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.

Cool

Is it a spring?

ABC
Spelling Thai hot springs gives it's own problems. Phu Toei is just one of the many problems encountered with finding a hot spring. Alternatively I've seen this as Puteuay, Pu Toei, Puteu and Phu Thoei. Luckily it's a larger village and as such not so difficult to find (I wish).

Having had the opportunity to visit Phetchabun (or Phetchaboon or either without the h) over the past week, I decided to visit this hot spring, if only because it's along the main highway to the provincial capital. I actually was expecting some directions on how to find this place, but instead drove straight through the village and when asking around was eventually lead to a different village altogether (see upcoming blog entry). So I stopped on my way back to Bangkok.

Spa
The springs are apparently smack bang in the center of the large village, just behind a Chinese temple.

About half a hectare in size, a public park has been created and only recently renovated as it included many new-looking play and fitness apparatus. Well-maintained, there are a couple of ponds, none of which looked very hot.

At the back of the park is a modern looking spa and early morning I inquired if it was possible to bath. It was, but only if I would like to wait for 20 minutes. Probably so they could fill the tub? Flow must be a trickle. Anyway, no worries and 20 minutes later the tub was ready.
I was taken inside, received towels and disposable underwear (?) was directed to changing cubicle. Before changing though, showers were pointed out as well as a big modern jacuzzi, all inside and very clean and modern.

Well after donning the disposable underwear I had the jacuzzi for myself. Low and behold, it was cool water! Weird, maybe should have waited longer? Anyway nothing to be done about it, but to enjoy the bath.

Behind the veil

Cold?
Phu Toei certainly is noted for it's hot spring. That said, the Thailand Energy and Environment Network mention that the temperature of this spring as 32 C, which it wasn't. Elsewhere on their site they also imply the temperature as being 30 C, who knows maybe after more research they would have found out it was closer to 20 C which was what it felt like.

According to Erfurt-Cooper & Cooper (2009) this would mean it to be a cold spring, at best tepid (25-34 C).

Spring with pipes

There is not much real info on internet most seem to use the following text:

'It is a natural hot spring, emerging to the surface. The area has been developed into a health tourism attraction and a relaxing venue. There are daily services of mineral water bathing, spa, body massage, and foot massage provided from 9.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m'.

This site includes at least a picture of the baths.

Getting there: From Bangkok take highway 21 towards Phetchabun from Saraburi. Phu Toei is located 44 km from the Chai Badan turnoff. The hot springs park is in the middle of town on the eastern side of the highway, partly hidden by a Chinese temple.

Soaking experience: This is the first place in Thailand where I have seen that facilities have been created expressly for bathing (and wellness) and run by a private company. The facilities were excellent as was the surrounding park. Pity that the water was not warmer ....

Overall impression: Excellent, if only the water had been hotter ...

Notes:
Erfurt-Cooper, P. & M. Cooper (2009) Health and Wellness Tourism. Spa and Hot Springs. Aspects of Tourism: 40. Channel View Publications, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Zilch

The trail
One of Thailand's better known hot springs is the hot spring of Mae Kasa, located at the foot of the mountains separating Mae Sot district from the rest of central Thailand's Tak province.

Despite it's prominence there is still some difficulties in finding the soak site. First one steers up the highway 105 to the north of Mae Sot until km 13/14 where one goes through a big gate and then continues onwards to the village of Mae Kasa, 7 km's away.

In the village directions to the hot spring stop and one needs to find one's own way to the other side of the village where the road continues. The hot spring is located about a km out of the village. The main site is down a dirt road on your left, though there are some springs visible on the right but these are for some reason off-limits, there's a big fence around them. Driving down the dirt road one comes to a rudimentary parking below a dam which seems to dam the adjacent stream to create a lake for ecstatic (?) reasons.

Are those eggs boiled yet?

Bubbly
From the parking area one can see what's the highlight of this soak site, a bubbling hot spring which one can walk around. Two girls are trying to boil eggs directly in the spring; as it transpires the only springs related activity on offer.

We gather our soaking stuff and confidently walk up to the surrounding buildings, seeing that there was a large pond empty. Unfortunately whatever the purpose was of these buildings, they are now in open season for vandals and miscreants to plunder and spoil. There is no way to soak at this hot spring!

Possibly sometime last century this was the soak site ...

And that seems to contrast with the vibrant feeling of the direct hot spring site. There are about 2 dozen other visitors who are all hanging out at the shops / bars surrounding the parking area. Possibly this is the best place to relax in this area?

