Sub Chompu Arboretum

Sub Chompu Arboretum sits in Nong Phai district, Phetchabun — about 180 rai (29 hectares) of deciduous dipterocarp and dry deciduous forest set aside as a national forest reserve since 1977. It’s a modest, low-key park built around three small waterfalls rather than a research botanical garden: Nam Tok Hin Ngam, Nam Tok Sai Ngam, and Nam Tok Thar Ngam, all fed by streams off the Phetchabun mountain range.

Walking trails link the falls through open dry forest, thinner and more sun-exposed than the dense rainforest arboretums further south — expect scattered shade rather than a closed canopy. A section of the grounds functions as a herb and medicinal-plant learning area, with labelled beds of species used in traditional Thai medicine. The falls are seasonal: rainy season (June-October) brings them to full flow with clear blue-tinted pools underneath, while the dry season (roughly November-May) reduces them to a trickle, so timing the visit matters more here than at a year-round waterfall. Phetchabun itself sees far fewer foreign visitors than the northern hill provinces, so this is squarely a domestic-tourism spot — expect Thai families and day-trippers rather than tour buses, and don’t expect much English signage once you’re off the main road.

Insider Tip: Visit on a weekday morning during rainy season — the falls’ blue-green pools are a local swimming spot on weekends, and the crowds and parking fill up fast for what’s otherwise a quiet park.

Watch out: Facilities are basic — no restaurant, limited signage in English, and the trail surfaces can get slick near the falls after rain. Sturdy shoes with grip are worth the effort.

Getting here from Phetchabun town means Highway 21 toward Nong Phai to around the km 156 marker, then the Ban Phochan-Wang Pla road for about 7 km — there’s no meaningful public transport option, so self-drive or a hired car is the only realistic way in. The site has minimal facilities: a car park, basic restrooms, and little else, so bring your own water and insect repellent. Outside the rainy months the appeal drops off fast; if the falls are your reason for coming, check recent conditions before making the drive, since a dry-season visit means three modest streambeds rather than three waterfalls.