As a southerner, I finally had a chance to experience the bath culture of the Northeast. This time, I chose a bath center "Lanting Waterway", which is said to be the ceiling of Harbin.
Bathing Process
1. Getting Started
Upon arrival, staff will provide slippers and a bag containing a clean towel for bathing.
2. Upstairs
Separate elevators for men and women lead upstairs. The environment is immediately clean and organized 😂. Find your locker and start changing.
3. Soaking
There aren't many pools, unlike Shanghai's diverse options, but they are well-maintained with regular water changes.
4. Bathing
For bathing, head to the second floor to get a number and wait for your turn, announced via broadcast.
Several bathing options are available:
- Basic bath towel scrub 💰46
- Additional options include milk 💰39, salt/vinegar 💰29, and other treatments like "push nai" that I didn't try.
5. Showering
Shower facilities provide Korean brands of body wash and shampoo, AHC facial cleanser, and Dyson hair dryers. Bioderma makeup remover is also available.
6. Changing Clothes
Staff will provide appropriately sized clothes and disposable underwear ▫️.
7. Relaxation Area for Dining and Entertainment
After bathing, enjoy unlimited fruits in the relaxation area, available 24 hours. Even past midnight, staff were slicing fresh fruits like strawberries, watermelons, cantaloupes, and mangoes upon request.
There are several oxygen bar rooms and steam rooms available for free use. However, once occupied, others cannot enter. I spent quite a while watching TV in one oxygen bar room with just a basket of towels on the table until a staff member informed me someone else needed the room 😭.
Experience
Hahaha, as a southerner experiencing northeastern bathing culture for the first time, I was utterly clueless and awkward, not knowing where to look or what to do, feeling both tense and bewildered 😂.But let's be bold and naturally relax and enjoy!
Overall costs are about a third of Shanghai's bathing centers, making it suitable for friends or families with children looking for a place to gather during hot or cold weather.
The bath attendants were quite efficient; I felt remarkably smooth after the scrubbing 😆. Highly recommended if you haven't tried it!
Unless you can secure an oxygen bar, overnight stays are not recommended; the floors and sofas are uncomfortable for sleeping.
They don't provide water inside, and buying it is pricey, so quench your thirst with the free fruits or order delivery.
Environmental Photos
The fruit section offers very fresh fruits, and you can ask the staff to cut them for you. Even at midnight, they were still there cutting fruits, and their attitude was very good.
resting area
the amount we both spent
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