The cave? Waterfall?
Somewhere I read something about there being a waterfall and because of the lay of the land, it has to be upstream. We climbed up the side of the dam to see the recently dammed lake. There's a makeshift temple on an island in the center which can be reached by a rickety swing bridge.

Beyond the temple is more parking place and a surprisingly well maintained track, well for 5 meters that is. After that deterioration sets in and the couple of bridges across the dry stream have all been set alight some time in the past, I seem to be getting an idea about what kinds of past-time are hot here.
Halfway up a very steep track we give up, it doesn't seem to be leading anywhere and is not used often anymore.

I later learn that one could continue onwards to a mouth of a cave over which a small stream falls, but seeing there's no stream there's also no waterfall or is that such a weird idea?

Andy Daniels adds

'After looking around at the cool hot springs area I decided to walk up a trail/staircase that went up to a budhist cave. The trail was long and pretty steap. After talking to my dad, who called me while on the trail, I continued to walk and a guide with some monks said he could show me the cave for 300B or else it was locked closed. I told him I would not pay that and would just see what I could see. Thats what I did, the cave was pretty cool but I didn't go too far in, and was happy with what I saw'.

No waterfall even though websites such as wikitravel proclaim the following:

'This large waterfall is located in Tambon Mae Kasa. There is a path leading the way up to a high mountain. A cave in front of the waterfall has a 5 m wide stream of water which serves as an entrance to the waterfall'.

Thailandcaves adds that there are

'... over 850 steps to ascend to entrance, but the cave is impressive. A series of large chambers descend steeply to a large passage which leads to a pool of water where the tour stops. Wading the shallow pool gices access to around 100m of muddy passage that eventually chokes'.

There are also a number of photo's of the cave. But none of the waterfall ...

Other experiences
The official wikitravel entry (undated) on Mae Kasa hot springs goes as follows:

'This hot well of 2 m wide is located in Tambon Mae Kasa, right in the village. Hot and cool streams flow to meet at this well. Visitors can smell sulphur throughout the village and see slight vapour just above the ground. At an edge of the well, the water is easily seen boiling and its temperature is fairly high. A private room for mineral bathing is available. The village is amidst the beauty of nature encompassed by a high mountain and farming land'.

Andy Daniels recounts from last year:

'The hot spings where a bunch of wells with artesian (flowing water) hot water coming out. Mineral deposits had formed around the wells, there were maybe 4 total and some places where the water was just coming out of the ground. The water was too hot to soak and there were not many good pools. The only good pool was in direct sunlight and it was the middle of the day so I didn't soak. There was a park area around one of the well things that had grass and some food venders. It looked like they were working to build the hot spings up more, there was also a large sized pool that was not filled with water, and some privat rooms with little tile tubs that did not look maintained'.

Bangyai was more lucky and witnessed real soakers in the now empty pond:

'As hot springs go, nothing special but there were a few people there splashing around and boiling their eggs. I didn't fancy boiling my eggs so we hit the road again heading north for Mae Sariang'.

And elsewhere near Mae Sot
Mae Sot is very much the main town in this area. Previously this Soaking in Siam has highlighted hot springs in Umphang (due south of Mae Sot), however there is also a hot spring in Phop Phra district to the south of Mae Sot.

A couple of maps indicate there being another less well-known hot spring, Huai Numnak hot spring, also known as Pha Charoen hot spring which refers to the national park in which it is located (link to website with mention of hot spring).

Andy Daniels has also visited this hot spring which can be accessed by taking highway 1206 from the district headquarters itself. He describes his trip as follows:

'It was out in the middle of no where with no signed but I was able to find it after I passed it once and came back. It was large holes with really hot water, and completely natural. There was a woman in the house nearby that couldn't speak any english but was very nice, and was grinding rice separating the grain from the plant casing. I tried to soak my feet in some smaller concrete tubs near the source but they were too hot, I think the locals use them too cook eggs, that seems to be the main thing locals use the hot water for. Also the lady in the house had hot springs water piped to her house. She could tell I wanted to soak somewhere since I came all the way out there so she showed me where they clean dishes and I took one of the tubs they used to wash dished and soaked my feet, even then I had to let the water cool off for a while'.

So that's why I didn't bother heading there ...

Andy's photo of Huai Namnuk hot spring. Another photo can be found here.

Getting there: From Mae Sot take highway 105 north until just beyond km 13. Take the road to the east and continue until the road sort of ends in Mae Kasa village. Try following the most used road and you'll emerge on the other side of the village nearer the mountains. The hot spring is only a km away, below a dam.

Soaking Experience: Zilch!

Overall impression: Underwhelming.

A natural spring at Mae Kasa.