Sakunothayan Arboretum

Sakunothayan Arboretum sits about 33 km from central Phitsanulok on the Phitsanulok-Lomsak road, in Wang Thong district. Its main draw is a single-tier waterfall — roughly 10 metres high and 60 metres wide — where the Wang Thong River drops over a rock shelf inside the arboretum grounds. Entry is free, and the site is open daily from 06:00 to 18:00.

The waterfall carries several local names: Wang Nok Aen Waterfall on maps, Sakunothayan Waterfall in tourist listings, both referring to the same cascade. Water spreads across the full width of the rock face rather than dropping in a single narrow chute, creating a series of shallow pools at the base that fill and empty with the season. The surrounding grounds were upgraded from arboretum to Sakunothayan Botanical Garden status in 2018 and now hold roughly 164 recorded plant species across mixed deciduous and dry dipterocarp forest, with the river running along the southern edge of the property.

Flow depends heavily on the calendar. Expect the fullest, most photogenic falls during and just after the rainy season, roughly July through November, when the Wang Thong River is running high. By the hot season — March to May — the flow can thin out considerably, and some years leave little more than a trickle over the rock face. Weekday mornings tend to be quietest; the site draws local day-trippers and school groups on weekends.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with the arboretum’s forest walking paths rather than just the waterfall — the wider grounds are shaded and considerably cooler than the open highway approach, worth the extra 20-30 minutes if you’re visiting in the hot season.

Watch out: Water levels swing hard between seasons here. If a dry-season trip is your only option, temper expectations for the waterfall itself — the botanical grounds and shade are still worth the stop, but you may find a modest flow rather than a full cascade.

Bring water shoes if you plan to wade near the falls, since the rock underfoot gets slick, and pack sun protection for the open sections of the grounds. There’s no public transport directly to the gate, so a rental car, motorbike, or arranged transport from Phitsanulok city is the practical way in. Thung Salaeng Luang National Park and Namtok Kaeng Song, both also in Phitsanulok’s eastern hill country, make reasonable pairings if you’re driving out this way for the day.