Continued II

What seemed impossible, is now just a byline. The announced fee hike has been shelved. New Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) chief Rerngchai Prayoonvej has turned back the decision by his predecessor, so reports the Nation (1 Nov. 2012). 

No reason given, so just pure populist tactics?

The Thai Travel Weekly though adds:

'The decision is in response to a deluge of criticism from various travel industry associations'.

So ends another unneeded drama ...

Your money's worth

Just thought I would warn you. Thailand's National Park Department has decided to raise entrance fees on 29 parks as of 1 October 2012. In the TTR Weekly there is a full overview of which parks and why the tariffs are up.

'The department claims the top national parks are suffering from too many tourists and the new fees will be a deterrent to help fight deterioration of a sensitive environment. Also the department says it will use the additional revenue to improve facilities to better serve tourists'.

Already complaints are mounting. And I have to agree. Despite the entrance fees, there's little to show. Visitor facilities are at best mediocre, trails extend at best 20 minutes by foot, anything beyond that is a jungle expedition and the staff tend to hang around a lot, hardly see them doing anything productive.

But yes some national parks are packed (witness Erawan waterfalls) but maybe putting a day limit on the amount of visitors might do wonders. Or help to develop alternatives.

To be continued? 

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!

Deserted & ditched

The waterfall named Kha On (or Thap Mon) is another great find. A difficult one to find, it is just 13 kms from the main road, not far from Thap Sakae, Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The road gradually deteriorates and after passing what might be a ranger post (Kha On is part of Huai Yang National Park), a decision is made to ditch the car before going down the hill to find out that a return would be impossible.

Five hundred meters beyond the spot where we left the car behind, is indeed what might be referred to as a car park, with a toilet building nearby. Deserted on a week day, the height of the grass also points to the lack of an enthusiastic pack of waterfall hunters, yea!

An excellent path explains the nine levels and with swift jumps the no. 9 is coming ever closer. After half an hour, we have passed all levels and arrive at the uppermost level, described as a 15m drop which we will contend is the truth.

Level no. 9

The other levels though are just small breaks, some hardly registering a drop.

Kha On is another beautiful undiscovered place. And well-maintained.

If one understands Russian see this blog. It doesn't add much, but many photo's.

Go

Close to Prachuap Khiri Khan town is the lesser known Khao Lan waterfall.

Part of the Huai Yang National Park, Khao Lan is just one of the five major waterfalls of this park, which runs from the lower hills to the mountains on the border with Burma. Highway 4 south from Bangkok leads one along many easily accessible waterfalls. Khao Lan is just 14 kms off the highway but a total different world.

From the highway, one turns land inwards until a small roundabout, take the left road and continue along this road as it gradually deteriorates. We take a wise decision to park near a banana plantation, about a km short of the end of the road. The last km is a very steep washed out road, to be tackled only with a 4WD. A total of possibly 14 km from the highway.

At the end of the road is a national park office though their role seems to be insignificant. The track along the stream to the 5 levels of the waterfall is (contrary to the access road) well maintained, Khao Lan is another beautiful walk, not too strenuous (we are after all in Thailand) but natural enough to ensure the experience.

Despite the well maintained trails, the place is deserted. Another great piece of the amazing country to relax. Pack a lunch at the main highway near the turnoff, the well signposted Coffee and Go is good place and different to the usual Thai roadside restaurants.

Overnite stays can be done in Prachuap itself, a nice relaxful seaside place.

From a distance ...

Namtok Ngao waterfall is located just outside of Ranong town, heading southwards. It is not to be missed as this cascade spectacularly falls over the cliffs, just a couple of kilometers from the main road (see photo above).

Especially spectacular towards the end of the monsoon, they are still very discernible from the road at any time of the year.

Getting close up is possible by getting entry to Namtok Ngao National Park. Another good source of information is here.
Mostly covering the main mountain ridge, there are a few other waterfalls in this national park, but none as easy accessible as Ngao. That said, the waterfall is something to be seen from a distance, rather than up close where the specific spectacularity fades. Such that a nearby treeless hill (Phu Khao Ya) actually acts as an attractive view point of the Ngao waterfall, 10 kms away!

There is a hot spring not too far away from the main road in the same Namtok Ngao National Park, Porn Rang. Having been spruced up to the tune of $1 million (source), it's a very entertaining place to take a soak and enjoy the scenery. And the national park plays host to Pu Chao Fa a rare freshwater crab (source). Another great fact.

