Hot springs in Thailand

Hot springs, or as they are also called “Geothermal springs,” are a natural phenomenon in which hot water comes out of the ground (the temperature can vary from slightly warm to overheated above 100 °C).

The reason for this phenomenon is the heating of groundwater from coming too close to the surface of the magma. Or because the water seeps deep into the Earth, it heats up there and returns back heated.

By the way, did you know that as the depth increases, the Earth warms up very much? It heats up so much that the temperature on the surface of the Earth’s solid core is supposedly estimated at 5960±500 °C. For reference, the temperature on the surface of the sun reaches 6000 degrees. That is, under our feet, in the center of the Earth, the temperature is the same as on the surface of the Sun.

Geothermal springs are not a very common occurrence; in Thailand I counted a couple of dozen of them, and their temperature and, relatively speaking, “quality” are different.

Typically, hot springs are located near mountains (there are very rare exceptions). But not every mountain has geothermal springs.

Thailand Hot Springs Map

I have compiled a map of Thailand's geothermal springs for you:

If I missed any interesting places, write about them in the comments and I will add them.

I visited some of these places and below is a brief description of them. If I missed anything, or if the information is not relevant, then, again, write in the comments – I will add and correct the note.

What to do in hot springs

In Thailand, hot springs are used for two main activities:

boil eggs (not your own, but chicken and quail)
soak your feet or take a full bath in the hot springs and mineral water

Moreover, the first entertainment is boiling eggs in geothermal springs, which is no less popular than swimming in them. But a lot depends on the temperature.

Benefits of using hot springs:

Rules of conduct at hot springs:

Geothermal springs of Chiang Mai province

1. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs

A very popular geothermal spring in the Chiang Mai area. There is a full range of services and entertainment: showers and a swimming pool with mineral water, boiling eggs in hot springs, the opportunity to rent a house or tent.

Everything is maintained in good condition, but there are also a lot of people here.

For details, see the note: Geothermal spring where you can boil eggs and soak – San Kamphaeng Hot Springs

2. Doi Saket Hot Spring

A more secluded hot spring. There are private and communal pools. There are places to boil chicken eggs in the hot spring.

Some visitors complain about the lack of cleanliness.

For details, see the note: Geothermal spring in Thailand for soaking – Doi Saket Hot Spring

3. Chiang Dao Hot Springs

Free place to visit.

A very good hot spring for relaxation. After this, cool your body in the river next to the hot spring. I highly recommend it to everyone.

This experience is truly extraordinary. Nearby is a mountain river (cold as ice). Before this, you can take a hot bath of varying temperatures. The view of the mountain where cows and other animals graze is wonderful.

We highly recommend coming here at night too (it's free and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and you alone can have it all to yourself, you can see the stars through the trees if it's not cloudy. The water is quite hot, some baths can even be too hot! The small stream next to it is great for cooling off. The smell of sulfur is quite mild.

4. Fang Hot Spring

A beautiful area, the geyser throws water high.

The water is hot enough. A beautiful green place for photos.

For foreigners, the entrance price is 300 baht per person. The public hot water pools are free (included in the ticket price). Indoor and outdoor hot spring baths and steam rooms are available for an additional fee.

5. Thep Phanom Hot Spring

Difference from other hot springs in Chiang Mai: there is a large pond here. This was probably due to the dam, resulting in the formation of a small lake. You can swim. The water is warm and just right. But if you swim to the middle of the pool and touch your feet to the bottom, you will find that the water at the bottom of the pool is very hot. The warm pools at Pong Dueat and San Kamphaeng are cement pools. There is a more natural atmosphere here.

Entrance fee for foreigners is 100 baht, for Thais – 20 baht.

You can also rent a private spot indoors or boil eggs in the hot spring.

Pong Duet Geyser

Pong Duet Geyser is located in Huai Nam Dang National Park. This national park is located on the border of two provinces: Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.

To visit the geyser you need to buy a ticket to Huai Nam Dang National Park; for foreigners it costs 300 baht.

For this price, in addition to the geyser, you can see other attractions of the national park, including another hot spring called Tha Pai Hot Spring.

The geyser is not that big, but this place has several swimming pools (you have to pay extra).

Cost of additional services:

Small pool (men and women separately):

Adult – 50 baht
Child under 14 years old – 20 baht

Large swimming pool (men and women separately):

Adult – 20 baht
Child under 14 years old – 10 baht

Single-chamber accommodation (per person):

Adult – 20 baht
Child under 14 years old – 10 baht

Rent of a towel, shorts and other things – 20 baht, hand towel – 10 baht.

