Waterfalls in Thailand
It’s kind of amazing just how many waterfalls there are in Thailand. They come in all shapes and sizes, including stand-alone waterfalls, ones that pool into large basins and some that cascade down rocks. Most are tucked amid dense foliage – much of which in designated national parks – but some are easily accessible right from a nearby car park, and even have shops and restaurants at their feet.
Waterfalls in Thailand are at their best just after rain, although fresh rain can make hiking out here a little more risky. Some waterfalls will disappear completely during the dry season, but others will simply flow more gently and make the pools below just right for a swim. If you’re on the hunt for waterfalls in Thailand’s southern region, here are a few to check out – just make sure to bring a swimsuit.
Waterfalls near Phuket
Bang Pae Waterfall
Bang Pae Waterfall can be found in Khao Pra Taew National Park over on the east side of its hills. It’ll take you on a walk through the jungle along what can become a quite steep and rocky path, but the view at the end is well worth the trek. The waterfall is no more than 20 metres tall, but has a shallow pool at the basin where you can splash around. Also along the pathway from the car park to the falls is the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre, where you can see the little fuzzballs up close.
Kathu Waterfall
Kathu Waterfall is the most easily accessible from Phuket. To reach it, you’ll need to climb up a series of staircases that take you to different levels of the waterfall. You can stop short at the first level, where the falls are small but there’s a refreshing little pool, or keep hiking up to see where the falls get bigger and zigzag across the rocks.
Waterfalls near Krabi
Huay Toh Waterfall
The Huay Toh Waterfall is located within the Kaho Phanom Bencha National Park, just outside downtown Krabi. Tucked between lush green jungle foliage, it’s made up of five different platforms – each of which feature their own little pool for a swim. You’ll have the opportunity to climb up the five levels, although the hike can get a little steep and difficult in places.
Khlong Chak Waterfall
Found within the Mu Ko Lanta National Park, the Khlong Chak Waterfall looks a little like a faint trickle cascading over a rock face. It might not gush in quite the same way as other waterfalls in Thailand, but the large pool at the bottom is equally as refreshing.
Hin Phoeng Waterfall
The Hin Phoeng Waterfall is broken into three levels that flow down 800 metres before filtering into a pool below. From the bottom, it’ll take a 400 metre-long trek along the mountainside to reach it.
Waterfalls near Khao Lak
Ton Prai Waterfall
This popular waterfall is located about an hour’s hike from the designated visitors’ centre through gorgeous jungle. Ton Prai isn’t massive as far as waterfalls go, but it stands out from the rest because of the way it tumbles along the sheets of rock and empties into a shallow pool.
Lampi Waterfall
One of the benefits of visiting the Lampi Waterfall from Khao Lak is that there’s virtually no trek involved – all you’ve got to do is park your car and the waterfall is just a short walk away. There are also food stalls and shops nearby. As for the waterfall, it’s broken into multiple levels that extend high up into the jungle and pool down at a large basin below, where you can go for a swim on a hot day.