Massage please

Don't enlarge this picture!

About 10 km south of Suk Samran, on Thailands Highway 4 between Ranong and Takua Pa, just north of a bridge, an attentive passer-by will see a wearied and worried signboard, pointing inland, inwards to Suan Mai waterfall, part of Sri Phang Nga National Park, home to many new and unknown waterfalls.
The small road first passes some kampong houses, crosses a bridge and slowly climbs up through rubber and palm oil plantations, interspersed with some durian orchards, ripe for the picking.
The road deteriorates, then improves. After deteriorating again, one needs to continue going straight in a sharp left hand corner. The road gets steep and enters a protected environment with what was once a parking area before a steep hairpin to an office with some tired looking government staff.

After stepping out of the car, one hears the rushing stream. Following a wide track and then a smaller track along a waterpipe, the 10 minute ‘trek’ ends at the foot of a nice 20 m high waterfall, Suan Mai.

Beneath the fall is a great pool to cool off and swim up for a natural back massage. Another nice find.

The surroundings are still very natural and pristine, despite the relative accessibility of these falls from the highway.


Interesting background knowledge is the website of the Andaman coast community tourism. It highlights some lesser well known waterfalls near Kuraburi. Other than this mention there is not much other information on the internet, it's very far away from anything remotely touristic, but as said a great find.

Of mannequins and monks

Sometimes you come across a waterfall with a difference. Huai Yang waterfall has something different. Namesake for the surrounding National Park (meaning the requirement for a 100 THB entry fee ...), it's obvious it sees huge numbers of visitors, based on the well paved car park. 

Despite this being a weekday, a few cars are pulled in and on the opposite side of the creek is a huge huddle of white clad students acting as if they are listening solemnly to some speech or another.

Unfortunately, just when we hit the track so does the group and swamped by white shirts (which political direction do they support?) we climb up the track. It's a nice climb, once in front of the group.

Keeping ahead and looking behind: level 3.

Up on the ridge one gets to a small shrine. Beyond is a big pond at the foot of a slender fall, the third level of five. Possibly already wearied down tourists are hanging around. But there are more levels to explore. One can jump over rocks to the other side, followed by a scramble over bare rocks. The stream equally forces it's way down over mostly short scrambles. We reach the next level, a delicious pool with a great 15 m fall on the opposite end.

Oddly enough a monk is here, feeding the fish (see lead photo, above), mostly catfish and carpers, largely ornamental varieties. It's a disturbing trend in the maintenance of what are essentially national parks, rearing fish, so as enhance something or another. The more frequented waterfalls of Thailand (read Erawan, Pa La U) seem to be teeming with fish and considering the regular feed supply, it's no wonder.

My son vehemently opposes any swimming with any fish, while my wife decides that it's not her day. I wait for the monk to totter off, undress (that's me) and enjoy another spectacular part of Thailand's nature. Meanwhile  praying the fish won't nibble my special parts ...

Alex has a number of photo's, but other than that there is not much than the obvious reference on how to get here: located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, the waterfall is conveniently accessible from the major highway south (km 350), only a 7 km ride to the foot of the mountains.  

There's panaramio.  

And travelfish.

Ursula's weekly wanderings has an interesting entry on the spirits of Prachuap Khiri Khan including some photo's which really are weird kind of spirits (mannequins?) which are to be found near the shrine at the first level.

Stacks

The lowest level seen from above

The details:

'This waterfall is located at km. 556-557 on highway No. 4 3 kms. from Kra Buri township with another 13 kms. on the leftside of the main road along the laterite road to the fall. Bokkrai Waterfall has many steps with fascinating nature surrounding'. source

Bokkrai, Bok Krai or Bok Kray. Sounds and looks pretty clear and this time around, it is clear. The road makes it all the way to Thungraya - Nasak wildlife sanctuary's entrance, another protected area along the spine of Thailand, straggling Burma or the Andaman coast. After we pay the 100 THB entrance fee (~$3) and receive a stack of tickets in exchange (good deal, 30 tickets of 10 THB instead of just the normal 3 of 100 THB), we proceed to the deserted car park just beyond the entrance.

Ranong's landscape is nice and lush, the minor road up to the sanctuary entrance winds it's way through mostly rubber plantations with the odd oil palm plantation thrown in for reasons of variation.

>Anyway once in the sanctuary, the bush is still lush but more lustrous. Quite wet, a good track goes to the namesake waterfall, only 200m away.

