Phu Sang Waterfall

Phu Sang falls about twenty-five metres over a rock face into a pool, which is unremarkable in itself; what makes it worth the drive is the temperature. The water comes from a geothermally warmed source and arrives at around thirty-three degrees, so the fall and its pool are warm year-round - and unlike a hot spring, it flows continuously rather than seeping, which is a genuinely uncommon combination. People bathe in the pool below, and because the water is warm rather than hot there is no scalding risk and no need to mix it down. The park is small, near the Lao border in the eastern corner of Phayao province, and gets few foreign visitors; there are caves nearby and simple facilities. Flow follows the rains like any waterfall, so it is fullest from July into November and thinner in the hot months, though the temperature does not change.

The landscape

• The warm water - around thirty-three degrees, year-round.
• The fall - about twenty-five metres into a bathing pool.
• The continuous flow - a warm waterfall rather than a seeping spring.
• The quiet - a small park in a corner of the country few visitors reach.

When to go

July to November for the strongest flow; November to February for the most comfortable weather. The water temperature is constant regardless of season.

Practical notes

Remote - a long drive to the eastern edge of Phayao with little else nearby. The fall is modest in size; the temperature is the point. Basic facilities. Foreign entry fees are higher than Thai.

Nearby

Kwan Phayao is west; Chiang Kham and the Lao border are close.