Mae Kachan Hot Spring is located in Ban Pong Pa Tong, Village No. 14 of Mae Chedi Mai Subdistrict, Wiang Pa Pao District, Chiang Rai Province, and was our first destination upon entering Chiang Rai. Positioned along the main route from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, and also connecting onward to Phayao, the hot springs naturally serve as a welcoming stop for travelers beginning their journey through the province.

The site is characterized by natural geothermal pools where underground heat raises water temperatures to around 90 °C, hot enough to boil eggs. Small roadside stores line the area, offering baskets of eggs specifically for this purpose, allowing visitors to lower them into the bubbling pools and watch steam rise as they cook. The steady heat, mineral scent, and constant movement of the water create a vivid introduction to the natural forces that shape northern Thailand.

Local elders from nearby Ban Pong Nam Ron village recount that the hot springs were known long before the present community was established. The area was once a dense forest called Pong Din, where both small and large animals gathered to consume mineral-rich soil. Historically, the springs also lay along an ancient trade route between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, used by merchants traveling on horseback and with oxen along the mountain ridges.