Portal:Singapore/Selected article/7

The Sembawang Hot Spring (Chinese: 三巴旺溫泉; pinyin: sanbawan wenquan), located at Gambas Avenue between Woodlands Avenue 12 and Sembawang Road, is the only natural hot spring on the main island of Singapore. It lies in a wooded area about 100 metres (330 ft) off the main road. The spring is believed by locals to have healing properties, and its water has been bottled commercially by Fraser and Neave, under the brand name of Seletaris. Since its discovery in 1909, the spring, now on land belonging to a military air base, has gone through several changes of ownership and abortive redevelopment plans. The hot spring is less frequented nowadays but remains a popular venue for weekend visitors.

In 1909, a Chinese merchant named Seah Eng Keong, the son of Chinese pioneer Seah Liang Seah, discovered hot springs in his pineapple estate in Sembawang. The three springs were channelled into one, so that the water would be conveniently concentrated in one area. A well was built along the spring, which became popular with the villagers, who frequently sought the waters for their supposed healing powers. The spring's fame spread, resulting in the village becoming known as Kampong Ayer Panas, which means "Village of Hot Water" in Malay.