Emerald Pool Krabi: Guide to the Emerald & Blue Lagoon

A guide to visiting the famous Emerald Pool & Blue Lagoon in Krabi, Thailand.

Located in the heart of Thailand’s southern province of Krabi, the Emerald Pool and Blue Pool (Blue Lagoon), are two crystal-clear freshwater lakes located just an 800 m walk from the car park hidden in the jungle.

Whether you’re looking for a cool place to swim, or you’re planning your Krabi travels and want to include the best mainland day trip– you’re in luck!

Due to the distance, most travelers visit these pools on the popular Pools & Hot Spring Day Trip departing daily from Krabi.

In this travel guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about visiting the Krabi Emerald Pool and Blue Pool in the Khlong Thom area.

Emerald & Blue Pool in Krabi

The Emerald Pool called Sa Morakot in Thai and the Blue Pool (also called Blue Lagoon) are within the Thung Teao Forest National Park, approximately 55 kilometers east of Krabi town, or 70 kilometers from Ao Nang.

These pools are fed by a mineral hot spring, giving the water its striking color and amazing clarity. However, the pools are not very hot. Another thing to note is you can only swim in the Emerald Pool.

The Blue Pool is closed for swimming as it is not filtered by a flowing stream.

Alternative: Book a Taxi or Drive to the Pools

If you want to visit the Sra Morakot pools and natural springs independently, then it's also possible to rent a car at Krabi Airport or Krabi Town.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi to drop you at the main entrance to the Thung Teao Forest National Park. Although the return taxi fare will likely be more expensive than simply booking the above tour.

This journey will take just over an hour from Ao Nang, or about 50 minutes from Krabi Town.

Tip: I suggest visiting on a weekday as many locals visit on the weekends and the pools can become crowded.

What to Expect at the Emerald Pool Krabi

The main entrance to the Thung Teao Forest National Park features a large parking lot where tour vans, taxis, and private vehicles park.

This is also the ticketing gate, where you'll need to pay the applicable entrance fees that go towards the Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary.

Ticket Price:

• 400 Thai Baht for foreigners (200 for children).
• 30 Thai Baht for Thai Nationals (20 for children).

The official opening time is 8:30 am for Emerald Pool and 10:00 am for Blue Pool and closing at 4:30 pm. However, it's possible to visit earlier than this, there just won't be any guards on duty.

On the tour, this natural pool was the first stop of the day trip, which was great as I arrived right at opening time before the crowds.

Tip: The Blue Pool is closed between May-October to give the birds living in this area an undisturbed breeding season.

Walking to the Emerald Pool

After paying the fee, you can take one of two short nature trail walks to the pools.

Option 1: The fast way is following a wide, gravel road for approximately 800 meters (15 minutes) through the forest.

Option 2: This follows a more scenic concrete nature trail path for approximately 1 kilometer (20 minutes). Both trails begin by passing some beautiful natural streams in the forest.

Below I've included a map showing the pathways and nature trails between the main entrance, the Emerald Pool, and the Blue Pool.

Swimming at the Krabi Emerald Pool

The Emerald Pool is a beautiful natural pond surrounded by smooth stone and filtered by ever-flowing natural streams. These streams contain calcium carbonate, creating healthy mineral waters for swimming.

Emerald Pool is quite wide at around 20 meters in circumference. The depth ranges from around 1.2 meters to the deepest around 1.8 meters. This makes it the perfect place to swim, relax, and enjoy the natural scenery.

There's also a local restaurant selling snacks, tea, and coffee just a short distance from the pool.

As this was the first stop on the Emerald Pool tour, I arrived quite early and we were able to take some photos before the tour buses arrived. However, I decided to take a short walk to the Blue Pool before taking a swim.

The Blue Pool (Blue Lagoon)

The walk to the Blue Pool from the Emerald Pool follows another concrete path for approximately 600 meters (10-15 minutes), passing some beautiful crystal-clear streams among the Khao Nor Chu Chi lowland forest

Once you arrive at the Blue Pool, you'll see a wide viewing area where you can take some photos of this beautiful natural hot spring.

The Blue Pool is one of the deepest ponds in the park at around 4-5 meters. The water is quite hot in this pool, ranging from 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, heated up by the Earth's natural geothermal energy.

While you can't swim at the Blue Pool, I highly recommend checking it out as this is one of the most beautiful natural ponds I've ever seen!

Visiting the Phi Phi Islands? Don't Miss:

The Pileh Lagoon (Koh Phi Phi Leh) or Day Trips to Phi Phi Island

More Attractions at the Emerald Pool Site

In addition to observing the diverse array of fauna such as various species of birds, butterflies, reptiles, and mammals like macaques, there are a few other attractions worth exploring.

Crystal Pool

Did you know that there are three natural ponds at this site? The third is called Crystal Pool, the largest pond at the site at around 35 meters wide, 45 meters long, and 1-3 meters deep. The water of the crystal pool is fed from the water of the Emerald Pool.

Similarly to the Blue Pool, it's not permitted to swim here.

Shrine of the Hermit

Along the way between the Emerald Pool and the Blue Pool, you'll pass the Shrine of the Hermit. This is a small shrine dedicated to a hermit who once lived in this area a long time ago.

You'll see that there is a small cave-like structure adorned with statues and sometimes showcasing offerings left by visitors paying respect, making a wish, or asking for blessings.

Things to do After the Emerald Pools

If you booked the tour that I went on (linked above), you'll also be visiting the nearby Krabi hot springs, also called the Hot Spring Waterfall or Krabi Hot Stream.

Afterward, I climbed up to the epic Tiger Cave Temple, which is of the best things to do in Krabi in terms of great views!

Tips & Things to Know About Visiting the Emerald Pool

Before you go, here is a list of quick tips and important things to know about visiting this natural site in Krabi.

1. Only swim at the Emerald Pool - the only pool you can swim at is the Emerald Pool. Don't try to swim at the Blue Pool or Crystal Pool. If the Emerald Pool is too busy, you can swim in the clear flowing streams nearby the Blue Pool.
2. Visit early: The park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Krabi. I recommend visiting early before the big tourist vans arrive. Alternatively, visit in the late afternoon before closing time.
3. Best time to visit: the water at the pools can be muddier and less clear during the rainy season (May to October). So, I recommend visiting during the dry season (November to April).

More Krabi Travel & Adventure Guides

I hope that this quick guide to visiting the Emerald Pool in Krabi has been useful for planning your Thailand travel itinerary!

Check out the list below for more related posts and inspiration for your trip.

• Things to do in Krabi - My ultimate guide to must-see spots & hidden gems
• How to Get to Krabi from Phuket - best transport routes & options
• Things to do in Railay - my ultimate guide to Thai backpacker mecca
• 10 Best Krabi Island Tours - discover the best of Thailand's south
• Best Beaches in Krabi - find the top 15 beaches you need to visit on your trip.