Rommanee Hot Spring

Overview

Rommanee Hot Spring is a natural, community-run hot spring in Kapong district, Phang Nga province, and a Rommanee Hot Spring day pass is one of the cheapest ways to spend a few hours soaking in mineral water on the Andaman side of southern Thailand. The site sits in Soi Bang Klang, Moo 4, Tambon Rommanee, deep in the green hill country between Takua Pa and the Surat Thani border, roughly 26 kilometres from the Kapong district office. It is a popular stop for Thai families and for travellers driving Route 401 between the Andaman coast and Khao Sok, and it has none of the polish or price tag of a resort spa.

According to the spring's official website, the grounds cover about 4 rai (around 6,400 square metres). Hot water rises from the ground at five separate points along the Huai Bang Nam Ron stream, with surface water temperatures recorded at between 40 and 63 degrees Celsius. The water carries dissolved minerals including sulphate, chloride and nitrate. Local people have long used the spring for rest and recovery, and many believe the warm water helps with aching joints and stiff muscles, although that is a traditional belief rather than a medical claim.

What the Day Pass Includes

There is no separate "day pass" product here. Instead, the official fee schedule published on the spring's website works as a simple entry ticket that lets you use the public soaking pools for your visit. The posted rates are 40 baht for a Thai adult, 40 baht for a Thai child taller than 1.3 metres, 100 baht for a foreign adult and 50 baht for a foreign child. Payment is made on site, there is nothing to book in advance, and the fee is per person rather than per hour.

Entry gives access to the bathing area, where the hot water has been channelled into several built pools, some under shaded roofs and some open to the sky. Photographs on the official website show a covered rectangular soaking pool with steps, a curved open pool edged with stone and shaded by umbrellas, a round pool beneath a pergola, a long shallow channel pool and a changing room. Water temperatures differ from pool to pool, so you can start in a cooler one and move to a hotter one as your body adjusts.

Facilities

Rommanee is a simple, low-cost public facility rather than a spa. Expect soaking pools, changing rooms, shaded seating and gardens, plus a small Thai-style pavilion. The official site also notes that the grounds include a learning centre based on the late King's philosophy of the sufficiency economy, where villagers sell their own farm produce, so it is worth bringing some cash for fruit and local snacks.

The spring's website publishes practical bathing advice that is worth following, especially in the hotter pools:

• Soak in the early morning or the evening, when the air is cooler.
• Shower before you get into the hot spring.
• Start by putting both feet in and splashing water on your arms and legs for about three minutes so your body can adjust.
• Lower yourself to waist level for two or three minutes before going in up to your chest.
• Stay in for no more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
• After soaking, sit and rest for about five minutes and drink clean water to replace what you have lost through sweating.

The site also asks anyone who feels faint, dizzy or has a racing heart to get out of the water straight away and tell a member of staff, and asks people with heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes to speak to staff before getting in.

Location and Getting There

The hot spring is in Tambon Rommanee, Kapong district, Phang Nga. The official website gives two approaches, from Surat Thani or from Phang Nga, both using Highway 401 (the Takua Pa to Surat Thani road). The turn-off is between kilometre markers 124 and 125. The site's published satellite coordinates are 8.826572, 98.432992, which work well in any map app.

A private car, hired scooter or taxi is the practical way to visit, as there is no regular public transport to the spring itself. It combines easily with a drive to or from Khao Sok National Park, or with a day exploring the quieter inland side of Phang Nga away from the beach resorts of Khao Lak. Visitors staying in Takua Pa or Kapong will find it a short drive away.

Good to Know

• Bring a swimsuit or modest swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes. This is a local Thai venue, so modest dress is appreciated.
• The official site does not publish opening hours, so call ahead on 076 670 209 or 084 840 7282 if you are travelling a long way or arriving late in the day.
• Fees are paid in cash at the entrance. Rates differ for Thai nationals and foreign visitors, which is common at public attractions in Thailand.
• The hottest pools can be uncomfortable for small children, older visitors and anyone new to hot springs, so test the water first and keep soaks short.
• Rommanee is a rural attraction with a relaxed, community feel, which is a large part of its appeal compared with resort spas.

Is a Rommanee Hot Spring Day Pass Worth It?

For anyone touring inland Phang Nga, a Rommanee Hot Spring day pass offers real natural hot spring bathing for the price of a coffee. It suits road-trippers, families and anyone who wants to soak tired legs after hiking in Khao Sok, as long as you arrive expecting a simple local facility rather than a luxury spa. Check the latest fees and hours with the spring before you set off, since the official website is updated only occasionally.