By Bhuddha

Intro
Signs say it's Wang Kan Lueng, others prefer Wang Kan Lueang whereas Wang Kan Luang seems to result in the most finds.

Probably Lopburi (Thailand) province's only waterfall, it will come to a surprise to many that there is even a waterfall in this mainly flat province. Better known for it's sunflower fields, the surrounding rolling hills are packed with to be planted cassava and/or to be harvested sugarcane; there's little to suggest in the geology nor in the landscape that hidden between the fields are a beautiful series of cascades.

Accessed from road 2089, Muak Lek - Chai Badan, entry is about 7 km north of the intersection with 2256 and the town of Tha Luang. The entry road heads west towards the floodplains formed by the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam. Only a km in length and extending on both sides of the stream, one soon arrives at the entrance proper: a car park with an impressive amount of food and knick-knack stalls.

Bhuddha
Effort has been made to keep the surroundings attractive, despite the lack of official protection by forest or national park administration; more often than not the way waterfalls are protected in Thailand.
Part of these efforts are directed by the erecting of a number of Buddha statues, Pae and Guy have a small blog entry solely on these statues.

All lined up

Exploitation
Officially described as an arboretum, there's not much to suggest that this is really the case. Just above the falls, a bridge extends to the other side which also has a large car park with vending stalls. Walk down stream past the main part of the falls and there is yet again a large bridge so one can make a circular route around the falls.

Gazing down

The main part of the falls are a rocky drop of about 5m. It's obvious that the underlying rock contains large amounts of calcium and the water changes colour to white/grey.

Above the falls are a number of vendors renting out picnic mats and inner tubes and judging by the height of the stacks, on certain days there must be heaps of visitors, Bangkok only 2,5 hours away. Above the falls are also some ponds to splash around in.

Betting on tubing

Below the falls, waters continue to drop creating small pools as the stream jumps in half meter / meter intervals. This section of the falls is impeccably clean and well-managed.

Further away
Downstream of the fall proper, extends a nature walk, hugging the north side of the stream. In places the stream becomes stagnant, but beyond the nearest stagnant section the stream continues it's jumping pattern. On a Monday morning there are some families near the main section of the falls, but at this time further downstream it's totally deserted. More worrying though is that refuse management does not extend this far and there is quite a bit of wind blown rubbish to be observed. The natural habitat evaporates and up to the edge of the stream are teak plantations. However each stream fall is followed by a waterhole, just the place for a secluded dip.

Web
Internet gives some other experiences, though most are positive. Paul Garrigan, a Lopburi located blogger, is quite surprised his province heralds a waterfall and despite his possible misgivings is quite impressed:

'When I caught my first glimpse of Wang Kan Lueang I was impressed straight away. I am no stranger to waterfalls in Thailand; for five years I lived in a village that is situated around a stunning ten level waterfall. Once we descended down some steps to Wang Kan Lueang it turned out to be a lot more crowded than I was expecting; I automatically regretted not bringing my swimming trunks because the water looked great and there were quite a few people already having fun'.

Melissa Swenson has a few pics from an equally good time. On flickr there are parts of sets by Joel Oh and lucaskt.

Updates

It's probably the first time I have used this blog for updates. Usually if there are updates I add them to the postings, keeping everything much more current.

However, it's not common for waterfalls to make news headlines and unfortunately it's mostly for the wrong reasons.
From addyjagat an extensive article on the death of a British women who fell down 100m on the Ton Nga Chang waterfall, 25 km from Hat Yai, southern Thailand.

'... slid about 30ft down the sloping rock-face before plunging off the steep 300ft drop'.

We tend to forget that waterfalls can be dangerous and the above is just another wake-up call. No doubt the authorities will come with extensive measures to avoid this happening in the future, though warning people always seems to be the most sensible.

Horrific and tragic.

Other news worth mentioning is that travelfish blogs are getting entries on waterfall hunting around Chiang Mai, up to now two great entries.

