Up the creek

Easily accessible from the most touristed stretch of the Khao Lak coast (Phang Nga, Thailand), it could be expected that Chong Fa would be nearly overrun or near ruined. However the opposite is true.

'Please do not entry to the waterfall'

The entrance gate (Chong Fa is part of the Lam Ru National Park) is half open or half close with a poster revealing that the park is somehow off-limits (photo above). A plus is that the park is (still?) open. Furthermore, no entry fees are required. And once again the access road is too difficult to take. There is a lone ranger, but he has his pitched his hammock up high and is wondering what his dreams will bring him.

From the entrance to the waterfall is a 1km long access road. From the road head it’s another 200m walk along a track to the first level, so no real strenuous hike, but a deliteful one nonetheless.

Getting there is a big part of the experience.

Chong Fa is a fabulous waterfall with lots of water crushing down into a deep and sunny pool. Downstream along the access road, are more swim holes, all deep and free flowing with great opportunities for a great dip.

It really is amazing, this piece of paradise so close to the paradise lost of Khao Lak.


There’s one website which has some more info on Khao Lak’s waterfalls (it mentions Chong Fa as having a steep (!) track to the first of five levels), but in general Khao Lak’s waterfalls are neglected and ignored, despite these being a great way to diversify the coast’s attractions, generate income and able to increase awareness of the globe’s natural surroundings, their fragility and the unique experience they offer. It contrasts with other places nearer Bangkok where waterfalls have become attraction parks, places of recreation.

But for me the tranquillity and (temporary?) absence of the great world is an opportunity to indulge in swimming, plunging and receiving a natural back massage.

Chong Fa, back massage please!

Neatly served

Well signposted, Sai Rung (which translates as rainbow) waterfall might be rated as the better known of Khao Lak’s triple waterfalls, just north of the beach center.

Otherwise known by the local name of Pak Weep (Pakweep), the turnoff is just north of the bridge, north of Le Meridien. The wide road leads one to beyond a turnoff to the waterfall, a total of 3 km from the main highway 4. Again the road heads through the linear plantings of palmoil and rubber. The road ends at a car park. Sort of a car park.

Continuing on foot, the obvious trail goes over a bridge to a cluster of huts on the opposite bank. The environs of these are being swept by an elderly gentleman, it still being early morning, looking forward to the new day, the new guests. The trail continues beyond, to a fall with a delicious pool underneath.


A novelty of sorts, a table is waiting on us, the table well set, drinks poured and towels within reach. Totally incomprehensible, these are not destined for us! Set back a little from the table are two westerners, busily cooking their own meal under direction/assistance of only 5 local cooks. Probably from the nearby Sarojin resort.

The waterfall itself is a 30m crash. On the opposite bank, steps leads one up into the slippery and slimy rainforest. It just goes up and up as the falls are in reality a set of crashing falls seemingly unendless, falling down from somewhere higher, even higher.

As Khao Lak (Phang Nga) is an upcoming resort to cater to the increasing numbers of tourists seeking exactly an escape, it's no wonder that waterfalls feature highly on the to do list of any visitor.
Khaolakhotels.com mentions Sai Rung being the

'most immediately accesible'

which seems weird as it's located quite far away from Khao Lak town.

Cathy and gary had some problems finding the place:

'We originally set off well prepared with a map looking for a different waterfall. The map was absolutely useless and after a few hours of driving through beautiful countryside and stopping and asking numerous times where to go, we decided to head back to the hotel for a swim'.

There are also quite a few vids on youtube. As well as a photo on Panoramio.

Another beautiful waterfall, possibly attracting too many visitors ...

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.

Back on Track

Then finally on my day touring Phang Nga, I'm able to visit a real waterfall. A 7 km partially dirt track (reached from between kilometer markers 28-29 on highway no. 4) takes to me to the Khao Lampee-Thai Muang National Park Ton Phrai entrance. The last 200 meter involve a ridiculous steep rutted trail but the car at hand is OK. About 10 ladies and gents are hanging around a chess board playing checkers, but all look official and it's here I need to pay the park entrance of 100 Baht. From the parking area it's a walk of they say 650 meters, roughly 20 minutes up a well worn trail next to the fast flowing river.
It's their nature walk. The nature walk mainly focuses on some trees which are identified and foreseen with a description of their significance. It’s nice walk through mostly undisturbed forest, though in some locations the forest is only 50 meter wide, large stands of rubber seen beyond the jungle fringe.

Beautiful waterholes

Along the way are a number of not so secluded waterholes but just under the falls themselves is another great pool. The sandy bottom of this pool is relatively shallow as the water falls in a slant, not straight from about 20-25 meter height. (though others say 50 meters) The surroundings are besides natural very clean. I can't resist the urge and knowing that there was no one directly behind me strip and dive in and under.

The waterfall goes by the name Ton Phrai though I've also seen Tone Prai and Ton Phri. Khaolak.net describes it as follow:

'Nam Tok Ton Phrai - a larger size fall with cascading water again throughout the year. At km 29 marker on route 4, follow a gravel road for 7km; therafter a further 1 km on foot is required - this is a good hike in the dry season.
Flora includes Dipterocarpus sp., Anisoptera costata, Syzygium sp, Hopea odorata, Mimusops elengi, several species of palm and bamboo. Common barking deer, langurs, wild pig, red jungle fowl, hill myna, and several reptiles, such as the reticulated python, and amphibians are examples of the fauna'.

Lots more photo's plus German blog entries.

No compelling reason

Hin Lat (or alternatively Hin Laad) waterfall is once more not a real waterfall but more a series of rapids in an otherwise clear and swift flowing river. Located 8 kilometers upstream from Kapong, Phang Nga province, south Thailand, the road there is quite straight forward. However when expecting a waterfall and finding none, it's a bit unclear. There are a number of picnic tables where the road ends and locals tell me this is really the place where the waterfall is.

The river is deep in some area's so a great place to swim and relax. But other than that there's no compelling reason to come.

Other than the odd mention here and there, it seems nobody on the www has managed to get here.

Trashed

Just a couple of kilometers from the main coastal road between Phuket and Khao Lak (Phang Nga province, southern Thailand) is the waterfall of Khamin. Not located within any protected area little is known of this waterfall, at least on the net. The name is synonymous with the mountain behind it, the 600+ meter high Khao Khamin.

The fall itself is roughly 15 meters high, not a direct fall but on a slight slant. Beneath is a nice pool, albeit somewhat small. Some enhancement has been tried by placing picnic tables. By the sight of all the refuse lying around it is pretty evident that it sees heavy use only not when I was there.

Getting there is pretty straight forward. The falls are located between kilometer markers 36 and 37, two kilometers before the Thung Maphrao by-pass. The road up the hill is roughly 2 kilometer with a small parking spot.

A closer inspection reveals loads of trash ...