Bok Krai, the main lower level.

There one learns that there are more levels, 7 no less and we take the good looking track up. However the higher one climbs the more muddy and less maintained the track becomes, like having to fight oneself through a jungle.

But, what a beautiful place. Well deserted with some the gracious pools. I hate to disturb the free flowing nature with my own natural antics but why else come all the way from the modern world if not to merge with the natura?

Sorry for the disturbance!

Elsewhere on the net are another blog entrance as well as some more photo's by nobythai.

Deadly

Khao Sok National Park is a funny kind of place. Due to it's relative proximity to Phuket / Khao Lak, the ability to use it as a stopover from these places to / from Samui ferry and being just one km from a nice highway, it see's it's fair share of tourists. So much so, that a village of lodges, minimarts, travel agencies and cafe's / restaurants has sprung up.

Besides the facts of access, the reasons for a visit include the entrance point to one of Thailand's biggest and most spectacular national parks, the impressive craggy scenery and deliteful meandering stream that finds it's way through the various bungalow operations. A poorly translated blog site names Khao Sok as no. 2 in Thailands list of top 10 national parks.

An acquaintance with the steamy jungle is on the cards. Khao Sok offers a number of trails, along some streams. Having done these trails already 20 years back, one would expect some improvement. But none of that. Though the village has expanded exponentially, the national park has little to show for 20 years of high entrance paying tourists. One is still leant on to take a guide to destinations just beyond a ninety minute walk over a 4WD track. Going beyond is forbidden without a guide, at least in the wetter half of the year. Such is the pressure that even to this point of return groups of tourists see themselves compelled to hire a guide which is ridiculous.

Though I might see some safety element in this, it questions why the same practice does not take place elders. Or why simply the trails are made safe enough for independent tourists. But maybe keeping the guide trade in business trumps all other reasons.

Anyway, mid 2011, we took the walk up the Khlong Sok as far as possible which leads to amongst a couple of swimming holes, the waterfall of Wang Hin. Wang Hin sits on a small tributary on the opposite bank of the main Khlong.

Beyond the Khlong, Wang Hin waterfall.

Further upstream are the waterfalls of Bang Leiap Nam and Ton Kloi, as well as Than Sawan which is up a side stream. Possibly a guide might be required for this waterfall

From the national park headquarters there is also the possibility to visit Sip-et-Chan waterfall, an eleven tiered waterfall (the translation already says it all). Possibly reachable during the dry season.

Other trekking destinations are the already aforementioned swimming hole (see photo of Bang Hua Raet below) as well as a few more spots for a dip.

Me, getting more wet with water than the customary sweat.

Just outside the national park there is the possibility for tubing (with guide), canoeing (with guide) or elephant trekking.

Over the mountains is the exceptional experience of where a major stream in the park has been flooded for hydropower usage. The lake level has risen enabling boot journeys around and among the towering limestone cliffs, a must-see.

The lake on a rainy monsoonal morning.

Wang Hin waterfall of Khao Sok National Park is located in Surat Thani province, just over 100 km due west along the main 401 highway. Good and recent info on the park is available from Khaosok.com as well as from Khaosokdiscovery.com.

Probably some of the best independent users information comes from Tezza's beaches and islands extensive and updated entry on Khao Sok. He goes to considerable lengths to warn against leeches, I had only the one after 3 hours, which dropped off by itself and the bleeding terminated after a couple of hours.

The leeches contribute to Khao Sok being rated as the one of the World's Deadliest Places to Swim!

'Before you go camping in this national park, be advised. The area is the home to more deadly creatures than any naive tourist can imagine. Huge centipedes the size of an adult man’s arm, man eating sharks[!, there are none!], blood sucking leeches, giant mosquitoes and poisonous caterpillars and Scorpion fish. Getting bitten by leeches is seemingly unavoidable so make sure to take up smoking as leeches hate tobacco. When attacked, mix water with tobacco and pour it over the leech and it should let go. Whatever you do, do not try and remove it by force as it will cause it to release its venom'.

A better perspective to be had is from Thom Henley's Waterfalls and Gibbon Calls (2005).

Barking up a tree

Ahh, another spelling mischief. Sap Chomphu, Sub Chom Phu, Subchom Poo, pronounciation same-same, just too difficult to spell ...

Anyway, another Phetchabun province waterfall. Not located in a national park, administratively it is seen as an arboretum with waterfall. Or a National Forest Reserve. Barely 30 ha in size.

