🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Chae Son sits in Mueang Pan district, about 75 km from Lampang town — roughly an hour and a half by car along Highway 1035. The final stretch is winding mountain road, but it's well paved and an ordinary sedan handles it easily. The draw here is a natural hot spring that runs at around 73°C, hot enough to cook an egg through in a few minutes. That same hot water is piped into the soaking pools and mineral bathrooms so you can actually get in and soak.
The charm is that everything sits close together — the hot spring, the soaking pools, the egg-boiling area, and the trailhead up the 6-tier waterfall are all within walking distance of the park headquarters. That makes it great for anyone who wants nature without a hard slog, and it works fine if you're with family or bringing older relatives along.
Know before you go — fees, hours, getting there
- Park entry fee — Thai adults 40 THB, children 20 THB; foreign adults 200 THB, children 100 THB · a small separate vehicle fee applies
- Opening hours — Open daily, roughly 6:00 AM–6:00 PM. The soaking pools and mineral bathrooms stay open into the early evening; it's worth confirming the pool closing time with staff on the day
- Getting there — From Lampang town head toward Mueang Pan on Highway 1035, about 75 km, around 1.5 hours. There's no direct public transport — driving yourself or renting a car is the way to go
- What to pack — Swimwear or clothes you don't mind getting wet, a towel, non-slip shoes for the waterfall walk, and a warm layer if you go in the cool season, because mornings here genuinely get cold
Planning tip
If you want that photogenic rising-steam scene, soak in the early morning or at dusk when the air is cold — the steam drifts over the hot-spring pool far more visibly than at midday, and there are fewer people too.
Book the activities in your Lampang trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Day-by-day plan
Drive up to Mueang Pan, enter Chae Son, soak in the cool air
Hike the 6-tier waterfall, then stop at nature spots on the way back
Chae Son highlights you shouldn't skip
Hot spring & egg-boiling area
Natural hot water around 73°C — buy eggs and boil them yourself in the pool for hot, soft-set yolks. Kids love this one.
Mineral soaking pools
Open-air soaking pools and private mineral bathrooms, the warm mineral water fed straight from the hot spring — a soak melts away the aches.
Chae Son's 6-tier waterfall
Limestone waterfall cascading down in tiers, with a shaded trail and a pool on the lower level you can splash in.
Nature study trail
A short loop around the headquarters through forest and stream, with signs telling the hot-spring story — good for walking off a meal.
Where to stay — in the park or a homestay
The upside of staying overnight is getting morning and evening soaks when the crowds thin out. Chae Son National Park has several bungalows to choose from, but you'll need to book ahead through the national park department's online system, since long weekends fill fast. If you prefer a community feel, the villages around Chae Son have homestays and small guesthouses at friendly prices.
- Park bungalows — Book ahead through the park department's system; good for families and closest to the mineral pools
- Campground — There's a tent ground in the park, with tents and bedding to rent on site — good for budget campers
- Chae Son village homestays — Community stays around the park, where you eat home-style food and get a taste of the miang-orchard way of life
Straight talk
On long weekends and through the cool season (Nov–Jan) it gets very crowded and the in-park accommodation fills fast. If you go then, book several weeks ahead. If you want somewhere quieter, aim for a weekday or the off-season.
Extend the trip — if you have more time
If you've got an extra day or want to make the most of Lampang, you can add culture and cafés on the way back into town, since Lampang has old temples and the easy-walking Kad Kong Ta district. Or stop at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang over in Ko Kha district before heading home. Turning this 2-day nature plan into a 3-day trip isn't hard.
Want a full Lampang plan covering both the town and the nature?
See the Lampang travel guide →