Ranong = hot spring!?

Royal reverberation

Rated as one of Thailand's most popular hot springs (source), Raksawarin hot spring has become the province of Ranong's no. 1 natural attraction. Such that the hot spring is often referred to as Ranong hot spring.

But the real name is Raksawarin. It's claim to fame harks back to a visit by King Rama V more than a century ago. Since then, it's waters have been revered and development of the site to host ever-increasing number of visitors has gained pace.

Some science (?)
Pawanrat Saengsiriroj (2011) in his case study notes [1] that Raksawarin is

'ranked as one of the best three in the world because the water from this hot spring is pure, without the smell of sulphur. It is also considered the best in Thailand ...'.

Whether or not soakers are put off by sulphur smells and whether or not the absence of smells makes it a top 3 world soak, seems debatable. However, despite the recent nature of the study, it mostly results in opening open doors. For instance, more than half the visitors are reportedly nationals whose opinion of worldwide soaks would be deemed slightly insignificant.

A more scholarly effort was undertaken by Suwicha Komaladat (2010). He finds [2] that many tourists come to Ranong's hot spring as it was part of their journey, not a destination in it's own right; a problem which seems to stick to Ranong town. Another significant difference, foreigners are interested in spa facilities with little interest in souvenir shopping; Thai are interested in the freebies (foot bath) and the opportunity to purchase local food specialties.

Free foot bathing, a cornerstone of Ranong's wellness industry

It also notes the lack of motivation

'to improve the product and service quality'.

And

'[there is] no known successful research on the mineral water healing quality, the mineral water usage'.

Despite some websites claiming the opposite.

Newer bathing facilities? Yet to be opened.

Tourist trap
If there were a natural tourist trap, Raksawarin hot spring would rank high. It's only located a km or so from the main road south which by-passes Ranong town. Take the inland road just before the bridge and head up the narrow valley. Just before hitting the hot spring you will be required to cross a bridge.

The area around the hot spring has seen such haphazard development that the road has been deemed too congested to let cars through (there is a diversion), though parking is available. On the mountain side there are a wide variety of shops as well as something called Siam Hot Spa, what seems to be a private soaking facility.

On the river side the area has been landscaped, paved over, redeveloped and is the source of the hot springs, 3 in total, aptly named Father, Mother and Child spring. Surprisingly many facilities have been constructed as well and they are free.

Evening time, there are quite a few visitors walking around, using the foot baths or the hot floor complex, a novelty yet to gain worldwide attention.

A purposely built hot floor, where you can really sweat it out. Part of the instructions read:

'4. Should not sleep on this area more than 30 mins.'

The river itself is milky white, indicating large amounts of erosion further upstream. Continue onwards beyond the hot springs, one can visit the Ranong canyon, which sounds more than it actually is; it seemed quite boring when we visited the submerged mine.

The Ranong "canyon".

Ranong
As Ranong is the best place to stay a couple hours north or south (and has a certain charm) of the hot spring, adding some info on accommodation is by no means superfluous.

Besides this, Ranong is a good place to explore more hot springs (Phu Lum Phi, Porn Rang), waterfalls (Bokkrai, Punyaban, Ngao, Chum Saeng) and off-shore islands even with the possibility of diving.

There are also two hotels with connections to the hot springs. Jansom Hot Spa Ranong Hotel claims that it is the only hotel with a

'100% direct tap'

to the hot springs. Seeing it is located on the highway next to the turnoff to the hot springs, the claim seems credible.
On Agoda there is a photo of a mineral bath (indoor). However the guest reviews repeatedly point to the faded facilities that would require a nice renovation.

Tinidee Hotel Ranong receives better reviews (Agoda, tripadvisor, sawadee) and claims to have a mineral water pool.

We stayed at the new B Ranong Trend hotel which may have lacked the mineral connection but was so out of the ordinary ("modern retro"), that paying a visit here is certainly rewarding.

The art of folding hotel towels, just a preview of what to expect at B Ranong. What about the lights in the transparent flush reservoir of the toilet?

Getting there: Located not far from the highway, the hot spring is well signposted, not more than 2 km from the turnoff located next to a bridge.

Soaking experience: Though the focus is on hot springs, soaking is less customary practice ...

Overall impression: Despite the hype I had suspected it to be worse. in general well-developed and laid back, just wish there were better soaking facilities ...

The iconic Ranong hot spring image, wife looking for the bottom.

