The town of Asturias never ceases to amaze me. And the hot spring in San Roque is just one of the many reasons I will never grow tired of this town. While many would look at Asturias as a sleepy little municipality where nothing exciting ever happens, its rich history, awesome people, and amazing natural wonders are enough proof that there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Exploring Asturias
I am quite thankful that I was given a chance to get to know Asturias on a more personal level on several occasions. Through these experiences, I got to see the real beauty of this town.
Take a look at the San Roque Spring, for example. I’m pretty sure that I have seen this little spot many times in the past. But if fate hadn’t taken me to this spot for a visit one day, I certainly wouldn’t have known about the tales and the experiences that make this place special.
If you see this bridge, the hot spring should be close.
Getting There
This dilapidated structure, often serving as the starting point for those who want to locate the spring, can be seen from the bridge.
Next, you will have to go down this set of stairs which leads straight to the dock.
Here’s a view of the lush mangrove forest as well as the concrete stairs from the dock.
Land of Springs
If you look closely, you will see holes in the beaches of Asturias. These holes are actually cold springs. I enjoyed dipping my hands and feet in them because the water was so cold.
If you don’t see holes, you will find these ‘water stations’ instead. They are built to allow the people in the community to ‘harvest’ the water instead of having to deal with fresh water mixed with seawater. Smart idea, right?
From the dock, you can clearly see the old structure and the small hole next to it. Yes, that IS the hot spring. Surprised?
Before you can reach the structure and the spring, however, you have to walk past this lush mangrove forest.
And once you reach the old structure, you can get a clearer view of the bridge.
The San Roque Hot Spring
According to stories, the San Roque Hot Spring in Barangay San Roque is a miraculous spring. The people of this seaside barangay swear that this small hot spring has healing or therapeutic properties. That a simple dip in the warm water of this spring would bring about positive changes to various health conditions.
The spring is located several hundred meters away from the main highway. Although visible, the spring can be quite challenging to reach. To get there, you have to walk barefoot (if you don’t want your shoes stuck in ankle-deep mud) and navigate the fields of mangrove spikes (which could actually hurt your feet if you aren’t too careful). You also have to be sure that you visit when the tide is low. This way, you get to see the actual spring producing warm water for the small man-made pool where visitors take a dip. When the tide is high, visitors can still feel the warmth but this obviously also makes the spring less potent (I think.)
Without the concrete walls, it would be very difficult to locate the spring in ankle-deep tide.
A Miraculous Spring
According to the barangay captain who personally served as our tour guide, people from all walks of life have come to the hot spring. And they have also seen its amazing power. No one could explain how, but apparently, the spring has cured extreme skin conditions, bodily injuries, and a whole lot more!
There’s the whole group gathered around the spring. I know what you’re thinking. You thought it was something very similar to Badian’s Kabukalan Spring. I did, too.
But I guess that’s the beauty of the San Roque Hot Spring. It’s unlike any spring you’ve seen before.
Barangay leaders believe that the spring is just one of the many vents created by Mt. Kanlaon in the neighboring island of Negros. Crossing the expansive Tanon Strait, the vent managed to reach the shallow water and the shores of San Roque.
Is the San Roque Hot Spring indeed therapeutic and miraculous? No one is certain. Sure, it doesn’t look like Binaliw Spring, Guiwanon Spring, Liki Spring, and even Kugtong Spring. But I do believe that nature has its way of providing us things that we need.
And that is why I’m definitely dropping by the next time that I am in town. After all, there is no harm in trying.
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