Cost of mineral baths:

Private bathroom – 50 baht per person
Open-air bath – 20 baht per person

If you are already in Huai Nam Dang National Park, then of course, take a look here – this place is already included in the price of your ticket.

Geothermal springs of Lampang province

1. Chae Son Hot Spring

Chae Son Hot Spring is a natural hot spring located in Chae Son National Park. There are 9 wells with a slight smell of sulfur.

Large and small stones were scattered everywhere, and steam rose from the pond, covering the entire area. The hot spring has an average temperature of 73 degrees Celsius. It is popular to boil chicken and quail eggs. For chicken eggs, dip them in the hot spring pond for about 17 minutes, the yolks will be hard, but the white eggs will be runny like turtle eggs and taste delicious.

There is a convenient passage to the hot spring pond and easy access for people with disabilities. Admission is free for seniors over 60 years of age. The surrounding area offers wellness facilities such as hot spring baths, foot baths and Thai massage. There are amenities available for an additional fee. At the back of the hot spring area there is a very beautiful stream that meets a hot spring pond where you can take a hot spring bath.

There is overnight accommodation in the park, restaurants, cafes, foot baths, hot mineral baths, spa massage services and, of course, boiling eggs in the hot springs. And the best menu item you can't miss is the boiled egg salad.

2. Bo Nam Rae – Bo Nam Ron Hot Springs

Small pools with hot water in cabins. A place in a large house (for two people) costs 90 baht, and in small ones – 50 baht. It is recommended to take a large room.

There is a place for boiling eggs and cooler large pools. There is a place where you can eat and buy drinks. Massage services are also available.

Geothermal springs of Chiang Rai province

1. Pa Tueng Hot Springs

Admission is free, and foot bath are also free.

The cost of renting a bathroom for 1 person is 100 baht.

Bathrooms for 2-3 people cost 90 baht.

Bathrooms for 4 people cost 80 baht each.

Towel rental costs 20 baht, shampoo and soap (each bottle) cost 10 baht.

There is a place for boiling eggs.

2. Pong Phrabat Hot Springs

The place is not very large and not very beautiful, but it fully serves its function – these are hot springs.

There are few people on a weekday, there is no queue.

There are cabins for 1, 2, 3 people, 50 baht for 30 minutes per person in 1 local cabin, a 2-seater costs 80 baht and a 3-seater costs 120 baht.

There is a massage: a traditional one costs 150 baht, a relaxing massage with oils costs 250 baht.

The communal pool costs 20 baht. Foot water treatment areas are free of charge.

There is a lake and benches.

3. Huai Mak Liam Hot Spring

It's like a small boiling lake (no spa or swimming), however I don't think you should spend 1 hour driving here because there are many other hot springs that are more impressive + you can take a bath there.

There's not much to see here, just a quiet place to sit by the river under the trees. A small pool is good if this is your first natural hot spring. If you've seen others, you may be disappointed.

If you have never seen a natural hot spring, then you can stop by here. Otherwise, you may have more interesting places to see.

Basically it's just a small park with a very small hot spring at 50°C. No swimming or boiling eggs.

4. Mae Kachan Hot Spring

It's essentially a huge parking lot on one of the main roads, surrounded by food shops and souvenir shops selling silver and other tourist goods.

At the entrance, among the concrete and parking of cars and buses, there is a natural geyser fountain with boiling water.

A little further, hidden between the benches, some hot water comes out between the stones and collects in two or three brick wells.

In one of these wells, local women cook eggs.

You can also bathe your feet there if you find a place that is not occupied by any of the thousands of tourists.

This place is worth a stop when traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, but as a stand-alone destination, it's not worth a special visit.

Parking and admission are free.

There is an abandoned building that looks like a temple. In fact, the building is empty from the inside and may contain some garbage.

Geothermal springs of Mae Hong Son Province

1. Tha Pai Hot Spring

A large well-kept area with several natural baths with water of different temperatures – from cold to very hot (37 degrees). Essentially, this is a mountain river with hot water flowing down in a cascade, arranged so that it is convenient to enter the water.

On the territory there are separate houses with personal baths, and if you walk further along the river, you can see a spring in which you can no longer swim – the water temperature in it reaches 80 degrees.

