Tha Pai Hot Spring

Tha Pai Hot Springs is a set of geothermal pools inside Huai Nam Dang National Park, a short drive southeast of Pai town. The spring source runs at around 80°C — hot enough to boil an egg, and fenced off for viewing only — while the water cools as it flows downstream into shallow pools you can sit in. Because it sits inside a national park, entry is not free: foreigners pay the park fee of roughly 300 THB (about 150 THB for children), and Thai nationals pay far less.

The pools and bathing

The layout follows the water downhill. Right at the top is the source, a steaming pool signposted the “Hell Pool” — too hot to touch and barriered off. Below it, the flow cools to a bearable temperature, and the pools nearest the entrance are man-made and tidy, with wooden decks and seating. Follow the trail further up and the pools turn more natural and secluded, with fewer people. The mineral water is a warm soak rather than a swim — think knee- to waist-deep.

Insider Tip: People buy eggs at the entrance and cook them in the hot channel near the source — a small ritual that’s become part of the visit. Go early in the day for the coolest air and the quietest pools.

Entry fee and hours

This is the part that surprises visitors who read “free” elsewhere: as a national park attraction, it charges the standard park entry — about 300 THB for foreign adults, 150 THB for children, and roughly 40 THB for Thais. Prices are set by the park and change from time to time, so treat these as a guide. Keep your ticket, as it usually admits you to the Pong Duet geyser in the same park on the same day. The springs are open daily, about 08:00 to 17:00.

Watch out: The source really is scalding — around 80°C. Keep children well back from the top pool and only get into the marked lower pools.

Getting there

The springs are roughly 8 km southeast of Pai, off the 1095. A rented scooter is the usual way, though a car is more comfortable in the rains. Combine it with the other things near town — the viewpoint at Pai Canyon for sunset and an evening on Pai Walking Street — for a full day out from Pai.

Tha Pai Hot Spring is located at Mae Hi, Pai District, Mae Hong Son 58130. View on Google Maps.