# San Kamphaeng Hot Springs: an easy soak near Chiang Mai

> San Kamphaeng Hot Springs, an hour east of Chiang Mai: geysers, a foot-soaking stream, boil-your-own eggs and mineral baths — and how to get there.

When you fancy a gentle day out of the city, the **San Kamphaeng Hot Springs** are the easy answer — a geothermal park about **an hour east of Chiang Mai** where you can soak tired feet, boil your own eggs in the spring, and laze in mineral baths under the mountains. Here's how to make a relaxing day of it.

## What to expect

The park is built around natural geothermal vents in a green valley:

- **Geysers** near the entrance shoot boiling water and steam several metres into the air — the park's signature sight.
- A long, shallow **hot stream** cools just enough to sit on the edge and **soak your feet**.
- **Egg-boiling pools** — buy a little bamboo basket of eggs from a stall and cook them in the near-boiling water. A classic, and genuinely fun.
- **Mineral pools** for a full soak, plus **private onsen-style bathing rooms** you can rent by the hour.
- Landscaped **gardens, lawns and picnic spots**, snack stalls, and even bungalows and camping if you want to linger.

![San Kamphaeng Hot Springs: an easy soak near Chiang Mai](/blog/san-kamphaeng-hot-springs/visual.webp)

## Practical bits

Rough guide (figures vary and change, so confirm before you go): entry is around **100 THB for foreign adults** (Thai rates are lower), with an **extra ticket** for the big mineral pools or private baths, and a small fee for parking inside. Egg baskets are pocket change. Typically open **daily ~7am–6pm**, though some sources list later hours. Bring a **swimsuit, towel, flip-flops and water** — soaking in the heat is dehydrating.

## Getting there

The most flexible way is your own **scooter or car** — an easy, well-signposted ~35–60 minute ride east along the San Kamphaeng road through villages and rice fields (if you'll ride, read our [scooter guide](/blog/renting-a-scooter-chiang-mai) first). **Grab** works but is pricey for the distance; minivans from near Warorot Market (~100 THB) are an option but schedules shift. Plenty of operators also run it as a **half-day tour**.

## Make a day of it

The springs sit in a lovely corner of the province, so you can tack on a stop or two heading out or back:

- **Bo Sang umbrella village & San Kamphaeng handicraft road** — paper umbrellas, silk and crafts, right on the way.
- **[Mae Kampong](/blog/mae-kampong-chiang-mai)** — a cool, misty mountain village of homestays and coffee shops, in the same direction.
- **The Sticky Waterfalls (Bua Tong)** — the grippy limestone falls you can *climb*, broadly the same way (a longer driving day if you add them).

Our tip: pick just **one or two** extra stops so the day stays restful rather than rushed.

## When to go & a few manners

It's nicest in the **cooler months (Nov–Feb)** or in the **morning/late afternoon** — midday hot-season soaking can be a lot. It's wonderfully **family-friendly** (kids love the eggs and paddling), and the mineral water makes a great wellness day — pair it with a proper [Thai massage](/blog/thai-massage-chiang-mai) afterwards. In the shared pools, shower first, wear modest swimwear, keep noise down and take your litter with you.

So when the laptop's been winning for too long, point yourself east: an hour later you're ankle-deep in warm mineral water with an egg basket bobbing beside you. Prices, hours and transport do change, so check shortly before — and ask us at the house and we'll help you plan the route.