Welcome to the jungle

yy_aannee 

ได้ตื่นตอนเช้าเช้ามานั่งแช่น้ำพุร้อนแบบนี้ทุกทุกวันก็คงจะดี.. #สิปปาฮอทสปริง #ที่พักดี #มีบ่อน้ำพุร้อน #บอกต่อ #เที่ยวเมืองไทยไม่ไปไม่รู้ววว!!

Against expectations of little change, I've set out to compile the last 12 months most popular hot springs of Thailand. 

Were there little changes? No doubt.

As always I tampered with the points system; after all the way we use internet changes constantly as well. 

The major changes were adding Instagram counts for locations, while Tumblr was discarded. 

The former proved to be difficult to achieve a significant difference between the most popular soaks. Problem is, Instagram has no count function for locations (as opposed to tags). Let's just say after counting 300 photo's each I gave the three most popular soaks the same number of points .... Mentionable is that this change allowed for more influence of Thai speaking posters, something which has been difficult to overcome in the past.

The latter was discarded as the Tumblr search function does not work as previously; there's precious little number of searches coming up with a result.

These changes resulted in more prominence for Instagram which attributed to f.i. the hot springs of Betong and Wiang Pa Pao moving up the charts.

I also afforded more prominence to Facebook which helped the no. 1 hot spring to stay where it was, but also boosted Rock Valley hot springs; Facebook in general seems to assist the business owned soaks.

So where does this leave us? 

Points were awarded to relative standings on Instagram concerning tags (i.e. #fanghotsprings), Instagram location, Google search (of the last 12 months), Google search (based on % of the first 100 results), Twitter (number of hashtags/last 12 months), Flickr/Youtube finds, Tripadvisor (number of comments) and Facebook (likes). 

I also looked at the locations themselves and concluded that we need to differ the votes for Pai, as they are now distinctly different; without splitting the votes between Sai Ngam and Pai, what was previously known as Pai would have been top of the batch. As such both are now ex-aequo no. 6. It also signifies how the rambling Sai Ngam soak is heading upwards ...:

blondebritchick 

Welcome to the jungle 🌴💦 #hotspring #pai #thailand #travel #gopro #goprohero4

Consummation

Out side the top 10, it's worth mentioning the significance of Krabi's Saline hot springs, definitely a contender for top 10 next year. 

Biggest loser was Lampang's Chaeson hot spring which would dropped from ninth position last year to 17 this year.

The top 10 for 2016

1. (2015: 1) Sankampaeng (Chiang Mai; see also lead photo)

2. (4) Fang (Chiang Mai)

3. (6) Rock Valley (Kanchanaburi; photo below)

4. (3) Hin Dad (Kanchanaburi)

5. (5) Klong Thom (Krabi)

6. (-) Sai Ngam (Mae Hong Son)

    (2)Tha pai (Mae Hong Son)

8. (-) Betong (Yala)

9. (-)Wiang Pa Pao (Chiang Rai)

10. (7) Wareerak (Krabi)

boombmz 

โบกมือลาส่งยิ้มให้ สุขกับความอ้างว้างต่อไป.

What I do find surprising is that less and less of what's considered top soaking  sites of Siam are actually non-consumed: there's more thrill in the notion of naturally occurring hot spring waters than in actually taking the chance to bathe. 

I illustrate this by using only Instagram tags: the top 3 above only have a total of 8 photo's of persons enjoying the waters by immersing themselves. This contrasts with Hin Dad (28 photo's) and Sai Ngam (35 photo's), where the only emphasis is on soaking ...

Possibly it's due to the privateness, but maybe soaking is not so popular with the mainstream ...

Calm

#Thailand #travel #chiangdao #onsen #fujifilm taking a hot spring bath in the countryside around chiangdao!

Chiang Mai province, source.

Just a short intermezzo blog update.

More from the north (than above). 

Newly opened (source, Mar. 3): The Away Hot Springs Chiang Mai? The website mentions hot springs and it has a very large pool and jacuzzi, but is it for real (the natural hot water)? 

