Chae Son National Park

Chae Son National Park sits 75 km north of Lampang city, built around a cluster of natural hot springs that feed a stream running down to a multi-tier waterfall. Entry is 200 THB for foreign adults and 100 THB for children (40/20 THB for Thai nationals), and the park opens daily from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM.

The main spring bubbles up at 70-80C, too hot to touch — vendors at the rim sell eggs that cook soft in around 10-15 minutes, yolk firm and white still runny. That same water cools as it flows downhill into Mae Mon stream, where a line of private bathing huts lets you soak at a manageable 38-45C for 50 THB per person, open 7 AM to 6 PM. A short walk from the visitor centre, Chae Son Waterfall drops through several rock tiers with pools at multiple levels — cold water, a useful contrast after the hot pools, and shallow enough in the lower tiers for a proper dip.

Insider Tip: Bring a padlock and a small towel — the bathing huts get busy on weekends, and having your own lock on the changing area saves waiting.

Trails through the surrounding forest are well marked and shaded, with gibbons and macaques around if you’re quiet and early. Weekday mornings are the calm version of this park — weekend afternoons bring coach groups and the hot spring rim gets crowded with egg-boiling day-trippers. Camping is allowed with basic facilities near the park office for anyone wanting the cool early light over the springs before the crowds arrive.

Watch out: The main spring pool itself is scalding, not a bathing spot — stick to the marked huts downstream or the waterfall pools for anything you plan to sit in.

November to February brings the most comfortable hiking weather, though the springs are a draw in any season — even hot-season visitors get relief from the cool mountain air around the park. Bring swimwear and a towel for the bathing huts, proper shoes for the waterfall trail, and cash, since the park gate and food vendors don’t take cards. Combine it with Lampang’s temples for a full day, or pair it with Bo Nam Rae Bo Nam Ron, another hot spring stop in the province, or the tiered cascades at Namtok Maekae-Namtok Kaofu.