Bathing in a 'cauldron' attracts tourists' experience

Tourists come to tAntique Province (Philippines) will experience one of the most unique forms of nude bathing in the world. This form is likened to the medieval torture of "bathing in boiling oil" with a hot pan, underneath is a flickering fire. Tourists will immerse themselves inside the "oil cauldron" that is emitting smoke. Many tourists said that, at first glance, they did not have enough courage to step inside the hot pan that seemed to want to "boil" anyone. However, after trying the experience, most tourists feel comfortable and happy.

The form of "bathing in a cauldron" is called Kawa and only appearsin Tibiao Tropical ResorttAntique. This large pan was formerly used for sugar cane processing - a traditional industry in this area. Currently, it is used as a bathtub for both locals and tourists. Contrary to the imagination of hot oil inside the pan, this pan actually contains herbal bath water, containing many types of herbs that are good for health such as flowers, guava leaves... creating a pleasant, natural scent and helping the body detoxify.

Because they are disposable tools, the pans are not all the same size, they are placed on top of rocks, and straw for lighting the fire is placed at the bottom. The special thing is that they are always placed outdoors in special locations such as along the banks of rivers and streams, under the shade of trees.When a visitor requests, the staff will prepare the bath water, invite the visitor to step into the pan, and then turn on the fire. Contrary to the image of a pan of hot oil boiling the body, the water in the pan is just warm enough and can be increased or decreased based on the visitor's request. However, with this rather primitive form, not everyone can overcome the initial fear to immerse themselves in the warm water.

Each bath only lasts a maximum of 45-60 minutes to ensure your health. If you exceed this time, you will definitely be reminded by the staff. The most suitable time to take a kawa bath is early in the morning, when the weather is cold. Soaking in a hot herbal bath will help you feel more comfortable to start a new day. The price of this service is quite reasonable, about 250 PHP (equivalent to more than 100,000 VND) per person. In addition to the 'cauldron' bath service, visitors here can also rent a room to sleep. Most of the rooms are built in the style of rustic stilt houses, located on the banks of streams or forests, bringing a feeling of closeness to nature.

There are many ways to get here. There are 4 main airports near Antique province such asRoxas, Iloilo, Caticlan, Kalibo, of which the closest to Tibiao is Caticlan Airport. From these 4 airports, you can take a bus to Tibiao tourist area.