The Emerald Pond (Sa Morakot in Thai) is a spring-fed pond with clear, green water in the lowland forest of Khlong Thom, about an hour inland from Krabi Town and about 90 minutes from Ao Nang. Located within the Khao Phra Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary, it is the only pond there where swimming is permitted. It has a diameter of approximately 20 meters and is 1 to 2 meters deep. Entry costs 400 baht for foreign adults and 200 baht for children. The gates are open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The site can be reached via an 800-meter path from the parking lot or a 1.4-kilometer boardwalk through the forest. The Blue Pool, a deeper spring that can only be viewed from the outside, is just a short walk away. Since there is no convenient public transportation, most visitors come as part of a half- or full-day tour that includes the waterfall and hot spring, and often the Tiger Cave Temple as well. I would arrive right when it opens, walk along the boardwalk, and go for a swim before the tour buses arrive.
Where to stay in Krabi
Search for hotels in Krabi for your travel dates or narrow your search to the region recommended in this guide. Filter for hotels with free cancellation if you'd like to book a room and decide later.
Open Booking.com with your travel dates · also on Expedia · Trip.com
My picks in Krabi in every price range
Key facts
The entrance fee is 400 Baht for foreign adults.
Children pay 200 baht, Thai visitors about 30 baht. Parking costs 30 baht per car. Bring cash for entry and keep your ticket for the walk to the Blue Pool.
The gates open at 8:30 a.m.
The nature reserve is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The path to the Blue Pond opens later, around 10:00 a.m., and closes around 3:30 p.m.
You can swim in a pool.
The Emerald Pool is the swimming pool. The Crystal Pool and the Blue Pool are for viewing only, and the rocks around the Emerald Pool are slippery, so water shoes are recommended.
About an hour from Krabi Town
It is located 55 to 60 km from Krabi Town and about 70 km from Ao Nang; the journey takes approximately 1.5 hours. There is no practical public transport, so you are dependent on a tour, a taxi, or your own car.
It gets busiest from late morning onwards.
Tour buses arrive from around 10:00 AM, and on weekends local families and school groups also join them. On weekdays at 8:30 AM, you may be sharing the pool with a few other people.
A good plan for rainy days
The forest and pools are accessible when the boats to the island are not running. The water is clearest from November to April, and the Blue Pool is reportedly closed from May to October.
What you will see at the Emerald Pool
The site, with its three pools, is reached after a short walk through the woods, and one ticket grants access to all three. Two paths lead to the Emerald Pool from the entrance gate and parking area. The direct route is about 800 meters long and follows a wide path, taking 10 to 15 minutes. The nature trail is a 1.4-kilometer loop on an elevated wooden boardwalk through the forest, past streams and smaller pools, and takes about 20 minutes. I would recommend taking the boardwalk out and the direct path back, as the boardwalk is quieter and more scenic.
The Crystal Pool
On the promenade, before reaching the Emerald Pool, lies the Crystal Pool (Sa Kaeo in Thai), a shallow pool that owes its name to the clarity of its water. It serves as a viewpoint, so save your swimwear for the next one.
The Emerald Pool
The main pool has a diameter of approximately 20 meters and is 1 to 2 meters deep. Its green water comes from a mineral-rich spring that flows over limestone. It is the only pool in the nature reserve where swimming is permitted. The water is a pleasant temperature, not hot, and the bottom and edges are made of smooth limestone. Next to the pool are restrooms, showers, and a small café. Drinks and snacks are available in the park shop.
The blue pool
Passing the Emerald Pond and a small hermitage shrine, the path leads to the Blue Pond, a deeper spring whose minerals give the water its blue hue. Guidebooks indicate the distance is approximately 400 to 600 meters beyond the Emerald Pond, depending on the measuring point. Swimming is prohibited due to the soft ground and warm spring water, and the path is only open from about 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Several guidebooks report that it is closed from May to October due to the breeding season of the Gurneypitta, an endangered woodland bird. During these months, it is advisable to check at the entrance before planning your visit.
How to get to the Emerald Basin
The swimming pool is located in the Khlong Thom district, 55 to 60 km from Krabi Town (approximately a one-hour drive) and about 70 km from Ao Nang (approximately 1.5 hours). There is no practical public transport available, so you have four travel options.
On a tour
The easiest and most popular option: Half-day and full-day tours pick you up in Ao Nang and Krabi Town, usually between 8:00 and 8:30 am. Included in the price are a visit to a hot spring waterfall, lunch, and, on the full-day tour, the Tiger Cave Temple. Pickups in Klong Muang and Tubkaek sometimes incur a small surcharge, and Railay is generally not included due to the lack of a road.