Notes:
[1] Pawanrat Saengsiriroj (2011) Hot Spring Goers: A Case Study of Raksawarin Hot Spring, Ranong Province, Thailand. Assumption University, Graduate School of Business, e-Journal, vol 4, March 2011. Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand.
[2] Suwicha Komaladat (2010) Health tourism destination in Thailand: a case study of Raksawarin Hot Spring. International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, vol 1, no 3, pp 238-247. International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, Inderscience Publishers, Bucks, United Kingdom.

Not so samui?

Provincial bliss?
Surat Thani is a well established province for tourism, though the fact that all this tourism is concentrated on the boutique island resort of Samui and the full-moon party island of Phangan means that the mainland part of the province is often by-passed, neglected even.

Surat Thani town itself is another typical Thai provincial town: a transfer part to the rest of the province without much charm and acting as a center of purchase symbolized by the Tesco-Lotus or Big C. Nothing in common with either island mentioned before!

Anyway, there is another side to Surat Thani province; away from the coast are extensive jungles and a national park or two (including the upcoming national park destination of Khao Sok), while the coast fringe has it's own blend of fishing villages, agricultural communities and forests.

Into the unknown
Part of the provincial unknowns is the existence of quite a few hot springs. My own list had six links, most linking to the (temporarily defunct?) Thai geothermal database site.

More intense (and time consuming) searching revealed the following. There is Chaiya hot spring (or two), Kaper hot spring (at Kaeng Krung national park) , Bo Nam Ron, Khao Tok and Po Nam Ron (Kanchanadit).

Khawdee et al. (2007) actually list 9 unnamed hot springs within the province though with no names. They refer to Chaturongkawanich (2001) who studied 8 (?) hot springs in Surat Thani.

Finally, I did find a selected and translated Thai geothermal database on the Russian language site Горячие источники в Таиланде (Hot springs in Thailand). It lists seven hot spring sites in Surat Thani, three of which are in or near Chaiya, others listed are near Wat Tharnnamron (Tashang tambon, another link), Wanghin (Nasarn village) and Kauplu (Naderm village).

And then there's Tha Sathorn.

Disappearing
Complete with it's own Facebook page, Tha Sathorn is probably the best accessible hot spring, located not too far away from Surat Thani town. And it seems quite a bit of public funds have found their way to this soaking site. Entrance is free and it seems the natural spring has been transformed into a sterile park.

Other internet info from a blog entry by Andy. He adds that it also has pool, which may have evaporated since.
Bluechizont has another entry, but only in Thai language which appears to be Tha Sathorn, with pool as well. It also has more on another unnamed soak, looks a lot more pleasant too.
More photo's on panoramio, back when the site was less developed ...

Tourist information at Tha Sathorn.

Footy
One factor overlooked are signposts leading one to the hot spring. From the 401 from Surat Thani take the 4248 which tends to head to Tha Satorn town. After crossing the railroad near Tha Sathorn take a road inland for 1 or 2 km. In all honesty there are large billboards but with Thai language and hardly any pictures.

So after a couple of wrong turns and many questions asked, we arrive at the grand entrance on a hot day at a parking area with no shade, yea!

Is this it?

Possibly.

We walk to the left, past a building and something that looks like a ticket stall with no one around.

It's a Sunday and there are quite a few people milling around, an ice-cream stall is open. Beyond are changing rooms, modern but deserted, certainly none of the other visitors are using this.

Walk beyond this and there is a moat around a raised walkway. One can get on this walkway and within the circle is a large hot spring. We walk half way round this spring and once off the walkway on the opposite side is a 3m wide bassin, possibly a foot deep but shaded. Some locals are having a foot soak.

Perpendicular to this is another similar set up but with better shade and more people taking the waters.


Apparently that's all there is to this soak, a spring, two foot bassins and a walkway. Why the changing rooms?

Getting there: About 20 km from Surat Thani town down road 4248, turn away from the rails just before Tha Sathorn. Keep asking .....

Soaking experience: Apparently made for footbathing only.

Overall impression: Pro's: in general a nice place; con's: ai, it's been developed and turned into a hotspot. Not enough shade. And where are soakers supposed to soak?


Notes:
Khawdee, P., W. Lohawijarn, H. Duerrast (2007) Geophysical model of Ban Na Doem Hot-spring in Surat Thani Province, Thailand. Seventh National Graduate Research Conference. Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.