A ticket costs 300 baht for a foreigner, plus parking 20-30 baht.

This place is worth a visit. There are 4 cascading pools with temperatures of 36, 35, 34 and 33 degrees Celsius. Nothing controls the temperature, it's just an approximation: each one is cooled by one degree. A little lower there are two children's pools, they are warm (about 28 degrees). At the very top, where the water comes out of the ground, there are several natural pools with a temperature of 80 degrees, but entry into them is apparently prohibited. There is a beautiful area that creates a calm environment. It's best to go in the morning while it's still cool and cloudy; it won't be very pleasant if it's hot and sunny. Or alternatively, coming here during a rainstorm would be spectacular.

2. Pai Natural Hot Spring & Well-being Center

Very cozy place!

Entrance 150 baht per person. They give you a towel and a bottle of water. There is space to shower and change clothes, as well as storage cubicles.

There are three swimming pools on site – with hot, warm and cool water. The pools have steps where you can sit right in the water and relax.

You pay 150 baths, which is actually cheaper than going to the natural hot springs that are just nearby. I expected it to be very crowded, but it really isn't.

3. Pha Bong Hot Spring

It's like a public park here. Admission is free if you just walk around the area. If you're just dipping your feet, that's free too. A private room costs 50 baht, a large room costs 300 baht. The highlight is that the hot spring pool costs only 20 baht per person. You can also find massage services that cost 150-200 baht.

Overall it's clean, but it just needs a huge renovation. Most of the people who come here are locals.

The private rooms have rather old bathrooms and not very nice furnishings, but yes, the price is only 50 baht. Plus, there is no time limit (like most other hot springs).

The hot spring pool is nice and relaxing. However, it will be warm only if the worker is turned on with new water from a hot spring, otherwise it will be almost normal temperature.

The massage is standard. Nothing special.

A beautiful view of the mountains opens from the pool.

4. Sai Ngam hot spring

Quite a high entrance fee:

Thai children – 20 baht
Thai adults – 30 baht
Children of foreigners – 200 baht
Adult foreigners – 400 baht
Motorcycle – 30 baht
Car – 60 baht

After paying for the tickets, you need to climb the mountain along a rather steep road – be careful.

This place can be crowded with people, or more precisely (as you can guess from the price list) with Thais, for whom the ticket price is purely symbolic.

The “hot spring” itself is not particularly hot and not particularly large.

This place is a disappointment for many visitors, even for those who pay only 30 baht for entry. Those who paid 400 baht definitely do not recommend visiting this place.

You may be better off looking for another hot spring for a more reasonable price. Or at least one that is really hot.

Muang Rae Hotsprings

Small hot spring near the road. Free. Many bikers stop here to rest. There is a toilet. You can also boil eggs here.

Geothermal springs of Ranong Province

1.Tinidee Hot Springs

The most basic set for hot springs. Nothing but a great location next to the river, baths of varying temperatures (some too hot), plus a towel and locker – all for 40 baht.

They have lockers that you can use (you will need to bring or possibly rent a padlock).

This place is small – a few seating areas and a few pools – but it's centrally located next to a beautiful river and the temperature difference between the pools is good.

The shower is nice, cold and very refreshing after the hot pools.

The rules say that there is no noise allowed, so that all visitors can relax. So please keep an eye on your children.

2. Ponrang Hot Spring

Overall not a bad place. Several pools with hot water about 41 Celsius and a backwater in the river with cool water, in which fish live, eating dead skin. Open until 16:15. Paid entrance.

Entrance fee:

20 baht for Thais
100 baht for foreigners
30 baht per car
20 baht Service Fee

Please note that if you paid to visit Ngao waterfall, then this ticket is valid for this place and you can visit it without additional cost.

3. Raksa Warin Hot Spring

This hot spring is free, the main spring is really very hot, the temperature is 65 degrees, but it flows into the pool further and the temperature there is just tolerable and quite pleasant once you get used to it.

Like any free place, there are a lot of people here.

Besides all the small public hot spring pools, there are plenty of places to sit and have a picnic, and food can be purchased here from local vendors.

There is a small playground for children and a wonderful walking area.

Across the river is a fantastic nature park with numerous walking trails where you can see all the different flora and fauna.

Geothermal springs of Phang-Nga and Surat Thani provinces

1. Rommanee Hot Springs

For non-Thais, admission is 100 baht for adults, 50 baht for children.