By taxi
A private taxi ride from Krabi Town and back, including a waiting driver, costs about 2,500 baht. Split between three or four people, this is almost as expensive as a tour and allows for arrival at 8:30 am.
By scooter or car
A scooter costs around 200–300 baht per day to rent in Krabi Town. The journey takes about an hour on the main roads, longer from Ao Nang. Parking at the city gate costs 30 baht for a car and 10–20 baht for a motorbike. I would only recommend this trip if you feel comfortable driving on Thai highways and want to be back before nightfall.
From Koh Lanta
From Lanta, the return journey to the mainland by car ferry is longer, so a tour from Lanta or a rental car with a driver is more convenient than driving yourself. Check before booking whether your tour includes island pick-up.
Emerald Pool – Cost Overview
Entrance fees are set by the nature reserve, the hot springs, and tour operators. For budget tours, the entrance fees of 400 or 200 baht are often added to the tour price, so a half-day tour costing 849 baht can increase to around 1,450 baht per person. Therefore, check whether the fees are included in the price before comparing offers.
The best time to visit the Emerald Basin
The time of day is more important than the month. Be at the entrance by 8:30 a.m. The tourist buses start arriving around 10:00 a.m., and by midday the pool is packed. It's even busier on weekends, as local families and school groups also visit. If you can't make it in the morning, the last one or two hours before 4:30 p.m. are the next best time, although the path to the Blue Pool will already be closed by then.
From November to April, the water is clearest and the Blue Pool is open. The weather station in Phuket, whose data is used by Krabi, records only 24 mm of rainfall in February and 50 mm in January. From May to October, the rain increases, reaching approximately 350 mm in September and 336 mm in October. Guides describe the water as murkier during this time. The pool is also a worthwhile destination during the rainy season, as it is located under trees and is not affected by the swell that prevents boat trips to the islands. However, the Blue Pool is likely to be closed then.
What you should bring
Bring swimwear, a towel, water shoes or non-slip sandals for the slippery limestone, and insect repellent for the forest trails. Remember to bring cash for entrance and parking fees. Several guidebooks state that food is not allowed in the nature reserve and must be left at the entrance. Therefore, it's best to eat before or after your visit and buy your drinks at the poolside café. A waterproof case for your mobile phone is helpful, and valuables should be left in your car or tour bus.
The hot springs near the Emerald Basin
Khlong Thom has two hot springs that are often confused, as both are referred to as Krabi hot springs. Tours almost always refer to the first one, and my Krabi hot springs guidebook directly compares them.
The hot spring waterfall
The Khlong Thom Nuea Hot Stream Waterfall (Namtok Ron in Thai) is about a 20-minute drive from the Emerald Pool. Hot mineral water flows over shallow rock pools into a stream. Each pool has a slightly different temperature: at the source, it's around 35 to 42°C, while further down it's cooler. Entry costs approximately 200 baht for foreign adults. Alternatively, there's a shuttle for 20 baht if you don't want to walk the 500 meters. The waterfall is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It's operated separately from the nature reserve and therefore requires a separate ticket. A 15- to 20-minute soak is recommended.
The saline hot spring
The Khlong Thom saltwater hot spring is a truly special place: natural saltwater pools with temperatures ranging from 40 to 45°C, divided into family areas. Bathing here is done in clothing. Entry costs 200 baht for foreigners. It's open from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM, so an early morning or late evening visit is recommended. Khlong Thom is more of a popular bathing spot for locals than a major tourist destination. You will need your own vehicle.
The Krabi Jungle Tour (Emerald Pools, Hot Springs and Tiger Cave)
Most travel agencies in Krabi offer the Emerald Pool as part of a jungle tour, and the format is the same everywhere. A minibus picks you up around 8:00 AM. You relax by the waterfall with its hot springs and swim in the Emerald Pool. A Thai set menu is provided for lunch. The full-day tour ends at the Tiger Cave Temple with its approximately 1,260 steps, before you return around 5:30 PM. The half-day tour omits the temple, and you return around 3:30 PM. Some operators add a visit to the Blue Pool to the tour, if it is open.
The prices aren't as different as they might seem, since many budget tours don't include entrance fees. One operator in Ao Nang charges 849 baht for the half-day tour and 949 baht for the full-day tour, but adds another 400 baht for the Emerald Pool, 200 baht for the hot springs, and 50 baht for the Tiger Cave. Tours that include entrance fees may seem more expensive on paper, but ultimately cost about the same. I would choose the full-day tour if you want to visit the Tiger Cave without a separate excursion, and a private car if you want to visit the pool at 8:30 am, as group tours rarely arrive before the crowds arrive.
