What you will see at the Emerald Pool
The Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot, สระมรกต) is a natural pool in the forest of Khlong Thom district, inside Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is run under the Department of National Parks (DNP) but is not a national park: according to Matichon, Sa Morakot draws mostly foreign visitors and is the highest-earning wildlife sanctuary. That is why it has its own ticket, covered below.
Sa Morakot. The main pool, where people swim. Thai Holiday Guide says it is fed by underground warm springs (the guide gives 30-50 °C). The neighbouring pools Sa Kaeo and Sa Namphut are for viewing, and swimming there is not allowed.
Blue Pool. A few minutes’ walk further on; per the same guide it opens later in the morning and sits in the same entrance zone. In the Civitatis programme the pool and the “Blue Lagoon” together take about 2.5 hours.
The forest trail. From the entrance or car park to the pool, Thai Holiday Guide describes a boardwalk of about 800 m, while the sanctuary page mentions a trail of about 1.4 km. There is also a longer loop of about 2.7 km. The sanctuary is forest, and most of its area has no visitor trails.
Khlong Thom hot waterfall. A small cascade of warm water with shallow soaking pools, separate from the sanctuary and part of the Phuket Tour programme together with the pool. It is managed by the Khlong Thom Nuea Subdistrict Administrative Organization, not the sanctuary (Thai Holiday Guide, October 2026).
Nearby. Tiger Cave Temple is 52.4 km by road, and the beaches and boats of Ao Nang are 70.8 km away.
Hours and how to spend your time
Thai Holiday Guide (July 2026): daily 08:30-17:00, while its sanctuary page gives 08:30-17:30. In 2021, when swimming resumed after restrictions, the sanctuary head announced 08:30-16:30 (Thai PBS). We found no official schedule for October 2026.
- Arrive for 08:30: tours, per Thai Holiday Guide, reach the pool by mid-morning
- Buy a ticket (cash) and walk the trail to the pool
- Swim in Sa Morakot, look at Sa Kaeo, Sa Namphut and the Blue Pool
- Drive to the hot waterfall if it is in your plan
- Have lunch and move on, for example to Tiger Cave Temple
For comparison, the tour programmes. Phuket Tour “The Mysteries of Krabi” (18.10.2026): 08:30 forest park with the Emerald Lake and a swim, 10:00 walk, 10:30 hot waterfall, 11:30 lunch. Civitatis from Ao Nang (18.10.2026): about an hour on the road, about 2.5 hours at the pool and Blue Lagoon, an hour at the hot springs, then Tiger Cave Temple.
How long it takes and when to go
The pool is open all year and we found no seasonal closure. The mainland does not depend on waves, so it is taken in the wet season. TMD normals for Krabi station:
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| December-April | the driest, February 35.9 mm; more visitors |
| May-September | 17-19 rain days a month, the mainland keeps working |
| October | the wettest month, 292.9 mm and 20.6 rain days |
How to get there and how long it takes
Distances by OSRM on OpenStreetMap data, 18.10.2026, without traffic.
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Krabi airport (KBV) | 44.5 km | about 50 min |
| Ao Nang beach | 70.8 km | about 1 h 15 min |
| Tiger Cave Temple | 52.4 km | about 58 min |
| Phuket airport (HKT) | 195.5 km | about 3 h |
| Khlong Thom hot waterfall | 8.8 km | about 21 min |
The route from Ao Nang on OpenStreetMap. The distance to the waterfall is calculated to a point on OpenStreetMap, so confirm on site. From Phuket people come on a tour: the Krabi excursion with a 06:00 pick-up is covered separately.
Fee and ticket: what is included
The Emerald Pool lies in Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary, which is not a national park, so the DNP fee table (edition of 02.06.2023) has no row for it. The ticket is separate:
| Who | Price |
|---|---|
| Foreign adult | 400 baht (Matichon, 14.11.2025) |
| Foreign child | 200 baht (Thai Holiday Guide, July 2026) |
| Thai citizen | 40 baht (Matichon, 14.11.2025) |
Thai Holiday Guide says tickets are sold for cash only at the sanctuary entrance. Other guides quote different sums, so confirm the price on site. Whether a ticket is included in a tour depends on the seller: Civitatis and Phuket Tour both list entrance tickets in their programmes. The Khlong Thom hot waterfall sells its own ticket, and its rates have changed between years.
