Chiang Rai Hot Springs Tha Pha
- Location
- Chiang Rai, Thailand
- Water type
- iron-rich, carbonated
- Temperature
- 40 °C
- pH
- 5.5
Water profile
Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.
Rich in active gases or metals — a strong mineral character.
Mineralised water — eases movement and joints.
The Chiang Rai Hot Springs at Tha Pha, also known as Mae Kha Chan, in Chiang Rai province represent one of the most pristine geothermal sites in northern Thailand. The springs emerge at temperatures of up to 80°C from fissures in the forested hills of the Mae Fah Luang district, their ferruginous and carbonated waters creating colourful mineral deposits that stain the rocks in shades of orange and ochre. Unlike more commercialised thermal sites, Tha Pha has been partly preserved in its natural state, with cooling channels that allow visitors to bathe safely in the effervescent pools amid jungle vegetation. The location within the mountainous Golden Triangle region, close to Myanmar and Laos, gives the site an additional sense of remote adventure.