Aside from the Piyamit Communist Tunnels and the Winter Flower Garden , another popular attraction while visiting the southern Thai border town of Betong is its Hot Springs. Tucked within Ban Charo Parai Village and surrounded by gentle hills, this public facility comprises several natural hot spring pools where you can soak and dip your feet in. The water is rich in minerals such as sulfur, calcium, and magnesium, and is said to have therapeutic properties.

There is nice park built around the springs, perfect for families taking a morning stroll. You’ll find a couple of cute statues of Betong’s famous chickens, ridden by the town’s local mascot.

We arrived there around noon so it was pretty hot, but there were several kids taking a full-body soak at the main pool, which even had ‘naga’ shaped fountains spewing water. Most visitors sat around the edges of the pool and dipped their legs in. The weather and the hot water had us sweating in seconds. Unfortunately, the springs are not open at night, so the best time to visit is in the morning when temperatures are slightly cooler.

There was another pool adjacent to the one we were soaking our feet in but that was not open to the public since the temperatures are extremely hot. There was also a small well where you could cook eggs in water that reaches up to 70 degrees Celcius! Local vendors cook these eggs and sell them on the spot.

Betong isn’t terribly big, so a quick stop to the hot springs should fit nicely into a two or three day itinerary. Entrance is free.

BETONG HOT SPRINGS 

Ban Charo Parai Village, Tano Maero, Betong, Yala, Thailand

Opening hours: 9AM – 5PM