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 ...

Listing

Making lists seems to be a great way of making a total non-relevant comparison. Considering there are more than 60 entries already posted on this site, one mite be tempted to ask, which was the best? And I mite not be able to answer... But I'll try.

During the past week I have actually been trying to remember other places in Southeast Asia where I have enjoyed waterfalls and/or swimming holes. Most though are so far back, that I have no pictures to post and no real memories of them either. They were Tasik Chini in Malyasia (visited in 1990), Khao Sok (1990) as well as a 2004 journey in Khao Yai NP (Hew Narok waterfall) Thailand. That said none though are in the top 10.

Hew Narok

What I tend to like is places less visited / less frequented, with a walk (hate 'drive in' waterfalls), abundant nature and different.

As said the best swimming hole I have known was at Hin Huep, Lao, though essentially nothing exceptional it formed a good part of my life.

In the list I'll concentrate on waterfalls:

1. Tad Xay, Bolikhmxay, Lao. A huge pool, remote, surrounded by nature.
2. Blahmantung, Bali, Indonesia. An energetic walk in, high drop, great scenery.
3. Mae Sapok, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Remote but accessible, low visited, diverse fall area.
4. Huai Phai, Loei, Thailand. Another walk in which means less visitors. Great to mess around in.
5. Lu Du, Satun, Thailand. Forgot, so maybe over romanticized ...
6. Kuang Si. Beautiful.
7. Mo Paeng, Mae Hong Son, Thailand. Interesting surroundings.
8. Huai Hin Phon, Chiang Rai, Thailand. Unknown, quiet.
9. Tad Xe, Luang Prabang, Lao. Accessible, beautiful, vibe.
10. Khlong Nam, Kampaeng Phet, Thailand. Eery beauty.

The most popular waterfalls of Southeast Asia would be something different. In that top 10 would be Erawan, Sarika, Saiyok from Thailand, Kuang Si, Lao, Khone waterfalls on the Mekong, Lao/Cambodia, Gitgit, Bali, Indonesia, Sipiso-piso, Sumatra and many more. Anyone have different suggestions?

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.

Forgot, not

In my haste to put as much as possible of the waterfalls I have visited in Southeast Asia, a couple have fallen off the track so it seems. One which seems very unique is the waterfall of Angseri, Bali, Indonesia. Where else can you shower under a 7-8 m high waterfall after which you can take a hot soak at an adjacent hot spring? Well, maybe not so unique, but something special.

I have an extensive posting on the hot spring on my Soaking in Southeast Asia blog which seems to sum up most.

Another waterfall is a large waterfall that flows in the Telega Waja river, Bali, Indonesia. As I was rafting at the moment no photo's. Let's download someone else's:

It's quite high and too powerful to be underneath. Name:?

Why? For the adventure of bathing

(source)

Nam Kat refers to a waterfall in Oudomxai province, Lao. Again I managed to forget my camera when hiking here and was hoping that colleagues might fill the void ....

The start to the hike of the falls is roughly 20 km north of Oudomxai town where you take a right turn and continue over a dirt track until the first river crossing. Park here and then it's a one and a half hours walk up along the river into an increasingly narrow valley. In the beginning the track is well defined slowly the track decreases in width, though there route is pretty obvious.

The falls themselves are about 15m high into a large pool with quite a heavy flow of water. I believe I visited in December 2004 on a slightly cloudy day and the water was freezing, so no swim.

However Footprint Laos reports that visitors:

'... only saw a trickle of water from the falls'.

Never, ever comment on waterfalls in Southeast Asia pre-monsoon.

From the Oudomxai Provincial Tourism Department there is a good description of the waterfall:

'... if you are adventurous, take the time for a bath in the refreshing water of the Nam Kat'.

Can't see what the adventure of bathing in the water was, there were no crocs or anaconda's or things like that ...

Then there's the Lao National Tourism Administration :

'Why should I go to the Nam Kat Waterfall?
[Answer:] Discover the Heart of Northern Lao Why rush on, pass a wonderful day in the nature near Oudomxay'.

I know that in the past there was a threat of this area becoming 'developed' which would have included the likes of a resort possibly a casino, it's good to see it is still in it's natural state.

Elsewhere in the province there is the Lak Sip-et waterfall, or rephrased the 11km waterfall, which unsurprisingly is 11km up the road to Luang Prabang. Packed on holidays, these better accessible waterfalls are also less pristine and less impressive.