’s gone.
6. China’s communal baths and medicinal soaking
China’s public bathhouses have deep roots in both social life and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Here, hot water is more than just about comfort, but a tool for balance. Baths might be infused with mugwort, chrysanthemum or goji berries, targeting everything from circulation to energy flow. Communal bathing still thrives in many cities and small towns, though modern versions now incorporate saunas, massage rooms and herbal tea lounges. The vibe is less retreat, more rhythm of life.
Sasha Lim-Uy Mariposa is a lifestyle journalist who is known for her food writing. Based in Manila, she also covers entertainment and dining, as well as a broad range of topics. She was the former digital editor at Esquire Philippines and was the digital managing editor at Spot.ph, and now writes for the different Tatler Asia markets as a contributing writer for T-Labs.
