Krung Ching Hot Spring

Krung Ching Hot Spring sits in a forest clearing in Nopphitam district, a few kilometres from the far more famous Krung Ching Waterfall — the two share a subdistrict name but are separate places, and mixing them up is the single most common mistake visitors make when planning this trip. The spring itself is a government-listed site (TAT ID 20159) with free entry, no ticket gate, and none of the trekking required to reach the waterfall.

The source water emerges at roughly 55°C — hot enough that you wouldn’t want to lower yourself straight in — and is channelled into a set of cooler communal pools plus a separate foot-soak trough where the temperature drops to something more like a warm bath. Thai massage is available on-site for a fee, set up alongside the pools rather than in a separate spa building. Steam drifts off the water in the cooler morning air, and the sulfur smell that’s typical of mineral springs is faint rather than overpowering here. Forest closes in on three sides, with the sound of a nearby stream carrying over from the direction of the waterfall trail.

Insider Tip: Ask locally which pool is the hottest before you get in — the pools aren’t individually labelled, and temperature varies noticeably between them depending on how recently the channel from the source was cleared.

Watch out: If your plan for the day is “Krung Ching Waterfall,” check you’re headed for the right trailhead. The waterfall access point and national park checkpoint are a separate turn-off from the hot spring, and some tour itineraries bundle both into one day without making clear they’re different stops with different fees.

Getting here means following the Nopphitam district road that also leads toward the waterfall, then branching off at the signed turn for the spring. There’s no public transport to the site — a rented car, motorbike, or arranged driver from Nopphitam town is the only realistic option. Facilities are basic: expect changing areas and the pools themselves, not a resort-style spa complex. Bring your own towel and a change of clothes.