It gets very good reviews on tripadvisor and booking.com.

Another new hot springs resort near Chiang Mai is the Sippa hot springs. It certainly has good photo's forthcoming on instagram (sample below). Sippa however has less reviews on tripadvisor (all good) while booking.com has fair reviews.

namtarnn_ntt 

Keep clam and enjoy natural hotspring 💙

Best

Questions and answers on Thaivisa (Jul. 3):

Where is the best place in Thailand for hot springs?

Answers were: Krabi (2), Ranong (below), Mae Sot, Pai, Phang Nga, anywhere in the rainy season (lol) and Chiang Mai.

#Hotspring ของดีเมืองไทย ติด 1ใน 3 ของโลก น้ำแร่ราน๊อง คนละยี่สิบบาท แช่ได้ทั้งวัน แต่ใครจะแช่ทั้งวัน! เปื่อยนะสิ #Ranong#Nature#MineralSpa#Thailand 

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Yunomori onsen announces (Jul. 2) expansion plans for Pattaya, wher will the natural hot waters come from?

aonjungnida

ทริปเพื่อนรัก 2016#happytrip#withlove#friends😍😘😙#kanjanaburitrip #thailand #travel #thailandtravels #summer #onsen #onsenthailand #aday

Nesting

Further south there's this news from The Nation (May. 18):

'People have been banned from entering the ‘Sa Nam Pud’ warm water stream area, where the Unseen Thailand attraction Emerald Pool in Krabi’s Khlong Thom district originates, until October.

The site has been closed for this period by the Khao Pra - Bang Kram Wildlife Sanctuary to conserve Taew Laew Tong Dam or Gurney's Pitta, one of the world's rarest birds.|As of 2010, there were 16 Gurney's Pitta in the forest.

Sanctuary head Wutthipong Chusangrat said the upstream part of Emerald Pool and trekking path must be closed as it was habitat of Gurney's Pitta, whose mating season and nesting falls during this period. In mid-April, only one female bird was spotted for the first time in five years. He said the closure wouldn't affect tourism, as the Emerald Pool would be open as usual. He urged tour companies to explain to clients as some tourists still tried to enter the area'.

Nearby are the Wareerak hot springs. Photo below with this cation from the ahpekbiker blog (May 7):

'That's us at the On-sen hot spring just outside Wareerak. There were several pools with varying temperatures from warm to extra hot, the extra hot one had temperatures reaching to above 40 degrees Celcius'.

Let's finish on top with yet another great picture from Pai ....

#pai #hotsprings #thailand #explore 

source

Full spectrum

 

 わたし、身体ようかいみたいwww 

Translated from Japanese: I, like a body specter. Source

Let's start with this photographic tour of Thailand with some contributions from Central Thailand for a change. 

If one heads out due west from Bangkok there's a lot to see and experience soakingswise. Probably the closest hot spring is the hot spring resort by the name of Rock Valley (below) just outside of Khanchanaburi town. 

To the south of this in the delightful valley of Suan Phueng (Ratchaburi province) is the hot spring of Bo Klueng (above).

   

Теперь это моя естественная среда обитания [palm_tree] 

Now from Russian: Now it is my natural habitat. Source

 

ออ นเซ็นอย่างไทยก็มาา #hotspring #thaistyle #weekendroadtrip #wanderluststory 

Hin Dat hot spring, Khanchanaburi, source.

Dizzy

  

 พ่อ กับแม่พามาแช่น้ำร้อน #เวียนหัวจุง hot spring!! [laughing] #hotsprings #feelgood #nature

Chaiya hot spring, Surathani, source.

Heading south, before hitting the main tourist areas on the west coast one could laze away a couple of hours at Chaiya (above).

But it's mostly the hot springs near Krabi (below) which entertain the many tourists.

   

Awesome #bachelorette party! #hotsprings #thailand #krabi #destinationwedding #travels 

Wareeraksa hot spring, Krabi, source.