Getting here is not too difficult, located 8 km south of Nong Phai on highway 21, the access road is from the village market, due west. Just slow down in the village and take the only road west, once on this road there are signs virtually every km, for the 8-9 km it takes to get here.

The road gradually rises as it dissects mango orchards. Late April, the farmers are up early and the road is used as collection unit for the plastic containers full of mangoes, waiting for transport to Bangkok undoubtedly. Despite all the signs along the way, the last one directing you to take a right before the steep incline is non-existent. On this cross road though is a wooden sign which describes this as Sap Chom Phu Arboretum.

Past a few houses one enters along a now empty pond. Behind this are lined a serious amount of stalls and an expansive parking area. No entrance fee is required and one wanders across the bridge. Not many foreigners get this far. This I conclude as the number 1 tell-tale sign, a pack of dogs is barking at the exotic creature (must be a ghost), is all too clear. From beyond the bridge there are a number of trails heading up and I just take one.

Within 2 minutes I am walking alongside a small stream (Sai Ngam Ngam) under huge trees, the trees alone are worth a visit. Some larger examples have been singled out for the yellow ribbon worship.

However the stream itself is a trickle and despite walking as far as possible, the waterfall is only a number of short steps. Possibly these are part of the three waterfalls mentioned as per Bangkok Post.

Waiting for the rain(s)

It's evident that later on, in the rainy season, there are much bigger falls to be experienced, see the picture of a full size poster at the entrance of the falls (below); despite an overnite downpour there's little to be seen, let alone experienced.

My photo's posted here are quite similar to those of the Bangkok Post referenced above, in the absence of the big waterfall.

What it should look like

In all it seems a little depressing as extensive amounts of trash take the shine off the naturalness of the surroundings. Better management might be an idea ...

More photo's from this provincial blog.

Cement

Saraburi is to most who pass through this province, synonymous with traffic, cement factories and huge Bhuddha's; certainly not with nature.

But surprise, surprise, Saraburi province, despite it's size, contains no less than 2 national parks, Namtok Chet Sao Noi and Phra Phutthachai (sometimes known as Khao Sam Lan). Furthermore there are quite a few waterfalls, some more well known than others. Muak Lek waterfall (tiny), Heo Noi, Sap Heo, Suan Maduea, Sap Pa Wan, Krok Fa Phanang and Khao Khaep.

Dried up
As Khao Sam Lan National Park is listed as having a signature waterfall (Sam Lan) as well as some others (Pho Hin Dat, Ton Rak Sai, Krok I-woe, Nang Chon, Phaeng Ma and Roi Kueak Ma) and it's just outside town towards Bangkok (take road 3042, followed by 3046), it was the destination of the late April day.

Fancy coming up to the entrance and being told that the waterfall was dry. They basically implied that the 200 THB (~$US 6) special entrance fee for foreigners was not worth the sights located further up the road.
Many locals continued but it was said that they were going for the food stalls and to relax, as they don't seem to have to pay an entrance fee.

Oh well better this way than the other way around. Expect much more water later on in the year.

[Update: The Bangkok Post (1 September 2011) places an article on the Sam Lan NP suggesting it is better to negotiate the park by cycle:

'Being the Kingdom’s smallest national park, Namtok Sam Lan NP of Sara Buri province covers an area of only 44.5 square kilometres. It is named after a waterfall that is known to be dry and lifeless most of the year, except on days that it rains real, real hard'.

Hmm ...

Next stop
I took a long and hard look at the map and decided that Chet Khot (Chetkhot, Jedkot?) waterfall would be do-able, not too far away. I double checked at the national park entrance and they said, yes, expect more water there. Fine.

So eventually back on route 2, in the plethora of traffic. Past cement factories heading to the giant Bhuddha. Ideally you want to turn off in Thap Kwang village, just before the highway starts to rise into the hills. But hey, this is an 8 lane highway, don't do the U-turn, just travel up beyond the next cement factory and there there is a fine overhead U-turn, safety wise better and loads more comfortable than sweating it out while waiting for a break in traffic.

Back in Thap Kwang head left and ask around. Eventually you'll end up on the right road which goes up into the hills for another 10 km or so. Winding itself around and over the hills it passes some smaller villages with small plantations. Signage is clear from here.

Surprisingly despite it's proximity to Bangkok there's little touristic development. Eventually the road ends at a car park, a couple of other cars and about 20 or so motorcycles, no entrance fee is required.

