In recent years domestic and international visitors who come to the coastal city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province have been flocking to the Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre where they enjoy bathing in mineral water and soaking in mud, all the time being surrounded by scenic landscape.
They are also provided with health care and beauty services. This area is a unique and attractive gift supplied by nature.
Situated about 4km north of Nha Trang City, Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre covers an area of three hectares overlooked by mountains with the Cai River running through it, creating a magnificent landscape with green trees and colourful flowers. The Centre offers patrons relaxing services, such as soaking in a bathtub of warm, mineral loaded mud or swimming in the pool of mineral water, bathing under hundreds of warm water jets or standing under the waterfall. Those who like quietness and privacy can go to the very luxurious convalescent quarter resort consisting of 14 apartments fitted with all conveniences, where they are provided with services of indoor mineral water bathing and mud soaking along with massage, acupuncture therapy and beauty services.
Hoang Quang, Director of the Centre told us the history of this tourist site. In 1994 the Central Vietnam Division of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology undertook an exploration of underground boring and discovered a source of mineral water in Dac Loc Village of Vinh Phuong Commune, Nha Trang City. As the mineral water was hot and salty it could not be canned. The boring holes was filled up so as not to affect the fields under cultivation. In 1995 a mine of inorganic mineral mud appeared unexpectedly. In the rainy season, a large amount of mud inundated the fields, killing the crops. Some managers in the health sector and investors had an idea to use the mineral water and mud for medical treatments.
Over the past 10 years the number of people visiting Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre has been on the rise. In 2001 the Centre received about 50,000 visitors and the number increased to 395,000 in 2008. It is expected that this year the number of visitors to the Centre will again increase. Many visitors come to the Centre several times a year for medical treatments and each time they stay for a week. Hot mineral water containing clean chloride sodium silica is taken from a depth of 100m under the ground. At the temperature of 38-40oC the mineral substances in the water penetrate the body, giving a relaxing and refreshing feeling. Mineral water helps reduce diseases such as gout, rheumatism and neuritis. The mineral mud is inorganic with the main element of chloride sodium silica and some dietary minerals which have antiseptic characteristics. It is often used as a facial mask for revitalizing the skin and for acne treatment.
Before leaving Thap Ba Hot Spring Centre visitors usually call at its retail shop to buy jars of fresh or dry mineral mud and bottles of mineral water as gifts for their relatives. The Centre’s services and memories of the convalescent quarter leave an undeletable impression on visitors.
