Emerald Pool Without the Full Day: Which Shorter Tour from Krabi Is Worth It?
5 min read
For most people, book the Emerald Pool and Wareerak hot spring trip: €41.84, 6.5 hours, 4.4 stars from 241 reviews, with the national park entrance fee and a Thai lunch in the price. Another option is the Hot Spring Waterfall, Emerald Pool and Blue Pool tour at €34.62. Take the Tiger Cave, hot springs and Emerald Pool day tour at €38.35 only if you want the temple climb squeezed into six hours.
What “shorter” costs you
The popular inland day runs eight to nine hours and adds the Tiger Cave Temple. We cover that version, and the fees that surprise people, in the full Emerald Pool guide. The four trips below cut the day to between five and six and a half hours. Compare the stops, included meals and extra fees for each option below.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Pool, Wareerak spa and lunch | 6.5 hours | €41.84 | 4.4 (241 reviews) | Most people |
| Hot Spring Waterfall, Emerald Pool and Blue Pool | 6 hours | €34.62 | 4.5 (87 reviews) | Three pools with lunch |
| Tiger Temple, hot springs and Emerald Pool | 6 hours | €38.35 | 4.0 (152 reviews) | Walkers who want the temple |
| Emerald Pool and Hot Springs Waterfall half-day | 5 hours | €37.15 | 3.0 (46 reviews) | Only the shortest day |
The Wareerak trip: private spa instead of the public hot spring
The operator’s itinerary allows about 40 minutes by van each way. The day starts with a walk into the Khao Phra Bang Khram forest, then an hour at the Emerald Pool, with an optional 20-minute hike on to the Blue Pool. Instead of the public hot springs it goes to the private Wareerak spa, which the listing calls the highlight and describes as mineral water up to 42°C. Lunch is at a local restaurant with free time. The entrance fee, fruit, water and insurance are included, and gratuities are not. One guest found the Emerald Pool part a little rushed but would recommend it to anyone who does not want a full day. If you specifically want the public hot spring waterfall, this is the wrong one. The English- and Thai-guided Wareerak trip excludes pregnant travellers and people with back or heart problems.
The three-pool trip: lunch included, entrance fees extra
This is the only one of the four with the hot spring waterfall, the Emerald Pool and the Blue Pool as full stops of an hour each, plus a 30-minute lunch at a local restaurant. The van is air-conditioned and vegetarian meals can be requested. Pick-up is limited to Ao Nang, Klong Muang, Tubkaek and Krabi Town, and Railay is not covered. The booking page explicitly excludes entrance fees: Emerald Pool costs 400 THB per adult and 200 THB per child; the Hot Spring Waterfall costs 200/100 THB. Bring 600 THB per adult or 300 THB per child in cash for both. Swimming in the Blue Pool is prohibited, and the tour excludes people with mobility impairments. The Wareerak operator warns that Blue Pool access closes during the Gurney’s pitta breeding season; confirm access for your date before booking for that stop.
Check the three-pool tour with lunch
The temple in a short day
This version fits the Tiger Cave Temple, with a climb the operator describes as 1,237 steps, the Emerald Pool and the hot spring waterfall into six hours, with a driver rather than a guide. The booking page excludes entry fees; confirm the amounts for the selected stops and option before paying. The operator describes the temple first, so the old guest report about climbing after lunch should not be treated as the current schedule. Wheelchair users and pregnant travellers are excluded. The operator makes the summit climb optional and requires good physical condition.
See availability for the Tiger Temple day tour
The half-day: add entrance and transfer charges
Five hours: an hour at the Krabi hot springs and two at the Emerald Pool, with an hour in the van each way, according to the itinerary. The booking page adds 600 THB per adult and 300 THB per child for entry. Pickup and return in Krabi Town and Ao Nang are included; Klong Muang costs an extra 100 THB per person return, Tubkaek 200 THB per person return. Check meal arrangements before booking. Its rating is 3.0 from 46 reviews. Pregnant travellers and people with mobility impairments are excluded. Compare the tour price plus these charges with Wareerak, which includes entry and lunch.
Check the Emerald Pool half-day trip
Which to pick
Book the Wareerak trip for a short day with fee and lunch settled in advance. Choose the €34.62 three-pool tour if the hot spring waterfall and Blue Pool are the point and you budget for the extra entry fees and confirm Blue Pool access. Take the temple version only if you want the climb. Skip the half-day unless five hours is a hard limit.