Upstream
There are a couple of buildings around the car park, overlooking a series a small rapids.

On the other side of the stream, a track disappears into the forest. It's a 1,5 km track which traverses the stream about halfway. At the end is brilliant pool with about a 10m high waterfall.

Young lads (owners of the motorcycles) are jumping off the cliff and generally seeking some kind of attention. A beautiful spot, but even on a Tuesday too spoilt by my fellow humans.


I walk up the side of the cliff, our youngsters expecting me to jump as well, but no (thank you), I just continue up the stream. There's no path but wading through the stream and scrambling over the rocks, brings more sought-after solitude, another beautiful spot.

Around
I hope it stays like this, my map also has a dotted red line crossing closeby the falls, the motorway no. 6 project. Yikes!

There is surprising amounts of info available on Chet Khot especially as somewhere nearby there's a nature study center (or here) located which arranges treks to more waterfalls in the area; Chet Khot Nue, Chet Khot Klang, Chet Khot Tai, Chet Khot Yai, Khao Raet (or Khao Khaep?), Krop Fa Phanang and Krok I Dok.
Andy has stayed overnite. Wow.

There's an article from the Bangkok Post (September 2006) about a visit here, including his or her experiences while trekking to Krok E-Dok waterfall, 8-10 kms from the center, but surprisingly under two hours of walk!

Kitaro has a photo overview of Klong Pakkham in Chet Khot forest.

Well, now I know Bangkokians have no reason not to escape town ...

Horn-billing

Phetchabun province is just over 4 hours easy drive from Bangkok, but it's a great place to visit which (despite it's proximity) still receives next to no tourist; even Lonely Planet doesn't mention this beautiful province!

In essence, Phetchabun province is a wide north-south valley, crammed between at first hills, later on 1000+ m, so no wonder that waterfalls are a major feature, though surprisingly scarcely visited.

One of the lesser known national parks in Phetchabun is that of Tat Mok, considering that the province also contains the Hin Rong Kla national park. The 290 square km Tat Mok National Park is named after it's signature waterfall which is said to be a 1-level 200-300m high waterfall

Getting here is not too difficult, from Phetchabun town head southeast and take road no. 2271 until it reaches road 2275. A right turn is required and then quite quickly the entrance to the park will need a left turn. From the entrance it is 18 km over a mountainous road to the road head.

Not many foreigners make it this far up-country and after the ticket lady contains her surprise thereafter followed a frantic scram (involving 4 staff members) to find the correct 200B entrance tickets, nearly 7 $US (April 2011).

It takes about half an hour to drive the deserted road to it's ultimate destination. Going up there are two larger viewpoints, if clear one could easily see Phetchabun town. After the first hill there are some more offices and a campground, beyond seems to receive even less visitors. At a certain moment I need to get out and remove a large branch from the otherwise good road. The valley gets more narrower and ends at a small car park with some amenities, but no one seems to be hanging around on a late Monday afternoon.

The track then starts and should last for nearly 3 km, 45 minutes. It's not often that in Thailand there are long walks possible (Thai's prefer drive-in nature) and certainly not well signposted ones. The trail hugs either side of the stream and has seen better times. On narrower sections, the improved pathway has been washed away as do all bridges. Attempts have been made to keep the track passable and it really is a nice beautiful walk.

An improvised bridge

Finally one comes to a section where the trail splits, the lower path continues onward for another 200m to the Song Nang waterfall (or Songnang)whereas the higher steps should take you to Tat Mok.

As rain is threatening with clear intentions of today's daylight being curtailed, I skip the Tat Mok part, as it is a high waterfall but with little water.

Instead the Song Nang waterfall is in front of me. It's a 10 level waterfall with delicious pools to skin dip in, yeah!

Author chillin

After chilling out it's time to return, drops of rain are falling. The best part of this is that birdlife are welcoming the moist and are out in numbers, audible though not visible. A salvo of larger cries leads me to believe that horn-bills are overhead and low and behold at an opening I see no less than 10 juveniles frolicking in the tree tops.

Back at the end of the road, there is still a great place to rinse off the return sweat before returning to civilization.

There are a couple of web sites on Tat Mok, mostly poorly translated from Thai, resulting in a load of gibberish, see for instance

'Tat Mok - two waterfalls her'.

sbayura.com has a good posting on Tat Mok / Song Nang including extensive photo's.
Thaiways has a picture of level 6.

