From the Press III

Bangkok Post are well and truly in the 'cold' season frame of mind. This week's travel supplement (Horizons) includes a review of a stay in and near Fang hot springs, northern Thailand, Chiang Mai province:

'A national park mightn't be your first choice of destination when touring the North. but this one, about three hours (160km) by car from Chiang Mai city, has a lot to offer. For openers: In how many places, here or abroad, can you luxuriate in an open-air bathtub fed by water from a hot spring?

Once known as Mae Fang, this national park was renamed in May, 2006 to make it more readily identifiable with its biggest attraction: Doi Pha Hom Pok, which, at 2,285 metres above sea level, is the second highest peak in the Kingdom (after Doi Inthanon).

If you're anxious to get to the summit in time to see the sun rising over a sea of mist then it's best to camp at the base of the mountain for an early start. Otherwise you'll be a good deal more comfortable in the accommodation at park HQ, about an hour's drive from the campsite.


Each of the resort-standard wooden bungalows has two bedrooms, one with a double, the other with a single bed. There's air-conditioning and a TV in each plus a hot-water bathroom with a proper bath and a large balcony with table and chairs.

Unfortunately it is the same springs they highlighted two months ago. No wonder it is the most popular hot springs resort in the country! Soaking in Southeast Asia visited these springs in November.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures, they do come straight from the Bangkok Post site!

From the press II

Thursday (Jan 31, 2008) Bangkok Post published an extensive article on the eastern part of Chiang Rai province. They also highlighted a hot spring waterfall in neighbouring Phayao province.

'However, instead of heading further north, some visitors may choose to go southwards to Phu Sang National Park in Phayao Province to a waterfall that is noted for its warm water. Situated about 45 kilometres south of Phu Chi Fah on Highway 1093, along the route they stop briefly at a highland agriculture development station famous for its pink and yellow lillies, elegant tulips and barley plots on Doi Pha Mon mountain range in Thoeng district (Chiang Rai) before proceeding to the waterfall that figured in the Tourism Authority of Thailand's "Unseen Thailand" promotion drive a few years back.

The small but elegant waterfall is just a few steps off the highway. It is a popular meeting point for local people who can be seen relaxing or picnicking around the fall. They bring their own pillows, mattresses and order food from stalls next to the park's information office.

According to park officer Nanthana Suwantha, water temperature at the point the fall originates stays a steady 35 degrees Celsius, except when it rains. The warm water cascades over limestone cliffs to form clear pools next to the highway.

A testing trail, which includes a flight of 80 steps, leads to the waterhead that's off-limit to swimmers. We followed the trail. However, there wasn't much to see once we reached the other end. So we hung around for a while to give our legs some rest before heading back'.

Pha Soet: a hot start to the new year

The main swimming basin, with a small changing room in the background

It may surprise many, but northern Thailand faces a longer cold spell during the months of November - February. Nothing like the freezing temperatures elsewhere in the northern hemisphere though, but enough to make enjoying hot springs a real pleasure.

So with a couple of hours of the first day of 2008 to spare while passing through Chiang Rai, my family and I decided to take the plunge at Pha Soet Hot Springs, located roughly at 20 kms westwards out of town. This late in the afternoon getting transport willing to take us out of town proved a challenge, but eventually a compliant tuk-tuk chauffeur gave us a break and in we hopped.

The first day of 2008 (and the final day of a 4 day holiday) had brought Chaing Rai's citizens out en masse to a local flower show, winter being a more convenient time of the year for this, rather than the hot and humid months. It being the time of the day everybody was getting pesky, this mass was trying to negotiate the narrow road leading back to Chiang Rai from the flower show grounds, we were the only traffic facing this exodus head on. Our driver was certainly not upbeat, he had hoped for an early return. Eventually we managed to get to the hot springs just shortly before dusk.

In to hot water: just a foot soak!

