Kantang Hot Spring Forest Park

Natural hot springs feed three concrete pools at Kantang Hot Spring Forest Park, a forested site in Trang province that locals have used for generations. The pools run from around 40C up to 55C, and the water carries the mild sulphur smell typical of geothermal springs. Entry costs 100 THB for a foreign adult (50 THB for a child) and 20 THB for a Thai adult, and the park opens daily from 08:30 to 16:30.

The hottest pool needs easing into — most visitors start in the cooler pools and work up. Steam rises off the water most mornings, and a short forest trail loops around the springs where you can hear birds and running water without much else. Basic changing rooms and picnic tables sit near the entrance; there’s little in the way of food for sale, so bringing your own lunch is a good idea if you plan to make a day of it.

Watch out: the hottest pool at 55C is not for everyone — if you have a heart condition, are pregnant, or just don’t like sitting in genuinely hot water, stick to the cooler two. There’s no lifeguard, and the concrete pool edges can be slick when wet.

The park is quiet by Thai attraction standards, and mornings are the calmest time to visit — local families tend to arrive later in the day and turn it into a half-day outing with a packed lunch. Insider Tip: go right at opening, 08:30, if you want the hottest pool to yourself before the day’s first crowd settles in.

Kantang district sits about 30 minutes by car from central Trang, reached via roads that cut through rubber plantations. It’s an easy pairing with Kantang Train Station, a short drive away, or a longer day trip out toward Hat Yao on the coast.