Nearby is the hot spring of Nam Rong, possible as a post walk soak.

Intoxicating?

Suoi Ba Ho translates as "Three Pools Stream", which seems to give more credence to the waterholes beneath the three falls. In quick succession these falls find their way down about 100m of granite, hollowing out their lakes and creating a number of great swimming holes.

Unfortunately access is not fantastic. The turnoff from Vietnam's Highway 1 is 20-22 kms north of Nha Trang, the Khanh Hoa provincial capital, located on the south central coast. There’s a larger sign just before the small surfaced road. Three kilometers it says, which implies possibly 3 kms until a T-crossing with no sign there but where one needs to take a left. Continue onwards for about another 3 kms over a poor rough and tumble road, one eventually ends at a car park, in the process of being built into a bungalow park.

Well-shaded by tall trees, the rudimentary car park is along a sluggishly moving stream. On the opposite side are also bungalows being built, certainly marks of forward planning. Vietnamese ecotourism. The best part is that this is the worst part of whatever this development entity calls itself. A quick payment of 20,000 VND (a fraction less than a US $) had ensured entrance but the destination was still a little upstream.

A wide track continues along the stream until it shortcuts a turn and hits the boulder strewn stream itself. From here to the first fall one needs to jump from rock to rock. One gets to the first lake (and fall) after about 45 minutes from the car park.


Surprisingly for a Tuesday mid March, there are two large groups of locals at the lower lake having a merry time, slowly getting intoxicated.

Did I tell you that the National Parks of Thailand want to ban alcohol consumption in their jurisdiction? According to the Nation (December 28 2010) On the one hand, that leaves us folks who can control our intake with empty hands, on the other hand, drunks playing the clown are a part of the past.

Anyway, there’s a track up the side of the canyon, a very steep track. Fifteen minutes up and it’s a steep slide back down. There is also the possibility to use metal rungs drilled into the rockside to pull oneself up to the next features. Up here there’s nobody to be found, a great place to dip the skinny, a personal first for me in Vietnam.

More info from internet are the pages on Ba Ho Falls:

'Therapeutic properties are attributed to the waters of the three pools at Ba Ho Falls'.

Asian waytravel:

'Ba Ho is primitive with its tortuous soil paths, grass covers and green trees drooping down to the rock bedded streams. The romance of nature makes travelers forget daily worries. The interesting thing at Ba Ho is that tourists can step over the rocks to get to the banks. The place is perfect for a picnic. Under the glistening sunlight, tourist can relax in the cool water.

For young people, relaxing in the water is not enough. With a stick and slow careful steps up the path heading to the peak, tourists can take a panorama of the three lakes. In the immense streams, tourists can swim to feel the pure, clear water'.

Ba Ho can be organized together with a boat tour to amongst others Suoi Hoa Lan waterfalls.

Above photo from internet is by jessia22 with the caption

'Nha Trang Ba Ho waterfall- Nadeane jumping'.

No sunny rainbow

Umphang district is synonymous with waterfall fame, at least in Thailand. Literally located at the end of one of Southeast Asia's most twisting and winding roads (just over 1200 curve's until the next district of Mae Sot) national tourists flock here, not to experience the torturous road, but to visit Thi Lo Su, claimed to be Thailand's 'largest' waterfall (height 200m, breadth 400m, see blog entry on Waterfalls of Thailand). Wikitravel adds that it's among the worlds six most beautiful waterfalls.

As apparently the final 40 km of road from Umphang village to the waterfalls are closed during the rainy season (visit took place early October 2010) visiting the waterfalls is not a lightly undertaken mission, an offer my son was not willing to give.

Heading into the wild.

So we opted for second best, rafting down Mae Klong river (which is another reason Thai tourist flock to here outside of the rainy season). Though Thi Lo Sur wouldn't be on the cards, a delightful hot spring (see Soaking in Siam) and the undisturbed wilderness would. And there's the sensation of floating on the raft below a waterfall, the waterfall called Thi Lo Jau (Thi Lo Cho or Saifon) Both translate (from Karen and Thai) as rainbow.
Apparently once the sun shines early morning you can see a rainbow. Despite this info and the urgency to get there early, the sun wasn't shining so no neat pictures of the rainbow. But no need to worry internet guarantees that somewhere there is the picture perfect of the waterfall and rainbow in one.

