Haew Narok Waterfall

Namtok Haew Narok — roughly “Abyss of Hell” (haew, a ravine or abyss; narok, hell) — drops 150 metres over three tiers through dense rainforest in the southern section of Khao Yai National Park, making it the park’s tallest waterfall by a considerable margin. From the car park off Highway 3077, a paved one-kilometre trail crosses Huay Samor Poon Stream on a timber bridge before ending at a steep staircase descent to the viewing platform at the base of the main drop. The trail is flat and easy; the final stairs are genuinely steep and require care, particularly when wet.

The waterfall carries a dark footnote. On 2 August 1992, eight elephants crossed the stream above the falls and were swept over the edge. A further eleven died in the same way on 5 October 2019 — one of the largest single-incident wild elephant losses ever recorded in Thailand. A 400-metre line of concrete pillars was built along the stream bank upstream after the 1992 deaths; it did not prevent the 2019 tragedy, and repairs to the barrier were ordered in the aftermath. The tragedy is not incidental to a visit; it is part of what the place is.

Peak flow runs from October into November when the monsoon rains have fully charged the catchment and the main curtain of water is at its widest. During the dry season, particularly March to May, the fall can reduce to a thin trickle. The forest trail is at its most atmospheric after the rains, when red, orange, and yellow fungi emerge along the path.

Insider Tip: The viewpoint at the base is striking but only shows the lowest tier. If you arrive in the morning before tour groups, you can linger at the timber bridge upstream — the framing of the upper falls through the canopy is as good as the formal viewpoint and almost never photographed.

Watch out: The stream above the falls looks innocuous, particularly in dry conditions. Do not wade across it — the current accelerates sharply where the rock shelf drops away, and the bank gives no warning of how close you are to the edge.