Past the bear pit

Part of the Yang Bay Tourist Park complex or at least just outside the most developed part of this tourist development complex, Ho Cho waterfall is a wide low waterfall, in all descending 6-8 m. I guess. Below is a great pool where one can take a very undisturbed swim. At least during the week, when visitors are few and far between.

That's for now. It's quite strange, this lack of even a decent track, slam-bam next to Yang Bay Tourist Park. Instead of going to Yang Bay waterfall itself, once inside the 'park' one takes the left road past the bear pit, tribal game place and orchid garden. Abruptly the wide road stops (10 minutes after taking the road) at a wild stream.

A small path continues through the high grass to the river where a small log has been laid over the first 2 m of the river crossing; the rest can be achieved by jumping from rock to rock. On the other bank of the river, the track continues through the forest until it hits the rock-face of the waterfall itself. No track beyond this by the look of it. Time for a dip.


The Yang Bay Tourist Park companies brochure describes Ho Cho as follows:

‘To be deep in the forest. Ho-Cho waterfall is considered as a challenge to visitors. Ho-Cho waterfall also owns a lot of hot mineral water sources helpful for cure’.

Well, the effort required can not be described as a challenge, it is pretty easy. I'm unsure about the hot spring claim though, it certainly was not apparent.

Another link to the possibility of there being mineral water is here:

'After a refreshing dip, visitors can relax in a natural hot spring'.

As stated in the Waterfalls of Southeast Asia blog entry on Yang Bay, management may want to expand the mineral water on offer and add in some mud (as in the success of Thap Ba hot spring).

It's a pity that not much is made of the current mineral water facilities, if existing.

Despite the development, Yang bay and certainly Ho Cho are worth the effort.

Update [June 2012]
This article mentions 

'The waterfall [Ho Cho] includes two streams, one hot and one cold. If tourists fancy having fun in the hot water or just want to relax, the park management board has built a swimming pool, which mixes the two streams of hot and cold water.
The waterfall will soon be developed into a hot spring site'.

All part of an expansion ...

Tax man. Not.

It's not often that a waterfall is included in this blog which I didn't go myself, in fact this is a first.
My wife was in Cambodia's western province of Pailin, not a place often visited. There she visited the Olavao waterfall, on her way back from Pailin.

There's some confusion on the name. Travelfish notes it as Otavao:

'If you're going to spend the day in Pailin, Otavao Waterfall is the area's top attraction. It's an easy trek to the top with several different sets of stairs along the way that lead down to the falls.
An unnamed restaurant is at the top and offers Khmer food and cold drinks. It's a great place to rest as it overlooks the falls and offers marvellous views of the surrounding lush scenery.
Several canopies are dotted along the falls and serve as good spots for resting or a picnic. It's best visited during rainy season, but either way, you'll likely have the site to yourself'.

O Tavauv is what the falls are according to Zepp (2):

'The falls are privately owned, by none other than I Chien, govenor of Pailin and son of Ieng Sary. This is not a National Park, and is yet another example of the Cambodian elite using their official position to further enrich themselves. And yet, they are performing a public service. It is the same system that cannot collect taxes for education but which gives you Hun Sen schools'.

Zepp goes to say that there are in fact seven falls.

This website mentions O'Tavoa.


Matt Jacobson's (2) describes how you need to return to just outside Pailin (under 2 km) and turn to your right. After 4+ km there's a ticket booth and then it's nearly another 3 kms before you reach the waterfall. Matt mentions it as being a 4-tier waterfall, but my wife said there were many tiers ...

Some great swimming holes and during the week it's near-deserted. Though recent construction of access roads and stalls and mountains of garbage indicate that in weekends the story is different.

Despite not swimming herself my wife did indicate that the swimming holes were big ...

Notes:
(1) Jacobson, M. (2008) Ultimate Cambodia. Coastal Books, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(2) Zepp, R. () Around Battambang. 2nd Edition. Tean Thor association, Battambang, Cambodia.

