Namtok Lam Plok

Namtok Lam Plok is a six-tiered waterfall dropping down a limestone cliff face in Yan Ta Khao district, Trang, with a swimming pool at the base. It’s free to enter, open daily 06:00-18:00, and the climb up the tiers rewards you with a view out toward the islands and the mouth of the Palian estuary — a coastal payoff that’s unusual for a waterfall this far inland.

The pool at the bottom is the main draw for most visitors — clear water over a rock bed, cool enough to be a genuine relief in the afternoon heat, and shallow enough near the edges that families use it without much concern. From there, the six tiers climb the cliff in stages; scrambling up gives you progressively better views, culminating in glimpses of the sea and islands from the higher points. The site also hosts a small hydroelectric installation that generates power from the falling water — a detail locals will point out, and a reminder this is a working part of the landscape rather than a pure tourist set piece.

The forest around the falls stays reasonably quiet outside weekends and Thai holidays — this isn’t one of Trang’s marquee attractions, so you’re more likely to have long stretches of the pool to yourself on a weekday. Rainy season, roughly June through October, brings the strongest water flow across all six tiers; the dry season leaves a gentler flow that’s still fine for swimming but less dramatic to look at or photograph.

Insider Tip: Climb at least to the second or third tier before turning back — the view opens up noticeably once you clear the tree line lower down, and the estuary and island views don’t show from the base pool.

Watch out: The rocks around the pools are wet and can be genuinely slippery, particularly on the climb between tiers. Water shoes or sandals with real grip are worth packing rather than flip-flops.

Getting there

The waterfall sits in Tambon Phrong Chorakhe, Yan Ta Khao district, roughly 30km from Trang town by car or motorbike — there’s no reliable public transport link, so self-drive or a hired driver is the practical option. Namtok Sai Rung and Namtok Ton Tok are both nearby in the same cluster of Yan Ta Khao district waterfalls, managed by the same local forestry office. View on Google Maps.