hotspring.my

Public pool · Kampung La, Jerteh, Terengganu

La Hot Spring

Also known as: Kolam Air Panas La, Kolam Air Panas Kampung La, Air Panas La Hulu Besut, La Hot Spring Jerteh, Kampung La hot spring

Water temp
49–75°C
Entry fee
RM3 adult · RM2 child
Opening hours
Open daily; fixed opening hours are not published
Water type
Sulphur
Status
Open

Official council prices: adult RM3, child (4–12) RM2, senior (60+) RM2, OKU RM2. Foreigners: adult RM5, child RM3. Chalets RM55–RM155 per night.

La Hot Spring is in the Gunung Tebu Forest Reserve in Hulu Besut, about 28 km inland from Jerteh. It has been open to the public since 1992, and until Cek Mek in Kemaman was announced in 2025 it was the only natural hot spring known in Terengganu. The water smells of sulphur and reaches 49°C in the pools.

Majlis Daerah Besut runs it as a public site rather than a resort: built pools graded by heat, a shallow children's pool, stalls, a surau and chalets, with tickets and rooms sold on the council's own booking site. It is a cheap soak for families and older visitors: entry is RM3 for adults, and an air-conditioned chalet for two is RM155 a night.

The pools

Hot water seeps up through cracks in the rock and runs down into a cool hill stream. Around it the council has built a hot pool, a shallow wading pool for children and separate pools for men and women. One review describes three levels, hottest on the first and mildest, for children, on the third. Discovery Terengganu gives the water as up to 49°C, while Beautiful Terengganu quotes 50 to 75°C, which is likely nearer the source than the pools you sit in. No published lab analysis gives the pH or mineral content, but every source describes the water as sulphurous.

In July 2024 the state tourism committee chairman, Datuk Razali Idris, told the state assembly that male and female visitors would be separated by early 2025 because the pool area is narrow. Discovery Terengganu's listing now shows a dedicated women's pool (Kolam Wanita), so the separation looks to be in place. Expect to soak in modest clothing.

Tickets

The council's booking site lists entry at RM3 for adults (13 to 59), RM2 for children (4 to 12), RM2 for seniors aged 60 and over and RM2 for OKU. Foreign visitors pay RM5 per adult and RM3 per child. You can buy tickets online or at the counter. Opening hours are not published.

Facilities

The council lists a hall, a dormitory, a dining hall, shops, lockers, wakaf shelters, toilets and parking. Discovery Terengganu adds a surau, outdoor seating, a wheelchair-accessible path and flasks for collecting hot water. You can also camp here, and Lata Kolam Air Deru Ecopark, a campsite mapped on OpenStreetMap, is under 2 km south along the T5.

Toilets are the weak spot. A July 2026 reviewer said the public toilets need improving but saw a new toilet block being built, and found the shallow water good for small children. In August 2026 a reviewer complained about visitors leaving litter.

Chalets

Majlis Daerah Besut rents rooms on site through the same booking site. Air-conditioned chalets (Melur, Mawar and Kenanga) and the cabins are RM155 a night for two. The cheaper rooms are above the shop block: Cempaka 1 at RM75 with its own bathroom and Cempaka 2 at RM55, both fan-only. Utusan reported in July 2024 that the council had grown from 20 to 38 units because weekends and public holidays kept selling out. To cancel a chalet for a refund, give at least 48 hours' notice; the council keeps RM50.

Crowds

Weekends and public holidays are the busy times, which is why the chalets were expanded. Come on a weekday morning if you want the hot pools to yourself.

Getting there

La Hot Spring is at Kampung La in Hulu Besut, postcode 22010 Jerteh. From Jerteh town it is about 28 km inland; the approach is on state roads T7 and then T5 through oil palm plantations. From Kuala Terengganu allow 125 to 140 km depending on route. There is car and motorcycle parking at the site. No public transport runs to Kampung La, so you need your own car or a taxi from Jerteh.

WazeGoogle Maps5.51664, 102.53398 (approximate)

Before you go

  • Book chalets on lahotspring.mdbesut.gov.my or WhatsApp the management on 013-604 5967 before a weekend or school holiday; the council added units because they kept selling out.
  • Test the water with your hand first: the hottest pool is close to 49°C, and the water at the source is reported to be hotter.
  • Bring modest swimwear. Men and women have separate pools.
  • Bring an empty bottle or flask if you want spring water to take home; the site has hot water flasks for filling.
  • If you are on a budget, Cempaka 2 above the shops is RM55 a night against RM155 for the air-conditioned chalets.
  • Bring a rubbish bag and take your litter home; an August 2026 reviewer found rubbish left around the site.

Questions people ask

How much is entry to La Hot Spring?

RM3 for adults and RM2 for children aged 4 to 12, seniors and OKU, per the council's booking site. Foreign visitors pay RM5 per adult and RM3 per child.

How hot is La Hot Spring?

Discovery Terengganu gives the pool water as up to 49°C. Beautiful Terengganu quotes 50 to 75°C, likely nearer the source.

Are men and women separated at La Hot Spring?

Yes. The state announced the separation in July 2024, and a later listing shows a dedicated women's pool.

Can you stay overnight at La Hot Spring?

Yes. Majlis Daerah Besut rents chalets and cabins at RM155 a night and simpler rooms at RM55 to RM75, bookable online. Camping is also allowed.

Is there a surau at La Hot Spring?

Yes, there is a surau, as well as public toilets and lockers.

Other springs within 150 km

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources. Prices and hours change; confirm with the operator before a long drive.

  1. Majlis Daerah Besut: La-Hotspring official booking site (entry prices, chalets, facilities, contacts)
  2. La-Hotspring: entry ticket prices
  3. La-Hotspring: cancellation policy
  4. Discovery Terengganu: Kolam Air Panas La Hot Spring
  5. Utusan Malaysia: Pengunjung wanita, lelaki di La Hot Spring diasingkan (29 July 2024)
  6. Penang Travel Tips: La Hot Spring
  7. Beautiful Terengganu: La Hot Spring
  8. OpenStreetMap: La Hot Spring
  9. OpenStreetMap Nominatim: Lata Kolam Air Deru Ecopark
  10. Google Maps: La Hot Spring

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