Top 8 bottled water brands in Thailand
Because tap water in Thailand is not drinkable, bottled water is a big business. For some people, choosing the “best tasting” water is not a difficult thing. After all, water is water, and they all taste the same, right? Well, not really. While the difference between bottles is nuanced, most people tend to gravitate towards bottled water that they think tastes the best.
And even if you can’t tell the difference in flavour, you still need the best bottled water to keep you hydrated. Every bottled water comes from different sources and goes through different manufacturing processes, which means not all of them offer top-notch quality.
That’s why below, we’ve ranked eight of the best bottled water you can buy in Thailand, including a short description of how they taste. Of course, lists like these tend to be subjective, so you may disagree with our preferences, but hopefully, we can help you decide which one is right for you.
Which bottled water is the best?
Before we start our list here, let us remind you that water in single-use plastic bottles isn’t the best choice for the environment. We recommend using water filters or try ordering larger recyclable bottles. You can also treat or boil water from the tap to save money. But if bottled water is the only option for you, the following are the best choices in Thailand.
1. Aura
Owned by Tipco, Aura water comes from a natural cold spring in the Mae Rim District of Chiang Mai Province. Due to the low temperature of the natural cold spring, the water completely preserves beneficial nutrients without any sulfur contamination. With a pH level of 7.5, Aura supposedly helps reduce acidity and create balance within your body. It also contains a variety of minerals that are beneficial to your body.
Taste: Aura is sweet, with a slight mineral aftertaste. Smooth and refreshing, it has an incredibly high drinkability. In terms of taste, we think it’s the clear winner on this list.
Pricing: 11 Baht/500ml.
2. Mont Fleur
Sourced from a mineral-rich natural spring in the mountains of Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Mont Fleur contains a combination of 8 minerals – all of which are light and can be absorbed by the body immediately. This award-winning bottled water is certified by CARSO Mineral Research Institute in France and has won Belgium’s iTQi Superior Taste Awards for 3 years in a row.
Taste: Mount Fleur offers a silky smooth taste that will quench your thirst quickly. It tastes clean and neutral, with only a light sodium flavour.
Pricing: 12 Baht/500ml.
3. Nestlé Pure Life
Pure Life is the most popular bottled water produced by the world’s biggest food and beverage company, Nestlé. Every drop of the water goes through a rigorous 12-step quality process. The water is collected from hygienic design deep wells, tested regularly, filtered to remove sediment, disinfected using ultraviolet, and went through many other treatment processes before being bottled and capped. Even after the long process, the water still retains some of the beneficial minerals from the natural source.
Taste: Crisp and clean tasting, with almost no trace of minerals at all. However, some people argue that it tastes too bland.
Pricing: 10 Baht/600ml.
4. Sprinkle
Sprinkle is a premium quality drinking water with world-class quality control and certification. The water is taken from a natural resource and produced through a four-step process using highly advanced technology. Besides the purity Sprinkle water is known for its distinct design. In fact, it has won several awards for its packaging design, including the iF Design Award 2014.
Taste: The water is very soft and plain. You can’t taste any mineral in it. Still, it’s refreshing to drink as it glides down your throat easily.
Pricing: 7 Baht/550ml
5. Purra
Purra is the first mineral water in Thailand to be certified by France’s Aquacert. Boasting a world-class manufacturing process, Purra offers 100% natural mineral water with silica, calcium, magnesium, and various vital vitamins. It also has a pH level of 8. It recently came out with newly designed contemporary labels, which make it look more modern and sophisticated.
Taste: There’s a bit of plastic hospital taste, but it has a lot of character. It’s a little sweet and earthy – not too bad at all.
Pricing: 12 Baht/750ml.
6. Chang
ThaiBev, which also makes Chang Beer, produces Chang drinking water as one of its non-alcoholic beverages. The water comes from Ayutthaya’s aquifers. Chang water also received a Monde Selection Gold Award in 2018.
Taste: The flavour is very subtle and earthy. It has a smooth, silky texture that makes it wonderfully easy to drink. However, some people also say that the mineral taste is too strong and that it’s “flat.”
Pricing: 10 Baht/460 ml.
7. Crystal
Manufactured with meticulous care, it’s the first bottled water in Thailand to meet the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) International standard. Additionally, it has received a Quality Award from the Thai Food and Drug Administration for three consecutive years.
Taste: Crystal tastes a little like tap water, with a metal-y aftertaste. However, it does have an attractive aroma, with a thin and smooth texture.
Pricing: 7 Baht/600ml.
8. Singha
As the name suggests, Singha is another drinking water produced by a large beer manufacturer. Taken from clean natural water sources, the water is then purified through advanced technological processes to ensure that it’s clear and clean while still retaining beneficial minerals like magnesium, silica, and calcium. Moreover, Singha boasts an international standard quality and has been certified by NSF International, USA.
Taste: Stingha tastes thicker than other bottled water on this list. It’s strangely sweet as well, so if you’re not a fan of sugary water, this one might not be for you.
Pricing: 7 Baht/600ml.
Next time you’re thirsty (and you don’t have your reusable water bottle with you), why not try reaching for one of the best tasting bottled waters on this list?
Looking for street food recommendations in Thailand? Read our article on the top street foods in the Land of Smiles.