Thermophiles challenged

Directing development
Directing funds to tourist adventures sometimes leads to strange situations. Raksarawin hot spring of Ranong, Thailand, is an example of incessant funding, in this case leading it to be a tourism highlight. However, just down the road, Phu Lum Phi hot spring is left forlorn and undeveloped.

Untouched it's not, as there is evidence that some money might have flown here in the past. But as is very common in Southeast Asia the development was overestimated and whatever was dreamed of, didn't materialize. 

It would be interesting to see why some hot spring sites seem not to be too worried about financial inflows (for investment purpose's) whereas others are starved. Failure to adhere, initiate, political patronage?

D.I.Y.
Internet fails to shed some light on this hot spring, an odd case, as Ranong is synonymous with hot spring, note the singular use of the term.

Situated just off Ranong's major highway heading south, it is about 6 km from the city center on the inland side of the road. A blink and you will miss the turnoff (and signboard). Up this road it's only a km or so before one comes to a large grassfield with some scattered buildings around.

It is late afternoon and what seems like a pond has a few locals hanging around. Apparently some have just finished their bath, others have waited their turn (= joke). Other than these half dozen soakers there is not much to proof that this place is located near one of Thailands most visited hot springs. 

In front of us is a circular pool, to the right a toilet block with behind it a solid locked building. A fair walk away over the grassy field are some sala's while to the left are some more buildings without intention (?).



The toilet block functions as changing room. Local custom then implores one to squat around the hot pond and scoop water over oneself shower style. Oh and do remain dressed. Having a bucket give's the showeree (what's a soaker who only showers called?) the ability to let the hot water cool down before immersing oneself.

Getting there: Take the major highway south out of Ranong town and pay attention to tiny blue signboards along the road heading inland. Roughly 5-6 km outwards there's a small road which heads around a to be developed plot and heads into some secondary growth and straight close to the hot spring.



Soaking experience: A soak in the general sense is not to be had, a bak mandi (large scoop) enables a shower of sorts. Different but not necessarily rewarding.

Overall impression: A very rustic, down to earth place. The lack of development and visitors gives it an extra cachet, but in all honesty a visit here is only for thermophiles and even they might be challenged.

Soaking in the Shade

On the edge
Chumphon is a touristically underrated province in Thailand. Too far away from Bangkok to warrant a weekend trip, too close to make flying there practical. Back (and flash) packers are all on their way to Ko Tao, a veritable divers paradise slowly edging to high end boutique-ness.

However Chumphon sits on a deserted and sometimes exposed coast line. Far from the crowds, the beaches and islands are still mostly silent, falling victim to shrimp farms. But still there are enough places to get away from it all. The beaches of Thung Wualaen, Sairi, Tawan Chai, Thung Makham, Arounothai to name a few.

The hinterland is covered in lushly forested mountains with probably many great waterfalls but as of yet Chumphon's main accessible natural attractions are it's beaches and caves.

Tham Khao

Line up
And here we come to the hot springs. The hot springs of Tham Khao Plu are located at the foot of a limestone outcrop just short / past of the Chumphon's southern most district town of Lamae.

Most web sites dedicate their entries of this hot spring as follows:

'There are 3 hot spas here at the foot of the mountain slope. In the vicinity, there are also 4 caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Wildlife such as squirrels, pig-tailed monkeys and birds of different species are scattered around the area'.

Others add:

'Available of the private cabin to relaxing in the hot spring bathtub and pool area in the shade of trees'.

Though only a couple of hundred meters from the audible southern highway (no. 41), the double billing of caves and hot springs fails to draw in any crowds of substance (despite it's popularity) as the well-signposted attraction fails to even have a car park.

Raining, pouring, soaking?
Instead there's a rough terrain next to the entrance which functions as a sort of a place to leave behind your vehicle. It's raining. Pouring. No sign of letting up, nor whether or not a soak exists. Someone has to scout the area as we have only one umbrella. The umbrella is falling apart. Seeing that I'm the expert and the only willing volunteer, it's quickly determined that I will have to leave the dry car and trudge through puddles and seek a soaking place.

The spring in the forest. One of the three.

Past the empty entrance building, past a number of shop fronts, one comes to the foot of the karst. To the left is an enclosure which is a hot water source. Following the path one passes a toilet building next to a smaller bathing pool for which entrance may well cost 10 THB (US$ 0,30).

