Extending the definition?

Seeing how this web site is increasingly becoming a personal listing of great places to swim and have fun in Southeast Asia with at least some water losing some height. All the while enjoying the naturalness of both the water and the surroundings, I could now embark on putting swimming holes on the list. These are not waterfalls persé, though some occur where there are rapids. But where will it end?

A contentious point that I could do is to include the Siloso Beach Resort, Singapore where I stayed a couple of nights during the opening of the resort in August 2007. The resort has an 18 meter man-made waterfall in their pool, but should it be included? I think not, it's man made and I suppose (hopefully) that the water has been chlorinated and the likes, i.e. there's nothing natural to it anymore.

Back to swimming holes then. Should I? A case in point is the recent inclusion of the posting on Nam Lik, Lao, which I rate as my most enjoyed swim hole experience in Southeast Asia. The reasons though are personal. As the Southeast Asian waterfalls experience for me is not a technical experience (see worldwaterfalldatabase: What is considered a waterfall?), it's about enjoyment which, yes, can be personal. However some waterfalls have the wow factor (great to see, but little to enjoy), others awesome (jumping from rocks, skinny dipping and the likes). But possibly we getting on a sliding scale.

Is a simple slow flowing but deep river not a swim hole? Good question, it has it's merits. Maybe I should just rename the blog, Enjoying the Natural Waters of Southeast Asia? But then what is natural water? Non-contaminated, free from pollution? And would beaches not be included? Probably not, that might be a great theme for a new blog though ..

Tatai, Koh Kong, Cambodia. This is a great waterhole just north of the rapids.
Can be reached from the Rainbow Lodge. The owner recommends:

'Skinny dipping by moonlight anyone?'

Let's rate, this way readers can see what I look for in waterfalls and the like.
Natural awesomeness: 2. Natural surroundings: 5. Skinny dipping: 4. Overall experience: 4.

Bohorok River, Bukit Lawang, Sumatra Utara, Indonesia.

Bukit Lawang is a small village, the first village after the Bohorok river has left the Gunung Leuser National Park. Visits to here are popular with locals in the weekend to enjoy the river and nature, whereas tourists stay here as it is the location of an Orang Utan rehabilitation center.
Many guesthouses are located along the river and sleeping is a true delite.
Tubing is also possible, but just jumping around and swimming is as much fun.
Natural awesomeness: 4. Natural surroundings: 4. Skinny dipping: 0. Overall experience: 3.

Yak Lom, Ratanakiri, Cambodia. See blog post earlier.
Natural awesomeness: 4. Natural surroundings: 4. Skinny dipping: 2 (seclusion is on offer, outside of weekends, early in the day or during sun-down). Overall experience: 4.

Swimming in the Tonle San, between Taveng and Voensai, Ratanakiri, Cambodia.
Natural awesomeness: 2. Natural surroundings: 4. Skinny dipping: 0 Overall experience: 2.

Danau Toba, Sumatra Utara, Indonesia. From Tuk Tuk village.

Natural awesomeness: 4. Natural surroundings: 3. Skinny dipping: 1 (after dark).

Overall experience: 3.

Unknown

A fall with no name. As happens this fall is probably totally untouristed and as such does not need a name. Far from the maddening crowds, this 3 m high fall is only reachable with two wheels or two feet. Actually the track fords the river over the rocks directly above the falls. The track connecting a number of village’s sees little traffic and the falls thus see even less visitors. One needs to scramble through the undergrowth below the falls. Though not necessarily a great pool, on a hot April 2009 afternoon this made for a great naturally enjoyed shower.

Getting to this remote fall requires some effort. For one it is in Ratanakiri province, one of the remoter parts of Cambodia. Best place to stay is one of Cambodia's few eco-lodges, Yaklom Hill Lodge. It is here where possibly more info will be provided as to where to get to this waterfall. (Phume Kres village?) All I can remember was that it was north and then a right turn roughly 10 km out of town and just keep on going.

Chaa .... Ong

Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province has some problems naming waterfalls it seems; there’s quite some indecision concerning the correct spelling. Often the names used are derived from local tribe languages and translated to Cambodian sounds which are then translated into something recognizable for the foreign tourist. Along the way weird things happen spelling's wise.

Chah-ohng (or Chaa Ong) is a waterfall not far out of the main provincial capital, Banlung. Head due west for 2 km then go north for another 2 km, take the left fork and continue for another 3 km. You will arrive at a car park where a nominal sum is required for entry. The car park is just beyond the upper ledge of the fall.

The fall themselves are about 10 m high. Basically the water pours over a ledge and falls on the rocks below. Unique to these falls are the area behind the waterfall (and beneath the ledge) which are hollowed out. Probably this is why they are mentioned as impressive....

Our visit in April 2009 though coincided with little flow and as such the waterfall was not so very impressive.

More from Ratanakiri

Closeby to yesterdays posted waterfall of Ka Chanh is the Katieng (or Ka Tieng) waterfall in Ratanakiri province, Cambodia. So close that both can be visited within an hour of Ratanakiri’s provincial capital of Banlung. Again take the road out of town west for 2 km then roughly 3,5 km to the south just beyond a school is a dirt track veering off to your right. Keep following this track past cashew nut plantations (with the possibility of taking an elephant) until the road descends over a rutted track. In all from the turn it’s about 1,5 km.

From the food stalls it is pretty obvious that you have arrived though the road proper fords the stream and continues onwards. A small entrance fee is required. Above the 10 m high fall is a large park like area. Off to the left is a trail that leads to a staircase to the huge pool below well worth a great swim.

Again avoid weekends and you'll probably be alone. See above link for more info on Banlung

Ka Chanh

Ratanakiri is a province in Cambodia's Northeast bordering both Lao and Vietnam. Long cut off from the rest of the country and a battleground during the Vietnam war, it is slowly becoming a destination of it's own despite foor transport facilities. Attractions are a mild climate, various tribes and some outstanding nature. However slowly this nature is disappearing as the primary forest is being replaced by extensive rubber plantations, changes which also result in the increased marginalisation of the original inhabitants.

The province contains many beautiful waterfalls, many still waiting to be discovered. Near Banlung (the provincial capital) local waterfalls are already well established on the tourist trail. We were there this April co-inciding with the nation's New Year celebrations. So the waterfalls around Banlung were well visited, avoiding the crowds by going early morning is just one solution.

One of the best accessible waterfalls is known by Kan Chang, Kinchaan, Kah Chahng Ka Chanh and / or Katchang. I've decided to proceed with Ka Chanh, which had the most hits with google as well as was used by Wikipedia. Lonely Planet though persists with Kinchaan which seems quite beside the pronunciation.

Ka Chanh is located just 6 km from the town center, two km back on the road to Stung Treng and then 4 km south. It is very clearly signposted and there is a big car park for which an entrance fee is required. The day we visited many kids were jumping around in the pool beneath the 7 m high falls which had been rejuvenated by recent rainfall.

Food and drinks are available locally. Banlung is the place to stay overnite. Try the Yaklom Hill Lodge, an ecolodge 2 kms out of town, for solitude and silence.

For another great experience
go for a skinny dip at the 700,000 year old Yeak Loam volcanic lake, at the end of the day.
Nice cool water.
Go any other time of the day it's packed beyond description.

More photo's of Ka Chanh falls on the seasoakingwaterfalls photo web site.