Emerald Pool: Day Trips and Tours from Krabi

For a truly revitalizing experience, join day trips to Emerald Pool from Krabi, a natural spring with turquoise water inside the Khao Phra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary.

If you fancy a cool-off, as part of the fun, you can plunge into its inviting blue waters. On the extreme, you can enjoy the Krabi Hot Springs at 40 degrees  Celsius. In the national park, you will also marvel at the Blue Pool, in the middle of a lush jungle.

Here's all you need to know about Emerald Pool, one of the most incredible destination for day trips from Krabi.

How to get to Emerald Pool from Krabi?

Krabi town is some 60 kilometers from the Emerald Pool and, being the closest, is the best starting point for excursions. Ao Nang is also a popular vacation spot located approximately 70 kilometers from the Emerald Pool. Here you will find a good variety of accommodations, including hotels and backpackers hostels.

From Krabi to Emerald Pool by taxi

You can take a taxi to the national park from Krabi town, with the fare for the return trip costing around US$70, but can be shared with other passengers. Using a private driver,  you could pay around US$25, including pickup from your hotel. The return trip to Krabi town is around US$20. Tuk-tuks work out cheaper than a private driver.

From Krabi to Emerald Pool by bus

Fares for the local public bus vary, costing around US$5 from Ao Nang and around US$2 from Krabi town. Another transport option is by moped, at about US$10 per day. But take care, as Thai roads are known to be dangerous.

Guided tours to Emerald Pool from Krabi

Let others take care of the planning and organizing of your trip and take a guided tour to Emerald Pool. Most tours include transportation, meals and entrance fees, as well as outdoor activities.

How much does it cost?

Foreign citizen's entrance fee:

• Adults: THB200 (US$5.2)
• Children: THB100 (US$2.6)

Thai citizen's entrance fee:

• Adults: THB20 (US$0.53)
• Children: THB10 (US$0.26)

What is the typical itinerary of a day tour to Emerald Pool from Krabi?

You will get picked up at your hotel in Krabi and pass by scenic views of the lush tropical rainforest. Your first stop is the crystal clear Emerald Pool, where you can have a refreshing swim to escape the morning heat.

From here, your next stop is the Blue Pool, fed by a hot underground spring, but bathing is forbidden here. Large, overhanging trees and small clear rivers surround the pool.

Following a break for lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll have the welcome opportunity to relax at the Hot Springs and enjoy soothing steam baths and small waterfalls.

Your tour finishes with a visit to the Tiger Cave Temple, a famous Buddhist mountaintop shrine. The temple is known for the tiger paw prints in the cave and the huge golden Buddha at the summit. Climb over 1,200 steps to the top to admire the Krabi’s overlooking view.

What kinds of tours are available?

Halfday jungle tour to Emerald pool and Krabi Hot Springs

Just south of Krabi lies the lush jungle and natural pools of the Khlong Thom National Park, which are not reachable by public transport. You can soak in the Krabi Hot Springs and cool off in the beautiful Emerald Pool.

Another highlight is the Blue Pool, though it’s forbidden for swimming and is closed to the public from May to October.

Included in the tour are round-trip transfers from hotels in Ao Nang, Krabi Town and Ao Nam Mao, with a professional English-speaking guide, basic accident insurance, water and lunch.

Hotel pickup is available in Klong Muang and Tubkaek Beach at about US$5 per person. This tour accommodates a maximum of 13 persons.

From Krabi to Emerald Pool, Blue Lagoon and Tiger Cave Temple

Get picked up at your hotel in Krabi and enjoy your first stop at the Emerald Pool. You can escape the morning heat and swim in the crystal-clear mineral pool. Then, follow the path to the Blue Pool, surrounded by large, overhanging trees.

Have a break for lunch at a local restaurant, and then take some time to soak in the Krabi Hot Springs. Your last stop will be the majestic Tiger Cave Temple, and be rewarded with spectacular views.

The tour lasts about 9 hours and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking tour guide, an air-conditioned vehicle, drinking water, entrance fees and insurance.

Krabi jungle tour to Krabi Hot Springs, Emerald Pool and Tiger Cave Temple

This full-day tour offers you the three mainland attractions of Krabi. You can head directly to the meeting point in Krabi or request pickup at your place of accommodation.

You will visit the natural Hot Spring Waterfall and hike to the natural bath of the Emerald Pool for a refreshing swim in the pond. You will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before the last stop, the famous Buddhist shrine, the Tiger Cave Temple.

This tour lasts about 9 hours and includes an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, an English-speaking guide and national park entrance fees.

How much does it cost?

Half-day tours to Emerald Pool from Krabi cost around US$40 per person, while full-day tours cost from US$50 to US$110 per person. The prices vary depending on the included fees and additional destinations, including the Tiger Cave Temple visit along with the crystal pool and hot springs.

What will you see on an Emerald Pool day trip from Krabi?

After your pickup at your hotel in Krabi or Ao Nang, you will travel through the lush tropical rainforest with your first stop at the Emerald Pool. Here you can have a refreshing swim to cool off from the morning heat.

A path then leads you to the Blue Pool, fed by a hot underground spring, but swimming is prohibited here. Following a break for lunch at a local restaurant, you can relax at the Krabi Hot Springs.

Depending on the itinerary, your trip may finish at the famous Buddhist Tiger Cave Temple, where you can also enjoy the overlooking view of Krabi town.

What are the opening times?

The Emerald Pool is open throughout the year, but it can get quite crowded during the peak tourist season.

The Khao Phra - Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary opens from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM every day, year-round. The Blue Pool opens a bit later, and the park will allow access from 10 AM.

A visit to the Emerald Pool is possible all year, but the Blue Pool is closed from May to October.

When is the best time to visit it?

November through March is the best time to visit Emerald Pool, as the breeze keeps the temperature more comfortable.

Try to avoid April through May and September through October, which are the hottest months, and visit the middle of the day or early afternoon, when the heat is at its worst.  Also, to escape the tourist crowds and have this beautiful environment almost for yourself, start your trip in the morning (around 7 AM).

Travel tips

• Bring plenty of water and your own snacks.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Dress appropriately if you intend to enter spiritual places.