🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If you've spent a few days in Krabi and the beaches are starting to blur together, a land day in the Klong Thom district is a great change of pace. The two main spots sit close together: the Emerald Pool (along with the Blue Pool spring that feeds it) and the Klong Thom Hot Spring. Both are inside the Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary, about 50–60 km from Krabi town, roughly a 1-hour drive. Most people do both in a single day, then add Wat Tham Suea or Khao Phanom Bencha if they still have the energy.
Emerald Pool — Clear Green Water in the Jungle
The Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot / Sa Kaew) is a natural basin of emerald-green water formed where an underground spring mixes with minerals in the limestone bedrock. The result is water clear enough to see the sandy bottom, with an unusual blue-green tint. From the car park you walk about 800 m to just over 1 km on a forest trail to reach the pool. The path is shaded and easy — concrete sections alternating with wooden bridges, nothing too steep.
The water in the Emerald Pool is faintly warm and you can wade in — it's about waist to chest deep, with a marked-off swimming area. At times the water is clear enough for genuinely lovely photos, but I'll be straight with you: the clarity depends on the time of day and recent rain. After rainfall or when lots of people are wading in, the water turns murky and far less green. A lot of the disappointed reviews are simply from people who showed up on a cloudy-water day.
- Entry fee: Thai adults 20 THB, children 10 THB · foreign adults 200 THB, children 100 THB
- Opening hours: Daily 08:30–16:30 (arrive before midday so the water is still clear and the crowds are thin)
- Walking distance: Car park to Emerald Pool is about 800 m–1 km; another 400–600 m on to the Blue Pool
- Facilities: Changing rooms, toilets, food and souvenir stalls near the entrance
Go early for clearer water
If you want the poster-perfect clear green water, get there at the 08:30 opening. There are still few people around, the water hasn't been stirred up yet, and the morning light filtering through the leaves onto the pool is lovely. Once it gets later and more people start wading in, the water clouds up fast.
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The Blue Pool — The Bright Spring Source That Closes in the Rainy Season
Walk on past the Emerald Pool another 400–600 m and you reach the Blue Pool — the source of that emerald stream. It's a small pool, roughly 15–20 m across, with water a deeper, more intense blue than the Emerald Pool, coloured by mineral sediment beneath the surface. Swimming is not allowed here — it's a conservation area and the bottom is dangerous quicksand. You can only view and photograph it from the edge.
The Blue Pool closes in the rainy season
The Blue Pool is usually closed from May to October each year to protect the breeding season of the rare Gurney's pitta. If you come in the rainy season specifically to see the Blue Pool, you may not get in — it's worth calling the sanctuary office to check first. The Emerald Pool stays open as normal.
Klong Thom Hot Spring — Limestone Pools to Soak In
About a 15–20 minute drive from the Emerald Pool is the Klong Thom Hot Spring. What makes it special is that it's a waterfall where the water is actually hot, cascading down in tiers. Over time each tier has eroded the limestone into bathtub-shaped basins about 1–1.5 m deep, with water around 40–50°C (averaging about 42°C). There's a faint trace of sulphur in the water, and it's comfortable to sit and soak in — like an onsen in the jungle. It's the only hot-water waterfall of its kind in Thailand.
The popular way to do it is to soak in the upper hot pools until you're warm, then dip into the cool stream below, alternating back and forth. Your body ends up feeling refreshed, like a spa. From the car park it's about a 400 m walk to the waterfall — the path is easy, with handrails on the sections going down to the pools.
- Entry fee: Thai adults 20 THB · foreigners around 90–160 THB (similar to the Emerald Pool)
- Opening hours: Daily, roughly 08:30–18:00
- What to bring: Wear a swimsuit or clothes you don't mind getting wet, plus non-slip rubber shoes — there are changing rooms and toilets
- Watch your footing: The limestone underwater is very slippery — walk slowly and ease yourself down; don't run or jump
Don't soak for too long
Water at 40–50°C, soaked in for tens of minutes at a stretch, can leave you light-headed or drained — especially if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition. Soak in short stretches, come up to rest, and drink water. Young children and pregnant women should avoid the hottest pools.
Khao Phanom Bencha — Krabi's Highest Peak
If you want a more serious nature fix, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park has a summit of about 1,397 m — the highest point in Krabi province. The park is on the opposite side from Klong Thom (north of town, about 20 km from the city). The easy highlight is Huay To Waterfall, a multi-tier falls about 500 m from the park headquarters, each tier with a clear pool to play in. The adventurous can do an overnight trek to the summit (a guide and park ranger are required).
- Park entry fee: Thai adults 20 THB · foreigners 100 THB · car around 30 THB
- Location: North of Krabi town, about a 20 km drive (a different route from Klong Thom)
- Best for: Hikers, waterfall swimmers and nature lovers — more than people who just want quick photos
I'll be honest: if you're short on time, Khao Phanom Bencha isn't a must-rush on a first trip, because it's in the opposite direction from the Emerald Pool and Hot Spring, which means a lot of extra driving. It suits people with several days who especially love hiking. On a single day, focus on Klong Thom first.
A Klong Thom Day — The Full-Day Plan
This is the smoothest order for a nature day trip: leave early from Ao Nang or town, catch the Emerald Pool while the water is still clear, then soak at the hot spring in the afternoon, finishing with Wat Tham Suea on the way back.
Emerald Pool → Hot Spring → Wat Tham Suea
How to Get to Klong Thom
The Emerald Pool and Hot Spring are outside town with no direct public transport. There are three main options depending on your budget and how much convenience you want.
Rent a car and drive
The most freedom — you control your own timing and can do the Emerald Pool, Hot Spring, plus Wat Tham Suea and Khao Phanom Bencha as you like. A sedan rental starts around 800–1,200 THB/day including insurance, and the route is on main roads that are easy to drive.
Book a day trip
A tour combining the Emerald Pool, Hot Spring and Wat Tham Suea, with hotel pickup, runs about 900–1,200 THB/person (some entry fees not included). Good if you'd rather not drive.
Private car + driver
Charter a car with a driver for a half or full day, starting around 1,500–2,500 THB/day depending on distance. Worth it for a group — split between several people it works out cheaper per head than a tour.
- From Ao Nang: about 55–60 km, roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 min
- From Krabi town: about 45–50 km, roughly 50 min to 1 hour
- From Krabi Airport: about 45 km, roughly 1 hour (on the way back you can stop at Klong Thom before reaching town)
Pack the right gear
Bring a swimsuit, a towel, non-slip rubber shoes, a waterproof pouch for your phone, drinking water and cash (entry fees are cash only). Mosquito spray helps too, since you're in the forest. Flip-flops slip easily around the hot spring — switch to rubber shoes to be safer.
Worth It? Who'll Love It, Who Might Shrug
Straight from the real reviews: the Emerald Pool is genuinely beautiful on a clear-water day, but some people leave disappointed because they expected the vivid green of edited photos and got murky water instead. The Hot Spring, on the other hand, almost everyone loves, because a natural hot-water soak like that isn't easy to find. Overall, if you like nature, forests and waterfalls and want a break from the sea, this day is well worth it. But if you're only in Krabi for 2 days and came for the islands, you can skip it for now.
- Great if: you have 3+ days, love nature, want to soak in a hot spring, are tired of the beaches, or are travelling with family
- You can skip it if: you're in Krabi only briefly and focused on islands and diving, or you're here in the rainy season when the Blue Pool is closed
- Best time to go: the dry season, Nov–Apr, when the water is clearer and the Blue Pool is open — avoid long holiday weekends when it's packed
Plan a complete Krabi trip — beaches, islands and inland nature
See the Krabi travel guide →