  

 #tb #crazytrio #enjoyinglife #hotsprings #krabi #thailand

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Hot

   

Erum bara að njóta #nofilter #IMBAtravelers #thailand #hotspring #pai 

Translated (from Icelandic): [We] Are just enjoying. Source

And to top it off the northern hot springs, Pai hot spring (above, Mae Hong Son province) and the hot springs near Samoeng, Chiang Mai (below).

   

***หนี ร้อน มาแช่น้ำร้อน @น้ำพุร้อนโป่งกราว #onsen #chiangmai #cnx #hotsprings #hotspring #สะเมิง #โป่งกราว #น้ำพุร้อน #journey #thailand 

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Passion

A larger tub located in Nong Sai Phrao, Chiang Mai province. Translation of the Thai article reveals that temperatures are 50-60°C at source (source).

A couple of picca's and a few quotes, that's what makes up this entry.

Starting off with a link to a video by Bangkok Post (Jan. 24) on (off-topic) sand bathing:

'People visit the Black Sand Beach in Trat and cover their bodies with the sand. They believe it helps reduce fatigue and symptoms of paralysis'.

Krabi, source

While in the area the Bangkok Post (Feb. 1) also visits nearby Krabi:

'From the bay, we cruise through the dense mangrove forest and turn into Sikao Canal. Hundreds of fiddle crabs rush back to their holes when Banjong jumps onto the bank. Just steps from the crabs' home is a saltwater hot spring, of which crystal clear water runs directly into the canal.

"The hot spring sits on the canal's bed, yet not many know about it until the canal changes its course and a mud deposit fills up the bank; at this point, the hot spring emerges," said Banjong. It may not be such a good idea to take a dip in this hot spring which is filled with fiddle crabs. 

Luckily, if you go a bit north into neighbouring Krabi province, you'll find the Wareerak Hot Spring Spa which is highly recommended. Wareerak is different from other spas. It has its own hot spring well hidden in huge tropical garden. Guests can take a dip in outdoor pools and get some sleep during their massages. 

"Our hot spring has warm water at 42C. It's ready to use. After getting your body checked up in traditional Thai style by a doctor, guests will enjoy a body scrub and dip in the hot spring," said Chantima Channam, the resort manager of Wareerak, describing her award-winning hydrotherapy programme'.

Now we’re having a coffee at that nice little cafe I posted not too long ago and taking our time to relax and think about amazing time we had so far! In about ten days we will leave Thailand for Laos, so need to soak up every last bit of this amazing country!

#hotspring #gopro #pai #thailand #asia #vsco #vscocam #travel #traveling #vscoadventure #adventure #lonelyplanet #tripadvisor #goworld #travelingourplanet #backpacking #igerstravel #river (bij Sai Ngam Hot Spring)

Source: yeahhright

Elevation
Less natural Kashikiri Soda Onsen and Spa is a wellness "resort" in central Bangkok which itself notes:

'Our passion for spa onsen in Japan, happened to be the 1st and the only private spa in Thailand'. 

There's no word on the origins of it's waters but it does also note:

'Elevating the onsen spa services, we strive to deliver the best minerals essence from the top sources of hot springs in Japan. The premier essence powder are imported especially from Beppu and Kusatsu directly into our baht tub ...'.

No word yet from tripadvisor ...

 

Indulge yourself with the treasure of enrich minerals from Japan hot prings and volcanic essence#privateonsen #beautifulplace #bangkok #thonglor #bts #spa #relaxing #healthylife #goodhealth #bodyandsoul #chic #skin #kashikirisodaonsenandspa #kashikiri49 #kashikirionsenbkk #kashikiri

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Then to wrap this up, back north for two photo's , the first from Chiang mai province, the second  of Phu Klon mud, Mae Hon Song province.

  

ไคแตงโมเหลือง เอ็ดดี้ที่รัก เพพเพ่สไปซี่ดัค

Chiang Dao's cement rings, source

 

#mudmasks from 280000 year old mud #beauty #health #hotsprings #chiangmai #ITMschool #thailand

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