Options: how to go
| Option | Time | Best for | Downside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group tour from Ao Nang | 9.5 hours, all day | pool and temple without driving | fixed tour timetable |
| Tour from Phuket | pick-up 06:00, back around 17:00 | those staying on Phuket | a long road journey |
| Own car or taxi | as you like | arriving at the entrance by 08:30 | you pay for the road and the waiting |
| Pool without the hot waterfall | 2-3 hours | shortening the day | the waterfall can be added to a tour separately |
What to do in rain and heat
- It is raining. The mainland does not depend on waves, so a sea cancellation does not stop the trip. Wet rocks by the water are slippery, which is our advice: walk slowly
- Too crowded. Arrive at opening: per Thai Holiday Guide, tours arrive by mid-morning
- Hot. Arrive at opening and take water
Safety
- Swim only in Sa Morakot and do not enter the other pools: Thai Holiday Guide says so
- Do not scratch the rocks: per Matichon (2018), offenders are first warned, and repeat offenders face legal action
- Take water shoes: for the hot waterfall Thai Holiday Guide explicitly advises them because of the uneven bed
- Keep an eye on children at the water
What to bring
- Swimming. Swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes
- Footwear. Water shoes with grip
- Money. Cash: the ticket is paid for at the entrance, as Thai Holiday Guide says
- Protection. Sunscreen and water
- Bag. For wet clothes
Who it suits and who it does not
- Suits. Families and couples who want a mainland day by the water, visitors in the wet season, fans of forest and warm water
- Does not suit. Anyone after solitude: tours arrive by mid-morning. Anyone for whom the road is hard: over an hour each way from Ao Nang. Anyone who wants to swim outside the marked areas
FAQ
How much is entry to the Emerald Pool?
Foreigners pay 400 baht and Thais 40 baht, as Matichon reported on 14.11.2025 quoting the DNP director-general. Thai Holiday Guide (July 2026) gives foreigners 400 baht for adults and 200 baht for children and says tickets are sold for cash only at the entrance. The sanctuary is outside the DNP national park fee table, so that table has no row for it.
What are the Emerald Pool's opening hours?
Thai Holiday Guide (July 2026) lists daily 08:30-17:00, while its sanctuary page gives 08:30-17:30. In 2021 the sanctuary head announced 08:30-16:30. We found no official schedule for October 2026, so arrive at opening and check with your operator.
Can you swim in the Emerald Pool?
Yes, but only in the main pool, Sa Morakot: per Thai Holiday Guide, Sa Kaeo and Sa Namphut are for viewing only, and you should not swim outside the marked areas. The water comes from underground warm springs (the guide gives 30-50 °C). Bring swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes.
How far is the walk from the entrance to the pool?
Sources differ: Thai Holiday Guide describes an 800 m boardwalk from the car park, while its sanctuary page mentions a trail of about 1.4 km from the entrance, plus a longer loop of about 2.7 km. By our estimate that is 10-20 minutes on foot each way, so wear shoes that can get wet.
Where is the hot waterfall and does it cost extra?
The Khlong Thom hot waterfall (Namtok Ron Khlong Thom) runs separately: it is managed by the Khlong Thom Nuea Subdistrict Administrative Organization, not the sanctuary, and has its own ticket. Thai Holiday Guide (October 2026) gives 08:00-18:00 and says rates have changed between years. By OSRM it is 8.8 km and about 21 minutes from the pool to the point on OpenStreetMap.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, the shallow parts suit them. Operators set age limits, though: Civitatis does not take children under 8 on the Ao Nang tour, and Phuket Tour uses a child category of 4-11. For independent visits we found no age limit from the sanctuary.
When is the best time to arrive?
At opening, around 08:30: Thai Holiday Guide says tour groups tend to arrive mid-morning, so go before them. The season does not close the mainland: TMD normals make December to April driest, with 35.9 mm in February against 292.9 mm in October.
Can you write on the rocks or leave rubbish?
No. In 2018, per Matichon, scratching or writing on the rocks around the pool was banned outright: offenders are first warned and asked to leave, and repeat offenders face legal action. In November 2025 the DNP director-general ordered new showers and toilets built after tourist complaints.
Sources
- Matichon. DNP director-general orders toilets and showers at Sa Morakot fixed (14.11.2025)
- Matichon. Tourists scratch rocks at Sa Morakot (08.04.2018)
- Thai PBS. Sa Morakot reopens for swimming, 50 people per round (06.11.2021)
- Thai Holiday Guide. Sa Morakot (Emerald Pool) (updated July 2026)
- Thai Holiday Guide. Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary (updated July 2026)
- Thai Holiday Guide. Namtok Ron Khlong Thom (checked October 2026)
- DNP. Entrance fees for individuals in national parks, edition of 02.06.2023 (the sanctuary is not in the table)
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), Krabi station (48 563)
- Phuket Tour. The Mysteries of Krabi tour programme
- Civitatis. Tiger Cave Temple, Emerald Pool and Krabi Hot Springs (tour programme from Ao Nang)
- OpenStreetMap. Sa Morakot (way 114853571)
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Ao Nang beach to the Emerald Pool
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Krabi airport KBV to the Emerald Pool
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Emerald Pool to the Khlong Thom hot waterfall
- OpenStreetMap, OSRM route: Phuket airport HKT to the Emerald Pool
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