Because of the remoteness of Thi Lo Jau, boat is the only option in getting here and the only option in experiencing the falls as it is located in a canyon like setting: both banks of the river are steep rocks. Boats / rafts leave from just outside of Umphang village and in season combine a visit to Thi Lo Su, while out of season one needs to walk (3-4 hours) and add an overnight stay. In the rainy season though, after a total of 5 hours, you and the raft are brought back the 25+ kms to Umphang.

World of waterfalls has beaten me to posting this on their blog, much better photo's too.

Another similar fall.

There are more waterfalls along the way, some bigger some smaller. This one (see photo's below) on a side river has it's own name, Mor something.

Elsewhere in and around Umphang, besides the two waterfalls above there are the waterfalls of Le Tong Khu, Thi Lo Rae, Sepla (Se Pla or Ze Pala) and even Thi Cha Na Ta.

A lot of Calamus

Heading south from Mae Sot towards Thailand's wild west capital of Umphang, there are a few opportunities to visit some waterfalls. One of which is the often visited Pha Charoen waterfall located in the national park of the same name.
However as one also has to return via the same road there's another opportunity to visit a waterfall in the same national park without everybody being stressed out about yet again a waterfall.

Pa Wai (or Ba Wai) waterfall is well signposted off the Umphang - Mae Sot highway no. 1090 though the distance from the highway is not the announced 9 km rather double. Access is south of Phop Phra district around km 40.


Apparently the name of the waterfall is derived from the plant of the same name (Calamus Caesius, rattan, see also below).

There aren't many facilities other than a toilet and a shelter, though there are a couple of makeshift bridges.

In reality the stream falls over a great many steps amounting to a fall of around 40m. As the steps are small and wide there are many trees in-between giving the area something special, though there is no big pond at the bottom of the falls, there are a number of steps to splash around in.


On the other side there is a deep sink hole (see photo above) where a part of the stream falls in, only to reemerge at the foot of the cliff. there is also a cave for those visitors fortunate enough to have a torch on them all the time. And a large tree at the bottom of the cliff.

The official Thai Department of National Parks website there is this about the waterfall:

'Bawai [Pa Wai] waterfall is a 100-step limestone waterfall, originating from Huai Wai with the flowing water throughout the year. The Waterfall is situated in virgin forest consisting of medium-sized/large plants. The Waterfall is called “Bawai Waterfall” because there are a lot of Calamus Caesius within the area'.

From wikitravel:

'To admire this waterfall, one must walk from its ground floor to the upper level. Then, go further for around 30 m, visitors will see a channel of about 10 m wide where flowing water falls and disappears under the mountain base. The waterfall originates from Pa Wai Creek where water flows all year round and many rattan plants grow. It is therefore named ‘Pa Wai’, which means a rattan forest'.

Name-giving

Naming an extensive national park (855 km2) according to just one of the included waterfalls reaps up dreams of a magnificent and all-encompassing waterfall.

So when heading to Pha Charoen (Pa Charoen) waterfall we were expecting just that. The waterfall can hardly be missed and entails no extra effort if you heading on highway 1090 between Mae Sot and Umphang, Tak province, Thailand.

Located a km from the turnoff (km 37) the biggest surprise is that one can enter this national park free, though one does need to sign something.
The parking area looks well-equipped to contain those many visitors eager to see the name-giving waterfall of this national park. The foot of the waterfall has been transformed into a park, complete with fitness track. And the bottom of the fall is certainly picture perfect but would I name a national park after this waterfall?
No, not really. Though very nice, it's not so extraordinary. In all there are 97 steps as the stream tumbles down 50 m (source) apparently, didn't count them myself.

We continue upwards along the side of the fall looking for a more discreet dipping place. Along the way there are some enticing pools but we seem to have adopted some youth whose day needs spicing up in the form of tagging along with foreigners. Beyond the lip of the fall, the stream still continues to drop, less in height but with bigger pools. But our bodyguard doesn't loose sight of us, so we return an illusion lighter. Other time other place.

Beyond the lip

Pha Charoen National Park contains more waterfalls such as Pa Wai, Saifa, Huai Tapu-kor, Nang Chron and Taralak (or Thararak).

World of waterfalls includes this waterfall as well with roughly the same sort of blog entry as above but with more photo's and a video, and complaints about visitors walking in the picture. It's funny but from many photo's on the web, it seems that this waterfall is visited more for ecstatic reasons, nowhere do we see people splashing around.

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