Hot pool

Beyond the pool is another hot spring well. The path continues and one can go up and into the mountain where a small shrine is in the cave mouth.
Further along the lower path is another pool, abandoned and another source. The path continues most probably to more caves but the rain remains relentless, so I choose to return.

Private
There is mention made of a private pools but I didn't see any. Probably one of the best web references is a Japanese language website (soma-samui) which has an entry on Tha Satorn hot spring in Surat Thani, Porn Rang in Ranong and Tham Khao Plu. It also has a reference to a flickr site. Which includes a photo of a private bath, not at all bad ...

The source

Getting there: Just 7 km south of Lamae trown, Tham Khao Plu is a not to be missed turnoff eastwards from the southern highway 41. From the turnoff it's about 500m followed by another north turn. Well signposted (for Thailand).

Soaking experience: Overall there's quite some effort has been put into the soaking facilities, let's make it a passable.

Overall impression: A nice break on a long journey, but the experience isn't special enough to warrant special attention, other than another opportunity to take a break rather than lounging at a petrol station.

p.s. the lead photo is of an abandoned pool ...

Wellcome

Wow
In all honesty there's not much to distinguish visit's to some of Thailand's hot springs from each other. Sometimes well signposted, sometimes not at all. They are all are designated to 'wow' the visitors, attract more tourists and line the pockets of local entrepreneurs and governments. That's the theory. In reality very low costing improvements have been put through, often resulting in nothing really enhancing. Or money has been thrown into sterilizing the surroundings resulting in high maintenance costs with no corresponding budgets.

Arguably it are those that develop organically that contain the most charm.

Election day
Nong Ya Plong is the name of a district in Phetchaburi province, southwest of Bangkok. Fifteen kms away from the sleepy district town, up towards the mountains along a winding and twisting road one arrives at a graveled car park flanked by a number of food stalls who on this July election sunday are looking forward to the visitors despite not being able serve alcohol. There is a sign saying

"wellcome to hotspring",

so this is it.

As the road was also heading to a waterfall, (7 km yonder), I inquire what happened to the road, believing a visit to a waterfall followed by a soak is an even better prospect, better than a soak alone. The road has a barrier gate over it and the answer given is that this is to avoid allowing cars like mine, non-four-wheel drive, entrance to the waterfall as the road is apparently too steep.

Star
Well, part of the plan shelved, let's look at the soak. A track leading down passes the amenities building and leads to a large star-like formed bassin which looks aesthetically nice if not for the large blue pipe hovering above the pool. The tap to this pipe is closed and as could be expected the water in the bassin is not warm.


Returning we quickly have a look at the bathing house, which in fact is a couple of tubs.

Bath building

Tag
Heading upwards from the car park is another cement path. We have hardly made it a couple of meters on this path after we are attached on by half a dozen small kids who, by the looks of it, are interested in selling us flower garlands. With no communication possible we continue with our taggers running around and between us.

The path goes up and over a hillock, then drops to a streamlet. Two large pipes are to be seen and both fell very hot.

We continue onwards and arrive at the actual springs. A wooden fence around a meter high wall with a tree in one point of the triangular shape fencing. Beyond are two small temples covered in flowers while down stream of the pond, underneath a tree, a small section of the stream has been cemented, cement stools added and thus one can soak one's feet in the very hot water.

The small temples add an unknown quantity / quality to these springs, as well as the fact that with the exception of some washing on the wooden fence, the area around the springs are immaculately clean.

The hot pond with temples beyond.

On a picnic table there's even an honesty box which the caretaker takes considerable effort to communicate this to us.

Captain says
On internet, the Phetechaburi travelguide mentions this as Punmaron hot spring:

'People have used the hot spring water in therapeutic baths to treat rheumatism and other ailments. The reservation eventually developed into a well-known resort because it attracted many health seekers all year round. Also, the hot spring area and surrounding mountains give a spectacular example of the forest ecosystem.Today there are two bathhouses and a service center to provide visitors with hot spring baths ...'.

Then there is Panoramio. A photo road trip by Captain Slash.

And? Your votes?

Getting there: From the main highway south take the 3340 towards Nong Ya Plong but just before town head west again. From here there are only about 100 signboards!

Soaking experience: No big tubs, sort of distracts from the soaking experience. Still are not fond of prisoner situations, 4 large walls, not even someone to talk to!

Overall impression: The place is very relaxed and down to earth. A soak is to be had as well as some insight in local life. A worthy stopover.