An hour was what we had negotiated with the driver, so we walked round the site and quickly decided on the the best place to soak. Despite this being the last day of the holidays, the hot springs park like settings were packed. A grass field between the parking area with approximately 10 restaurants and the springs themselves was used as an impromptu camping site with extensive families revelling in the luxury of having the time off, great weather, the outdoors and the possibilities of unleashing their kids without any worries.

The main springs: cemented and fenced in

Despite this being on a heavily touristed trail, we were, like so often on our tours of Thai hot springs, the odd ones out, i.e. the only foreigners currently visiting. The site (which required no entrance fee) looked well maintained and considerable effort had been made to offer visitors a worthy experience. The main springs had been cemented in and special tanks were there for the very Asian-like pursuit of boiling eggs 'au naturel' (the eggs that is) and the possibility of just heating your feet. A nice bigger pool had been built together with changing rooms and there were about 10 separate buildings with 3-4 private pools.

A slow boil, eggs in woven baskets are boiled while you wait (and are not in a hurry!)

As my wife only had her bikini with her, we felt a little out of place for taking the public pool. Fashion trends are well maintained by the Thai damsels when bathing: currently the most daring bathing costume (for women) was the knee length jeans with a sleeveless high cut singlet. Uncomfortable probably, but it's better to be safe!

So we rented a private pool for a minimum hour rate (30 baht = +/- 1 $US per person) and after a little discussion (foreigners oddly enough refrain from using full pools (never know who has bathed before us!); "they want the pools to be filled while they are paying for their hour!") We got undressed and spent a bit more than half an hour warming ourselves to a medium rare, before getting dressed again and taking the chilly ride back to Chiang Rai town (with our anxious driver).

Pha Soet Hot springs: know what you are getting into

Getting There: Pha Soet Hot springs is located on the only road going directly west out of town, once on this road, there are many signboards, announcing it's impending existence and after 20 km's you pass a bridge with the hot springs site on your left.

Soaking Experience: Though the public pool looked inviting (free form, deep), us being the only foreigners and my wife most probably having the most revealing of all to wear (comparatively), we decided to take a private pool, a meter in diameter and naturally (or not) enclosed on all sides. The private pools were nothing special and there had been some considerable wear and tear, though not enough to effect hygienic standards (we hope). Half hour locked up, seemed to be the maximum.

Wear and tear, quite literally: the inside basins

Overall Impression: Though I may seem a bit finicky, we quite liked the place: laid back, well visited but not too tacky. Understand why the Thai must love it!

From the press

Update: the article and the photo to which the posting used to link to has disappeared (for ever?).

From today's (December 6, 2007) Bangkok Post an in-depth article on the national park surrounding the hot springs of Fang (which I visited a month before). An excerpt:

'For those of us who prefer to enjoy nature after sunrise, there are beautiful wooden bungalows where you can stay cosily warm and enjoy resort-like facilities. Four of us shared a two-room bungalow which had a hot bath and a big balcony where we sat talking until late into the night. We also took advantage of the spa and sauna, which were only a short walk from the bungalows.

The park uses a nearby hot spring to generate electricity, said Sutheerachai Jaikhamnoy, the park ranger. "The temperature of the hot spring is pretty high, so we make use of the heat by having a small geothermal energy plant," he said. The power generated is not solely reserved for internal use, but is sold on to the Provincial Electricity Authority. There are many hot springs found in a 10-rai area near the park's headquarters, the most spectacular being a geyser that shoots water and steam 40 metres into the air.

The park has set up a hot spring walking trail, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the many stream and ponds. The trail also leads to 12 private spa rooms, each of which has a hot-spring bathtub big enough for seven people. And, of course, there is plenty of opportunity to indulge in that favourite Thai hot spring activity - boiling eggs'.

Increasing number of links

For any returning soaker to this site, just that you may have not noticed, but the number of links is slowly increasing. There are now more than 100 links, by far the most comprehensive linking to and on soaking sites in Southeast Asia! This without major stretches of Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi), none at all in the Philippines and little research on Vietnam. Where will it end?

Remember, if you have any original postings or tips on links, fail not to contact me at jhdubbeldam@hotmail.com