The area is clean, well-groomed, not many people.

There are 4 pools with water from 38 to 45 degrees Celsius.

There is a changing room and shower in front of the pool. It is very pleasant to stand in a cool shower after a hot bath.

There is no cold pool, but one would come in very handy here.

There is a private pool, which costs 200 baht for four Thais and 400 baht for four foreigners. It would be interesting to know the cost for a mixed group of Thais and non-Thais.

2. Kapong Hot Spring

A small river 3 meters wide and about 30 cm deep, a dozen hot springs flow into it.

You can boil eggs in the hottest place, but you need to wait more than 15 minutes so that the yolk is firm.

During the dry season there is little water.

Entrance is free, but the road is not asphalt, and there are also restrictions on swimming (but locals do swim).

3. SingkhonCave Hot Spring (Singkhon Cave Hot Spring)

Two hot springs. There is no entrance fee.

As they say, if you don't have high expectations from this place, then you should like it.

Geothermal springs of Krabi province

1. Saline Hot Spring Khlong Thom

Classic Thai baths. There are not very many visitors. Complex of hot baths from 43 degrees. There are gazebos, massages and a walking area.

The entrance fee for foreigners is 200 baht, for locals – 90 baht.

Large spacious parking.

The area with the springs is small, some are very hot, some are warm.

Really need a cool pool here. Very little greenery, no shade over the water.

There are convenient changing rooms and toilets, there are lockers for things, but it is not clear where to get the key.

Wooden bridges go towards the mangroves – there is a gazebo and a massage parlor. The massage is good, the prices are reasonable. It's great after a hot bath.

2. Hot Stream Krabi

A hot river flows out of the jungle, where you can relax and warm up with health benefits, and then swim below in the cool river.

There are several natural pools here, as well as a couple more artificial ones, where you can also enjoy hot water without fear of slipping and getting hurt. These pools are at the beginning of natural steam pools. Take a smaller pool further back where the water is “fresher” and hotter than the larger pool.

When it comes to natural pools, they are usually very crowded and it is difficult to find a place to take a dip.

The water below, that is, in the river, is of normal temperature and muddy.

Entry costs 200 baht for non-Thai adults. 100 baht for non-Thai children.

Tourists are brought here by bus, so it can be very crowded. In the first half of the day there are fewer people.

This is a special experience. A small stream with a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius ends in a small three-meter waterfall. You have to pay to enter and then walk for 15 minutes, but there is a 20 baht bus that will get you there in 2 minutes.

3. Krabi Hot Spring Park

This is a hotel. The hotel has 9 swimming pools with mineral water of different temperatures.

Hotel visitors can use the swimming pools free of charge.

If you are not a hotel guest, you can buy a ticket to visit the pools filled with hot spring water.

The area is green, well-groomed and beautiful. Pools with water from natural hot springs are constantly cleaned, the water is changed, the water is of different temperatures. The rooms are excellent, very clean, cleaned daily. Breakfast is delicious.

Geothermal springs of Trang Province

1. Kantang Hot Spring Forest Park

A good place, there are two pools and a water channel in which water from hot and cold springs is mixed.

Currently, a major update is underway here.

The entrance is free. Perhaps, after the completion of construction work, many things will change here, including an entrance fee.

Geothermal springs of Yala Province

1. Betong Hot Spring

This hot spring is another tourist spot and many locals also visit this place to take a dip in the pool. There is a suitable toilet where you can change clothes and wash up. Very comfortably.

The hot spring used to be “hot”, but now geological changes have caused the water to no longer be hot, but instead become a “warm spring”.

Lots of seating areas with shady trees. Most people seem to be content with just dipping their feet into the pool rather than submerging their entire body. Warm water appears to be beneficial for the larvae in the pool.

I don't recommend you buy eggs to cook there as it will now take a very long time to cook the eggs. Not worth your time.

Parking is free. The entrance is free.

Geothermal springs of Tak and Phetchaburi provinces

1. Hot Springs Maekasa

A hot spring where you can soak your feet or take a full bath. You can boil eggs here.

For an additional fee, private rooms are available where you can take a bath with mineral water.

2. Hot Spring Center

The hot spring is not very big. You can get your feet wet for 20 baht per person.

There is a private bathing room, similar to a bathtub, for 50 baht per person. You can rent a towel here.

We visited on a weekday, there weren’t many people, it was comfortable.