Namtok Choeng Thong

Namtok Choeng Thong is a small, year-round waterfall inside a Lamnam Nan National Park protection unit in Mueang Phrae district, about 30 km from Phrae town via Highway 1022 toward Tha Pla. A flat 150-metre walk from the roadside parking area reaches the main cascade, where water drops over a rocky, forested slope into a shallow pool. There’s no entrance fee — this is a satellite ranger point rather than the national park’s main gate.

The falls sit about 9 km past Wat Phra That Cho Hae, reached by continuing along the paved road past the temple. Forest closes in tight around the water here — teak and mixed deciduous trees shade the pool for most of the day, and cicadas and birdsong carry over the sound of the cascade. It’s a quiet spot; few of the visitors heading to Wat Phra That Cho Hae make the extra detour, so you’ll often have the pool to yourself on a weekday.

Insider Tip: Don’t turn back after the first pool. The same trail continues roughly 150 metres to Namtok Choeng Ngoeng, a second small cascade, then about 500 metres further to Namtok Huai Rong — visiting all three makes a half-day loop rather than a five-minute stop.

Water flows year-round but is fullest during and just after the rainy season, roughly June through October; by the height of the hot season (March-May) the flow thins considerably. The site was damaged by flash flooding some years back and has since been restored by park staff and the local community, so check conditions with the ranger station before visiting in heavy rain — the same water that fills the pools can rise fast after a storm upstream. Watch out: the rocks around the pool get slick when wet; non-slip sandals beat bare feet or flip-flops.

Bring water, insect repellent and a change of clothes if you plan to swim — there are no facilities beyond the parking area and ranger point. This works best paired with a Phrae day out built around Wat Phra That Cho Hae and the old teak-house quarter in town, rather than as a standalone trip; the drive alone from Phrae takes about 45 minutes each way.