Namtok Pha Kluai Mai

Namtok Pha Kluai Mai sits inside Khao Yai National Park, reached via a campground and trailhead of the same name on the park’s internal road network. Because it’s inside the park boundary, visiting means paying Khao Yai’s general entrance fee — 400 THB for foreign adults, 40 THB for Thai adults — at the Pak Chong or Prachinburi gate, not a separate ticket for the waterfall.

The falls themselves are modest by Khao Yai standards: a multi-tiered cascade over rock into pools at the base, set in dry-dipterocarp and bamboo forest rather than the taller, more dramatic drop at Heo Suwat Waterfall nearby. What makes this spot worth the stop is the trail connecting the two — a roughly 3km forest path following the Lam Takhong stream, taking about two hours one-way through bamboo stands and dry forest to Heo Suwat’s 25-metre drop. The path is well-marked and doesn’t require a ranger escort, though it’s not paved or flat; expect roots, some mud in wet weather, and the kind of jungle quiet that Khao Yai’s more crowded roadside stops don’t have.

Watch out: Water conditions swing hard with the season. After heavy rain the stream can rise fast, and rangers close swimming spots across the park when that happens — don’t assume a pool is safe just because it looked calm in a photo online.

Wildlife sightings along the trail are a genuine possibility rather than a marketing line — Khao Yai holds one of Thailand’s largest wild elephant populations, plus gibbons, hornbills and, less pleasantly, leeches on the trail during and after the rainy season. Bring insect repellent and shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.

Insider Tip: Start early. The Pak Chong gate gets busy with day-trippers by mid-morning, and the trail is more pleasant — and cooler — before 9am.

Pair the walk with a stop at Heo Suwat Waterfall or the wider Khao Yai National Park grounds — most visitors treat this as one leg of a half-day loop rather than a standalone trip from Khao Yai town.