Heo Ta Chan-Heo Plu Nang Waterfall

Heo Ta Chan and Heo Plu Nang are two separate waterfalls on the same forest trail out of Ban Khlong Rua, a community-tourism village in Chumphon’s Phato district. The trail reaches Heo Ta Chan first — a multi-tier cascade broken into several distinct drops, each with its own pool — before continuing down to Heo Plu Nang, a single-drop fall that’s smaller but, by most local accounts, the prettier of the two. Locals visiting Phato’s other lookout, Khao Nomsao, often build both stops into the same day trip.

Both falls have a cleared area for camping, and Ban Khlong Rua’s community tourism group runs access to the trail — the village, not a park authority, maintains the path and can arrange a local guide. That’s worth having, since the route isn’t signposted for independent hikers. The forest along the way is typical lower-Phato jungle: dense canopy, running water most of the year, and no crowds — this is a village-run attraction, not a national park with a visitor centre.

Water volume swings hard with the season. During the rainy months, roughly June through November, both falls run at full flow and the pools are deep enough for a proper swim. By the driest stretch of the year the flow can drop to a trickle, especially at Heo Plu Nang’s single drop. If a strong waterfall is the point of the trip, check conditions with Ban Khlong Rua before setting out between February and April.

Insider Tip: Ask in the village for a guide who’ll take you to both falls in one loop rather than backtracking — locals know a connecting path between Heo Ta Chan and Heo Plu Nang that isn’t obvious from the main trailhead.

Watch out: The path is dirt and rock and gets slick after rain. Wear shoes with real grip, not sandals — this is a working forest trail, not a paved walkway.

There’s no entrance fee. The starting point is Ban Khlong Rua village, Moo 9, Pak Song subdistrict, reachable by car from Phato town; from there it’s on foot into the forest. Phato district sits inland, well away from the coastal resort circuit further south in Chumphon, so this is a genuinely local outing rather than a stop built for tour buses — bring your own water and snacks, since there are no shops past the village.