Namtok Huai Rong

Namtok Huai Rong is a two-tier waterfall roughly 15 metres high inside a forest conservation area in Rong Kwang district, about 60km north of Phrae town. Reach it via Highway 101 toward Rong Kwang, turning off at the kilometre-78 marker and following a signed side road for about 4km — a paved approach rather than a remote trek.

The site works as much as a managed arboretum as a waterfall stop: local authorities have installed a water-retention system upstream to keep the falls running through drier months, and the surrounding forest is cited as home to somewhere between 80 and 120 recorded plant species along its walking paths. The water drops over two rock tiers into pools at the base, clear enough for a swim when flow is good, though — like most small Thai waterfalls that depend on rainfall — the volume and swimming conditions vary noticeably by season.

Insider Tip: Go in or just after the rainy season, roughly June-October, if a proper swim matters to you — the retention system helps in the dry months, but flow and pool depth are still noticeably lower outside the wet season.

Entry is free, in keeping with most small district-level waterfalls in Phrae that sit outside the national park fee system. There’s no admission booth and no set opening hours we could confirm — treat it as a daytime stop rather than something with fixed gates.

Watch out: Documentation on facilities here is thin — don’t assume there’s a shop, toilet block, or shaded parking on site. Bring your own water and snacks, and check current conditions locally before making a special trip if you’re travelling any distance for it.

The falls sit in Huai Rong subdistrict; two more Rong Kwang district sites worth combining with a visit are Tham Pha Nang Khoi, a cave a short drive away, and Wat Phrathat Pu Chae, a hillside temple in the same district. Both make more sense as a loop than a special trip for the waterfall alone.