Heaven on earth

 

Traditional thai onsen spa in the mountains. น้ำแร่ร้อนๆแบบไทย แช่สลับกับน้ำตกเย็นๆฟื้นฟูกล้ามเนื้อได้ดีสุดๆ ไทยสไตล์สัดๆ [hotsprings] [hotsprings] [hotsprings] #thailand #onsen #chiangmai #burinparinliveinchiangma

Source 

Secret soak style 
Let's start from north to south and near the border with Burma we can discover the albeit rustic and local soaks of Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai province (above), while below are the slightly more upscale hot springs near the town of Samothong:

 

#onsen #chiangmai #thailand in the morning. #heavenonearth [shower] [shower] 

source

 

Spent the day in The Secret Hot Springs surrounded by the jungle and getting splashed by a couple of naughty little Thai kids! [swimmer] [skin-tone-3] @kstewrat #saingam#hotsprings#bliss#jungle#chillin#pai#thewaterwassohot#travelling#thailand 

source

No posting here is complete without a slice of soaking heaven, more commonly known as Sai Ngam, Pai, Mae Hong Son province. Secret no more (above). 

While elsewhere in the same province there seems a new development at hot springs north of Mae Sot town:

  

I'm happy to see you happy, my love [heart_eyes] [heart_eyes] [heart_eyes] [kissing_heart] [kissing_heart] #onsen #thaistyle #maesot #tak #thailand #relax #bath #greatview #happy #moment #love #life #chill #time #backtobasics #outdoors #unplanned #trip #journey #travel #holiday #happyholidays 

source

Counting

Apparently, there are 120 Onsen spots in Thailand, so we decided to explore a bit!👘♨️ Big differences from Japanese Onsen is 1: they don’t get naked, 2: they stare. 3: there’s no washing space, 4: they don’t freak out when we are taking pictures, and 5: so we can actually take pictures! 😂💦 (at Kanchanaburi)

source

Central Thailand receives little attention (above) while Krabi is a lot more popular:

บำบัด [joy] [grin] #hotspring #onsen #krabi #thailand #wareerak #wareeraksa #spa #unseenthailand #naturalhotspring #onzentime #thaispa #thaionsen #thailandstandupchallenge #thaimassage #relax #retreat #instapic #iphone5

source

 

  

#hotsprings [four_leaf_clover] 

 source 

Siam hot spring? With the adds on of a Health Club. Apparently there's such a place near Chaiya, Surat Thani province. Facebook page posts this:

   

คุณโชคชัย ราชรักษ์ December 7 At บ่อน้ำร้อน Siam Hot Spring.

Also try to be confused with Siam hot spring in Ranong ...

Experience

Gains fading away but still enjoying life [raising_hand] [ocean] [sunny]  #ChiangMai #Hotsprings #Hotpool #sankampaeng 

Se Siam soaking winner of 2015: Sankampaeng. Source

Consider to differ
With the end of the year fast approaching, let's look at what are Thailand's most popular soaks, based on internet awareness. 

Points were awarded to relative standings on Instagram, Google search (of the last 12 months), google search (based on % of the first 100 results), Twitter (number of hashtags), flickr / Tumblr / Youtube finds, Tripadvisor (number of comments) and Facebook (likes).

These scoring posssibilities differed from last years overview as bing and pininterest search results were excluded, while google percentage and Facebook likes were included. 

Was the result much different? 
No, there's little change to last year and the top 5 is exactly ranked the same as two years back! So much for changing the sources of calculation ...

Business as usual
Outside the top 5, there were some shifts, most notably the picturesque Wareerak hot spring (Krabi) coming in at number 7.
 

Amazing afternoon at #wareerak #hotspring #thailand #spaexperience

source
 

It is part of a pattern, whereby privately operated soaks are increasing their presence on the internet as that's what they need to do to continue to stay in business.

Those at the top of the lisst remain mostly non-business entities with a little enhancement of the original surroundings but mostly natural (though exclude the number 1 from this note). Whereas 4 of the numbers 6-10 have business interests at heart.

