Gem hunting

Khao Lak, north of Phuket, Thailand, seems to be well-known for it’s coast line, but surprisingly the coast is haphazardly developed to the extent that development kills the exact source of it's charm. Sure there are signature resorts, but outside of this, the tourist ghetto’s are over optimistically hoping to cash on the non-existent tourist. Maybe in some times of the year, the plethora of rooms are full and the trade for suits infinitive, but otherwise it’s all dread and drudgery, alas.

So why the trade has failed to see the gems within eyesight is a mystery? Khao Lak’s coast has a series of waterfalls just beyond the main drag with it’s line of tourist business.

At the northern end, you’ll be able to visit the easily accessible Bor Hin waterfall. Just north beyond the Royal Bangsak Resort, look for the huge school on the mountain side of the road and take the first turn inland. The small road winds itself through rubber and palmoil plantations and ends after 2 km directly at the foot of the falls.

In front of you, you can see the waterwall, with a number of channels, the water sliding down about 20m. It seems to have seen better times, management is non-existent, despite it being a nice location. Some refuse has gone awol, but is not an eyesore.

Along the roadside a track takes you to the top of the falls. Possibly going even higher would bring one to more falls and / or swimming holes, but as it was rainy season, the rocks were particularly slippery.Bor Hin definitely does not see many tourists and info on the internet is scarce. In fact there is hardly anything beyond the odd mention. Gran moskys has an entry on waterfalls on the Khao Lak coast reachable by bicycle.