Khao Chaison Hot Spring

Overview

Khao Chaison Hot Spring is a public mineral spring in Khao Chaison district, Phatthalung, run by the Khao Chaison Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (SAO), and a Khao Chaison Hot Spring day pass costs less than almost any other hot spring visit in southern Thailand. The spring lies at the foot of the limestone hills that give the district its name, a short way inland from the Songkhla Lake basin, and it is a popular outing for local families.

Unlike a resort spa, this is a community facility with a fixed, published fee schedule. The SAO's own bylaw on the hot spring and caves of Khao Chaison (amendment No. 2, B.E. 2565, announced on 25 July 2022 and published on the SAO website) sets the entry fees, the price of private soaking tubs, Thai massage rates and the cost of boat trips into the nearby cold-water cave. The bylaw also notes that the site was upgraded with funding from the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, and in October 2024 the SAO announced a new water tunnel and slides at the hot spring pools.

What the Day Pass Includes

The basic entry fee set by the bylaw is 20 baht per person for Thai visitors and 40 baht per person for foreign visitors. Entry gives access to the hot spring grounds and the open-air soaking areas, including a large rock-edged foot-soaking pool where visitors sit along the edge with their feet in the warm water, and the family pools with slides shown in the SAO's photographs.

Several groups are exempt from the entry fee under the bylaw, including children aged 12 and under, people registered as living in Khao Chaison subdistrict (on showing an ID card), guests renting a room at the hot spring, people collecting mineral water and holders of the local hydrotherapy project card.

For more privacy, the hot spring has indoor soaking tubs that are charged by the hour:

• Regular private tub: 120 baht per hour
• Special private tub: 200 baht per hour
• Air-conditioned room: 300 baht per three hours, or 550 baht per night

Facilities

Alongside the pools, the SAO runs a Thai traditional massage pavilion at the hot spring. Under the bylaw, a one-hour body or foot massage costs 200 baht in an air-conditioned room or 150 baht in a fan room, with 30-minute sessions at 100 baht and 75 baht respectively. There are also pedal boats for hire at 80 baht for up to an hour or 50 baht for up to 30 minutes, plus meeting and training rooms that groups can book.

About 700 metres from the hot spring along rural road Phatthalung 1017 is Tham Nam Yen (the cold-water cave). According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, a cold stream about one metre deep flows through the cave all year. The SAO rents boats for trips into the cave at 200 baht per boat for Thai visitors and 300 baht per boat for foreign visitors, with up to four adults and two children per boat. The bylaw also lists entry to Tham Lo Ko cave at 50 baht for Thai visitors and 100 baht for foreign visitors. Pairing a warm soak with a cool paddle through the cave is the classic Khao Chaison outing.

The bylaw also removed the old car parking charge, so parking at the hot spring is free.

Location and Getting There

The hot spring is on road Phatthalung 1017 in Khao Chaison subdistrict, Khao Chaison district, Phatthalung province, at approximately 7.4509, 100.1308. It is managed from the Khao Chaison SAO office at 815 Moo 3, Tambon Khao Chaison, Amphoe Khao Chaison, Phatthalung 93130, which can be reached on 074 691 405.

A car or hired scooter is the easiest way to get there, and the drive takes you through the rice fields and limestone outcrops that make inland Phatthalung so scenic. The hot spring combines well with a day trip to Thale Noi wetland, Phatthalung town, or the wider Songkhla Lake area.

Good to Know

• Fees here are set by local bylaw and paid in cash on site. Foreign visitors pay a higher rate than Thai nationals, which is standard at public attractions in Thailand.
• Children aged 12 and under enter the hot spring free.
• Private tubs and air-conditioned rooms are charged by the hour, so check availability at the counter on busy weekends and public holidays.
• The SAO does not publish opening hours alongside the fee schedule, so contact the SAO on 074 691 405 before making a long journey.
• Bring a towel, a change of clothes and modest swimwear. This is a local Thai venue popular with families.
• Hot water can be tiring, so keep soaks short, drink plenty of water and take breaks in the shade.

Is a Khao Chaison Hot Spring Day Pass Worth It?

For travellers exploring Phatthalung or driving between Trang and Hat Yai, a Khao Chaison Hot Spring day pass is excellent value. The 40 baht foreign entry fee covers the public soaking areas, private tubs start at 120 baht an hour, and a boat trip into the cold-water cave nearby adds a memorable contrast. Expect a friendly, local atmosphere rather than resort luxury, and confirm hours with the SAO before you go.