Namtok Thi Lo Re

Namtok Thi Lo Re is an 80-metre waterfall deep inside Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, where the Mae Klong River drops off a cliff overhang far upstream from Umphang town. It isn’t a day-trip destination. The only way in is by rubber raft, starting at the Karen village of Ban Pa La Ta roughly 27 km from town, then paddling and floating down the Mae Klong for around three days to reach the falls — a genuine wilderness expedition, not a scenic stop.

That distance is exactly what keeps Thi Lo Re quiet. Most visitors to the Umphang area see Thi Lor Su Waterfall, Thailand’s largest, on a single day out from town, or catch Namtok Ti Lo Cho on a short 40-minute raft ride near the Sai Pier put-in. Thi Lo Re sits well beyond both of those, along a stretch of river that only the multi-day rafting groups reach — so plan on it as the highlight of a dedicated three-day trip through the sanctuary, camping along the riverbank, rather than something you add on to a normal Umphang itinerary.

The river itself is the main event on the way there: named rapids of varying difficulty run the length of the route, with dense forest closing in on both banks and, in the wetter months, the kind of water volume that makes a proper white-water trip rather than a lazy float. Rafting outfits based in Umphang run the trip with local guides, safety gear, and camping/food included — this is not a route to attempt independently given the remoteness and the technical rapids involved.

Safety Tip: river levels and rapid difficulty shift fast with rainfall — go only with a licensed operator carrying proper safety gear, and expect the trip to be rescheduled if the Mae Klong is running dangerously high.

Rafting season runs roughly July to November, once the rains have brought the river up to a runnable level; outside that window operators generally won’t run the Pa La Ta route at all.

Tak province’s Umphang district is the base for all three of these waterfalls — worth allowing extra days if you want to see more than one.