A path through the jungle ends at a red sign reading “herb sauna” in Thai; locally the place is called Kathu Herb Sauna. The room has a single tier of seating and is nothing like a Japanese steam sauna.

Lemongrass rises with the heat. Steam comes up through a pipe beneath the seat, hot enough to scald a leg if you sit without noticing it.

The water is 26°C and the air 30°C. Thailand has no habit of cold bathing, yet Kathu has a pool-like cold bath, and benches to lie on afterwards — part of why the place feels like a paradise. Visited by JRHA on 2 November 2024.

This is an English summary. The full article was written in Japanese. Original article in Japanese →