The Top 10:  
1 Sankampaeng, Chiang Mai (2014: 3rd)
2 Pai, Mae Hong Son (1)
3 Hin Dad, Khanchanaburi (6)
4 Fang, Chiang Mai (2)
5 Klong Thom, Krabi (4)
6 Rock Valley, Khanchanaburi (8)
7 Wareerak (-)
8 Raksawarin, Ranong (11)
9 Chaeson, Lampang (-)
   Natthawaree, Krabi (5)

I guess it's time to put on clothes and leave Thailand jungle paradise.. Off to Vietnam [rocket] [ramen] [fried_shrimp] [dancer] 

Off the top(s)? Pai's so-called hot spring; there seems to be quite a few hot springs in and around Pai each helping Pai to stay at or at least near the top. Source

Bubbling just outside the Top 10 are Chiang Dao (Chaing Mai), Betong (Yala), Mae Khachan (Chiang Mai), Pong Duet (Chaing Mai) and upcoming Thaweesin (Chiang Rai).

Tasty

Take me back #hotsprings #rainyday #pai #paradise #thailand #naturalbeauty #thailandluxe

source

Shy

A photographic slash news update on Siam's soaking opportunities. 

An overview of Bangkok's imitation onsens by toptenbangkok (Mar. 23). Pointers: imported are (in one case) water (from Ranong), salts, concentrate and atmosphere, the former three from Japan ... 

Below an impression from from Kashikiri Soda Onsen and Spa which starts off as follows:

'Too shy for the naked shared baths at regular onsen?'

Oooh lala~~ #Onsen in Bkk [heart_eyes] 

source

Coming up later this month (24-26 Sept.) the World Spa and Well-being Convention in Bangkok with it's Hot Spring Forum:

'The organisers of the World Spa and Well-being Convention 2015 are again pleased to work with the Hot Spring industry to help further develop, educate and build the Thai Hot Spring industry'. 

Unfortunately the forum itself will be only in Thai. And by the looks of the contributors also very marketing (and male) orientated ...

Zen

 

บ่อแช่มีประมาณ 15 บ่อ และนี่คือบ่อสุดท้ายที่ฟินที่สุด ห้ามพลาด #hotspring #fishspa #kanchanaburitrip #miszytravel

Rock valley, Kanchanaburi, source. 

Bangkok Post (Aug. 17) had a video on Phu Sang waterfall with this caption: 

'A jewel of an unspoiled national park in Phayao, Phu Sang is one of the only two warm waterfalls so far discovered in Thailand'.

From a not so recent posting on the blog Tasty bits. Flirty wits: 

'Then on to an Lanna Onsen or hot spring to soak in hot sulfuric smelling water'.

Chiang Rai,  could it be a rejuvenated Pha Bong hot spring they are referring too?

A write up on travelfish  (Aug. 3) concerning what I personally would consider arguably one of Thailands best hot springs, Porn Rang, Ranong:

'I’d already been to the better known Rahsawarin hot springs in Ranong town and didn’t expect the Porn Rang springs to be any better, but after arriving I found a far more extensive network of pools of varying temperatures. Unlike those closer to town these hot springs are away from any roads and set in a quiet, tranquil area filled with flowers, trees, foot paths and bridges that collectively lend a Japanese Zen garden feel to the place. Before long, what I thought would be a quick peek had turned in to a two-hour excursion'.

Likes
A strange story. The drought in Thailand has lead to extreme lower levels in lakes which has enabled lower level authorities to research a thermal vent (source). What they discovered: 

'... the thermometer showed the temperature around 38 degrees Celsius and the hot water springs out of about 3000 liters per hour'. 

They are now hoping that higher level authorities will develop a hot spring resort. 

An overview of no less than 18 hot springs in Chiang Mai province. All in Thai, but still very informative (with google translate).

