Thailand's Best?

Ti Lo Su, Umphang, Tak province. By spannar00oi

The Thai language Places and Prices coffee table magazine published an issue 2 years back with top Thailand destinations. These were their choice of best waterfalls, without ranking:

• Klong Thom Ron waterfall (being a waterfall as well), Krabi, Southern Thailand
• Huai Khamin waterfall, Kanchanaburi, Central Thailand
• Thi Lo Su, Tak, Northern Thailand
• Thi Lo Re, Tak, Northern Thailand
• Khlong Lan, Kampaeng Phet, Central Thailand
• Tat Mok, Phetchabun, Central Thailand
• Saeng Chan, Ubon Ratchathani, North-Eastern Thailand

Saeng Chan waterfall makes the list because it goes through a hole in the rock. Photo source.

• Mae Surin, Mae Hong Son, Northern Thailand
• Heo Narok, Nakhon Nayak, Central Thailand
• Phraiwan, Phattalung, Southern Thailand
• Krung Ching, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Southern Thailand
• Ton Nga Chang, Songkhla, Southern Thailand
  
• Mae Ya, Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

There are probably many more that could of made the list. It's not mine. They may have tried to include all regions and be politically correct ....

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 ...

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?