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An honest look at the inland jungle day from Krabi: what each stop is really like, when the Emerald Pool gets crowded, what to wear and why it is the best plan for a rainy or rough-sea day.
The sea at Ao Nang is grey and choppy, the island tour you wanted has been moved, and you have a free day and a restless family. This is the moment most people discover the Emerald Pool hot springs Krabi tour. It is a full day in the forest instead of on the water, and for the right person it is one of the most relaxing days in Krabi.
I send a lot of friends on this trip, especially in the rainy months. Here is what the day is really like, where it shines, where it disappoints, and how to get the most out of it.
It is a full-day inland jungle tour from Krabi that visits the Emerald Pool, the Blue Pool, a hot spring waterfall and Tiger Cave Temple. The tour runs every day from 08:00 to 16:00 and starts from ฿1390 per adult, including hotel transfer, lunch, an English speaking guide and accident insurance.
Unlike almost every other popular tour in Krabi, there is no boat. You travel by road from your hotel into the forest south-east of Krabi Town, so the day is the same whether the sea is flat or wild. That alone makes it worth knowing about.
The stops are close enough to each other that the day never feels rushed, but you will spend some time in the vehicle. If you hate long rides, know that the forest is a proper drive inland from Ao Nang. The scenery on the way, with rubber and palm plantations and limestone hills, is pleasant enough.
The order of the day is simple. The morning is for the Emerald Pool and the Blue Pool, then comes lunch at a local restaurant, then the hot springs, and the temple is the last stop before you head back to your hotel. Exact times shift a little with traffic and the size of the group.
Here is how the price looks, per person:
| Ticket | Tour price | Emerald Pool entrance | Hot springs entrance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | ฿1390 | ฿400 | ฿200 |
| Child (3-11 years) | ฿1090 | ฿200 | ฿100 |
| Child up to 3 years | Free | Check on the day | Check on the day |
The entrance fees are paid separately at each site, so bring cash. Fruit and soft drinks are included, and lunch is at a local restaurant between the morning and afternoon stops.
The Emerald Pool, called Sa Morakot in Thai, is a small natural pool of clear mineral water in the middle of the forest, about 120 square meters. It is lovely, but it is also busy around late morning and midday, when most tour groups arrive at the same time.
The water is a soft green-blue and pleasantly cool, with a pale sandy bottom. The edges are shallow and the middle gets deeper, so non-swimmers can still sit and splash. It is fed by springs, so the water stays clear most of the year, though it can turn a little cloudy after heavy rain.
Now the honest part. This is not a secret forest pool. At peak time you will share it with many other people, and the photos online are usually taken early or with clever angles. If you expect a quiet jungle bath, you may feel let down.
What helps is to get in the water quickly instead of spending the first ten minutes taking photos. Most people stand on the edge and film; the swimmers have more space than you think. Leave valuables with someone in your group, and keep your phone in a dry pouch.
The walk from the entrance to the pool is short and easy, on a boardwalk and forest path through tall trees. Look out for monitor lizards, birds and the clear streams running under the walkway.
No. The Blue Pool, sometimes called the Blue Lagoon, is about 500 meters past the Emerald Pool, and it is for looking, not swimming. Swimming is not allowed at the Blue Pool, so do not carry your towel for it.
The Blue Pool is a small lake surrounded by thick forest, with tree roots reaching into the water. On a good day the colour is a milky, almost unreal blue. On a cloudy day, or after rain, it can look more grey-green, and some people walk back saying it was not worth the effort.
My advice: walk to the Blue Pool first, then swim at the Emerald Pool on the way back. You arrive at the viewing point dry and fresh, and you finish with a cool swim before lunch. The trail can be muddy and slippery in places, especially in the rainy season.
If you have small children or anyone with tired legs, it is fine to skip the Blue Pool and spend the extra time in the Emerald Pool. You do not miss much by staying in the water.
The hot springs on this tour are a hot stream waterfall: warm water from underground sources runs over rock steps into small natural pools. The water comes out at about 42°C, so it feels like a natural jacuzzi and is best in short soaks.
This stop comes after lunch. You sit in the shallow pools along the stream, with warm water flowing over your shoulders, under the shade of the trees. In some places the hot water mixes with cooler stream water, and you can move between warm and cool spots.
On a hot, sunny day, the warm water can feel like a strange idea, but most people love it once they sit down. On a grey or rainy day it is the highlight of the whole tour. Drink water before and after, because the heat is more tiring than it seems.