Cemented this one

Docile
It’s always difficult to present nature in it’s original state to tourists, such that it is appealing. Apparently, in Vietnam nature is required to be conquered before it can be appreciated. Conquered by the masses.

Yang Bay waterfall ("waterfall of the heaven") ranks as Khanh Hoa’s number one inland tourist location. Why? Because it’s been tamed and enhanced?

Enhancing includes a bear pit, a crocodile enclosure and a fish lake. An area where one can experience local ethnic customs, such as pig racing. And listening to a music performance by the local Raglai:

'Gia Rai residents are proud of their musical ability and are only too happy to entertain visitors. They play traditional instruments such as the chapi, t’rung, tacung flute, taleploi clarinet and the dan da (stone instrument)'. source

Taming means wide lanes and lots of cement. Making (and applying) rules. And cordoning sections off to make sure the masses stay docile ...

But it’s a waterfall! Hmmm.

Entrance
Located at nearly 50 km west of Nha Trang, the capital of Khanh Hoa, currently the access road heading west is being reconstructed. In absence of the completion one needs to take the only other road west, Highway 26A (to Dalat) which goes through the 17th century citadel of Dien Khahn. Eventually one heads more southwards into more hillier terrain, the hills covered with cassava and sugarcane.

Then over a higher hill one suddenly is at Yang Bay with it’s wide tree lined roads. One parks close to the ticket office (30,000 VND, ~ US$ 1,50) and as with me I apparently also bought a ticket (another 10,000 VND) for inside the park transport.

A golf cart brings me up 300m to a place closer to the falls. Here’s a restaurant and a number of outlets selling everything but a good cup of coffee. This being an early morning through the week visit, it’s nice and quiet. Hardly any visitors and a lot of cleaning going on. It certainly is clean; hurray for businesses taking over the nature.

About 100m beyond the stop the road is back at the level of the stream. On the other bank of the river is a smaller waterfall called Yang Khang which functions as backdrop to the above mentioned music show.

Yang Khang waterfall, note that one is not allowed on the rocks themselves ...

Yang Bay
In the mainstream is the Yang Bay waterfall: a wide fall of a number of steps, going down by as much as 20m. A wide path brings one to the top of the fall where it’s probably intended to take a photo and return back to civilization.

Beyond this point is a wide boulder strewn valley floor, which provably extends for a lot further. Travelfish describes there being another set of falls about a kilometer up. Instead of seeking this other set, I decide to see if another waterfall closeby, Ho Cho is reachable. See the upcoming blog entry on this fall.

Yang Bay

Even though over-commercialized and sanitized, Yang Bay is still worth the visit; at least if there are not too many visitors. Lines have been set out showing where one can (or must) swim and it’s certainly safe, albeit overly civilized.

First hand experience by other visitors is not easily to come by. Travelfish mention:

'The main falls have been heavily modified, and some swimming areas have been artificially created, but the effect is fairly natural and quite beautiful'.

Wikitravel adds:

'It used to be a lot nicer before they built it but it is still a very nice place to visit'.

Under-construction
The current situation is only a situation which consists from mid-2008, when the part underwent an upgrade to the original construction of 2004 (source). The owner of Yang Bay Tourist Park is the company known as Khatoco. Besides industrial activities and the local professional football of Nha Trang, it is responsible for the 570 ha park. In a news item the company is said to have more plans:

'We plan to invest billions of dong in Yang Bay. We want to build a mud bath and a high-end resort,” Khanh said with a smile surveying the beautiful countryside. “Then more people will be able to enjoy the nature and the loveliness of the reserve'.

Hmmm, I might have some reservations of this type of tourism which caters to masses. Then again, commercial interests have some potential unforeseen consequences:

'Le Cong Ra, director of the Yang Bay Tourist Park, said he and his subordinates are very worried knowing that loggers are destroying the forest in the upper part of the Yang Bay Fall'.

The outcome is more stringent enforcement.

You are here. At the cross road. Left to Ho Cho, straight ahead Yang Bay and Yang Khang.