 

[sparkles] バンコク最終日 [sparkles] バンコクから片道3時間程で行ける「ボークルン温泉」へ [hotsprings] 湧出量がたっぷりの天然の温泉はぬるめで長めに入れます [exclamation] ^_^内湯に露天風呂、足湯やタイ式マッサージなど施設充実 [wink] #タイ #ボークルン温泉 #boeklueng #hotspring #バンコクから片道3時間 #天然温泉 #無色透明 #苦味 #onsen #温泉アナリスト #北出恭子 #温泉ソムリエ  

source

From GT rider (Jun. 2015) a mention of Sippa hot spring, adjacent to Sankamphaeng and probably using the same waters. Nothing too special.

  

#hotspring#krabi#thailand#spa#hot#healthy#likeforlike#nice#holiday#me#myvacation#relax [relaxed] [blush] [ok_hand] [skin-tone-2] [ok_hand] [skin-tone-2] [ok_hand] [skin-tone-2] 

source

 

Free

From south to north, here are just some slides of the variety of soaks of Siam ...! 

พักไม่ทันหายเหนื่อย ปิดเทอมงานเยอะกว่าเปิดเทอมคูณสอง หยุดยาวๆบ้างได้ม้ายยย #relax #wareerak #wareeraksa #onsen #krabi #hotspring #spa #thaimassage #hotspringkrabi #forest #thialandonly #tradition 

source

From Krabi we head a little north to what I believe is Rommannee hot spring, Phang Nga province, wedged between Khao sok and the coast:

Kanya Manoppong: 

Hot spring

source

#hotspring #stairs #stairway #suanmokkh #suanmokkhinternational #chaiya #suratthani #green #grass #tree #souththailand #relax #myhometown #thailand_allshots #photooftheday #amazingthailand

source

Leaving  the south behind us we continue via Khanchanaburi (first photo below) to the hot spring haven of Chiang Mai.

This time last year we befriended a dear taxi man, witnessed a very questionable 'vegetable' deal and were mobbed by Thai people calling us superstars and taking our pictures as we were roasted in the hot springs #tbt #superstars #hotsprings #bathfriends

source

Hot spring in Chiang Dao ️ it's made by Japanese :) #hot_spring #hotspring #onsen #nature #mountain #chiangdao #chiang_dao #thailand #trip #travel #traveling #travelgram #worlderlust #worldingram 

source

Samoeng, Chiang Mai, Pong Kwao hot spring. Source

[Lady in the Water] #hotsprings #Pai #Thailand #mermaid #adventure #Iamfree

source

Chronicled

Enjoying Thailands hot springs from south to north.

Starting off with little known Kuan Kang hot spring in Trang province:

บ่อน้ำร้อน แช่สบายเลออ แต่ลงแค่ขานะ ร้อนโฮกก #trang #hotspring

source

temperatura da água: 35° #hotwaterfall #thailand

North of Trang comes Krabi's Klong Thom, always popular, source

 

只要10銖的野溪溫泉 #kanchanaburi #sylvietraveling #hotspring #taiwaneseinthailand

Hin Dad hot spring, Khanchanaburi, source

 

18+ #onsen #thailand

Or elsewhere in Khanchanaburi, Rock Valley's hot spring, source

Not really a natural hot spring, though it does claim to use natural mineral water, Yunomori Onsen & Spa in Bangkok:

ยามว่าง ถ่ายนู๊ดเล่น 555555555 แอบหมั่นอิคนหลังอะ ที่สวยกว่า #FotoRus #yunomori #onsen #hotspring

source

Beauty

Taking a bath in natural hot springs #chaeson #nationalpark #hottub #hotspring #natural #lampang #thailand #travelling #wanderlust #beauty #life #friends

Chaeson (Jason) hot springs, Lampang province, well and truly northern Thailand, source

2. San Kamphaeng Hot Springs

Chiang Mai province, source

And then two from what is fastly becoming a favourite soak for all those luckily enough to end in Mae Hong Son's town of Pai: 

 

Mineral bath 🚿 #hotsprings #36degrees #bath #pai #chroniclesofsiania

source

 

#InstaSize #tochkarazborki #travel #thai #thailand #picoftheday #instagood #instamood #vsco #pai #hotsprings 

source