The rocks are slippery, and there are wet steps between the pools. This is where proper footwear really matters. People with heart conditions should be careful with hot water in general, and the tour itself is not open to people with heart or other serious medical conditions or to pregnant women.
The last stop is Tiger Cave Temple, Wat Tham Sua, a working Buddhist temple with cave shrines at the bottom and a Buddha on a hilltop. The summit is reached by a staircase of 1237 steps, which is a serious climb in the afternoon heat.
At the lower level there are caves with Buddha images, shrines and the tiger footprints in the rock that give the temple its name. You will see monks and local visitors, and the atmosphere is calm and real, not staged for tourists.
Be honest with yourself about the stairs. The steps are steep and uneven in places, and many people do not reach the top on a tour day. Ask the guide how much time you have, and if it is not enough for the climb, explore the lower caves and temple grounds instead.
Watch out for the monkeys around the temple. They grab bags, bottles and anything that looks like food. Keep things zipped up and do not feed them. As at any temple, cover your shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes where you see others doing so.
The right shoes make or break this day. Wear sandals with straps or water shoes that grip on wet rock, not flip-flops. The trails can be muddy and the hot spring rocks are slippery.
Most of the day is spent in and out of water, so think of it as a beach day in the forest. You will be wet, then dry, then wet again, and you will sit in a vehicle in between. Quick-dry clothes are much more comfortable than jeans or heavy cotton.
A simple packing list that works:
Leave jewellery at the hotel. Mineral water and hot springs can tarnish silver, and small items are easy to lose in the pools. Long hair is best tied up for the hot springs.
Yes, it is the best choice in Krabi for a rainy day or a rough sea. Because the whole day is on land, weather rarely cancels it, and the forest is cooler and greener when it is cloudy.
In the low season, island trips are sometimes cancelled or changed on rough days. Having this tour as a backup is a smart move. Many guests swap their days around: if the sea looks bad in the morning, they take the jungle day and move the island trip to later in the week. Our article on the best island tour from Krabi helps if you want to plan the boat day too.
It is also a good pick for people who do not enjoy boats at all, for families who want a gentler day, and for anyone who has already done the islands and wants to see a different side of Krabi.
Who should skip it? If you only have two or three days in Krabi and the sea is calm, go to the islands first. That is what makes Krabi special. And if you want a quiet, empty jungle pool, this is not it.
The Emerald Pool, Hot Springs and Tiger Cave tour suits families and anyone who wants an easy, swim-and-soak day away from the sea.
If you want something more active on a no-boat day, there are good alternatives. Kayaking at Ban Bor Thor takes you through calm mangrove channels and caves, white water rafting on the Songprak River is for people who want rapids and adrenaline, and the elephant sanctuary is a relaxed half day for animal lovers.
The tour runs every day, and the exact pickup time is confirmed right after you book. You are picked up from your hotel and brought back at the end of the day, so you do not need to arrange any transport.
The time of year matters less than on a boat trip, but it still changes the feel of the day. In the dry season, from about November to April, the pools are at their clearest and the trails are dry, but the crowds are bigger. In the rainy months the forest is greener and quieter, the paths can be muddy, and the pools may lose a little of their colour after heavy rain.
Either way, the best seasons for this tour are the ones where your island plans are uncertain. Use it to fill the gap, not to replace the sea entirely.
A few last tips from experience:
Done this way, the jungle day is relaxing, varied and a nice break from beaches and boats.
It is a full day, from about 08:00 to 16:00, including hotel pickup and drop-off. The exact pickup time is confirmed after booking and depends on where you are staying.
No. The Emerald Pool entrance is ฿400 per adult and ฿200 per child, and the hot springs are ฿200 per adult and ฿100 per child. Both are paid separately at the sites, so bring cash.
Yes, it is one of the most family-friendly tours in Krabi. The Emerald Pool has shallow edges, and the walks are short. Children aged 3 to 11 pay ฿1090, and children up to 3 years go free.
No. The climb to the top is 1237 steps and is optional. You can explore the lower caves and temple grounds instead, which is what many people do on a hot afternoon.
It feels cool and refreshing rather than cold, especially after the forest walk in the heat. It is a nice contrast to the warm hot springs later in the day.
No. Pregnant women and people with heart or other serious medical conditions are not allowed to take part in this tour. If you are unsure about a health condition, ask before you book.
Lunch at a local restaurant is included, along with fresh fruit and soft drinks. Snacks and extra drinks at the sites are not included, so bring some cash.
Hotel pickup, insurance and a licensed local operator. Ask us anything on WhatsApp before you book.
Updated 5 November 2026.
