Emerald Pool (Sa Morakot)
A short, easy boardwalk through the rainforest leads to the main pool — shallow, warm, and genuinely that green colour in photos, thanks to limestone minerals in the spring water. Swimming is allowed in the designated area, though the current can be surprisingly strong near the deeper channels, so stick to the marked shallow section, especially with kids.
Blue Pool
About a 20-minute walk further along the trail, the Blue Pool is deeper, colder, and far less visited — most day-tour groups don't make it this far. Swimming isn't officially permitted here (it's steep-sided and used partly as a water source), but it's worth the walk for the colour alone and the quiet.
Combine with the hot springs
Emerald Pool sits on the same road as the Klong Thom hot springs, about 20 minutes apart — most visitors do both in a single half-day trip.
Getting there and entry fee
Around 45 minutes from Ao Nang or Krabi Town by car, taxi, or rented scooter, inside Khao Phanom Bencha National Park. Entry is roughly 200 THB for foreign adults (half-price for children), paid at the park gate. Open daily, roughly 8:30am–4:30pm.
Tips for visiting
- Go on a weekday morning if possible — weekends bring domestic tour groups in numbers.
- Wear water shoes; the boardwalk and rocky pool edges are slippery.
- There are basic changing rooms and lockers near the entrance.
- No food vendors right at the pools — bring snacks and water in.