The swimming pools and hot springs, assessed and mapped
Khong Thom Nuea Hot Stream Waterfall Krabi
Khlong Thom saltwater thermal spring
Crystal basin
Ao Phang Nga National Park
Temple on the way back
Viewpoint at the Tiger Cave Temple
Wat Khlong Thom Museum
Princess's Cave
The best hotels in Krabi
My hotel selection in Krabi, in every price category, is based on Google's hotel classification. My top 10 hotels are displayed first, followed by the highest-rated ones. Each button takes you directly to the hotel's page on Booking.com, where your travel dates are already entered.
Is the Emerald Pool worth it?
Yes, if you arrive early or combine it with the hot springs. At 8:30 a.m., it's a clear, green pool in the forest with a lovely wooden jetty. On a rainy day, when no boats are running, it's one of the most beautiful experiences in the province. At midday on weekends, it's a crowded swimming spot, a long drive from the beach, and some visitors feel the trip wasn't worth it. If you only have two or three days in Krabi and the sea is calm, I would spend them on Railay and the islands and save the Emerald Pool for a rainy day or a longer stay.
Plan the rest of your days in Krabi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about Emerald Pool Krabi (Sa Morakot) and Blue Pool.
Entry costs 400 baht for foreign adults and 200 baht for children, payable in cash at the entrance. Parking costs 30 baht. Thai visitors pay approximately 30 baht. The ticket grants access to the Crystal Pool and the Blue Pool.
Daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The path to the Blue Pool opens later, from about 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, and is reportedly closed from May to October.
Yes, swimming is allowed in the Emerald Pool. It is about 1 to 2 meters deep and has slippery edges. Swimming is not allowed in the Crystal Pool or the Blue Pool.
No. Swimming is prohibited due to the soft seabed and warm spring water. It is a viewpoint located approximately 400 to 600 meters beyond the Emerald Pool.
You can get there by hotel pick-up, private taxi, or scooter. It's about 70 km from Ao Nang, the journey takes approximately 1.5 hours, and there is no practical public transport.
The distance is approximately 55 to 60 km, which takes about an hour by car. A private taxi for the round trip, including waiting time, costs about 2,500 baht.
Yes, if you arrive at 8:30 am or go on a rainy day when the boats aren't running. It's overcrowded at midday on weekends, and since I only have a few days in Krabi, I would spend them on the coast.
It opens at 8:30 am on weekdays, before the tourist buses arrive from around 10:00 am. The water is clearest and the Blue Pool is open from November to April.
September and October are the wettest months, with approximately 350 mm and 336 mm of rainfall respectively at the Phuket weather station, followed by Krabi. During this time, boat trips to the islands are most frequently cancelled. The Emerald Pool is one of the better options during these months.
Yes, there are two in Khlong Thom. The hot waterfall, about 20 minutes from the Emerald Pool, costs approximately 200 baht, and the saltwater spring, where you bathe fully clothed in 40 to 45 °C warm saltwater, also costs 200 baht.
The tour typically includes hotel pickup, a visit to the hot spring waterfall and the emerald pool, lunch, and, on a full-day tour, a visit to the Tiger Cave Temple. Many budget tours also charge entrance fees of 400 or 200 baht, so be sure to compare prices before booking.
Compare prices on the major booking portals and filter for rooms with free cancellation if you want to book now and decide later.
Compare prices on Booking.com
Compare prices on Trip.com
We may receive a commission for bookings made through these links – this will not incur any additional costs for you. Learn more.
Discover more in this guide
You might also like this
Things to do in Krabi
Limestone cliffs, emerald green water and beaches accessible only by boat
10 days in Thailand – Itinerary
Capital city, night train, mountains, then ferry to the Andaman coast – nine nights, one way, no return.
2-week Thailand itinerary
Capital city, night train, mountains, then along the Andaman coast island by island – thirteen nights, one way.
Krabi thermal springs compared
A hot waterfall in the forest and a saltwater spring near the mangroves, an hour inland from Ao Nang
Best time to travel to Thailand
The best time to travel is from November to February; the rest of the year is best on the east coast.
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled throughout the country from there. The guidebooks reflect my personal opinion and are written as I would explain things to a friend planning a trip.
Ready to create your travel itinerary?
Use our free trip planner to save places, organize days, and share your trip.
Community
Comments 0
Start the conversation.