Ton Chong Fa Waterfall

Ton Chong Fa Waterfall drops through five tiers inside Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park, fed year-round by the Bang Niang canal. It’s a genuine national park attraction, not a free roadside stop — entry is 100 THB for foreign visitors, 20 THB for Thai nationals, and a same-day ticket from elsewhere in the park covers it. Hours run 08:00 to 16:30 daily.

The lower two tiers sit close to the car park and are an easy walk on a clear path — shallow enough for wading, with a deeper pool at the base for a proper swim. Past that, the trail steepens and the rock stays slick with spray, so reaching the upper three tiers means a scramble rather than a stroll. Forest closes in tightly around the whole route; expect birdsong, the occasional butterfly cloud near the pools, and dense canopy that keeps the heat down even at midday. The pools themselves run cool and clear, a genuine break from the coastal humidity a few kilometres away.

It draws a modest, mixed crowd — a handful of hikers pushing to the top tiers, more casual visitors sticking to the lower two pools. Weekday mornings are the quietest window; weekend afternoons bring more day-trippers from the Khao Lak beach strip.

Insider Tip: Stick to the first two tiers if you’re short on time or wearing normal sandals — the higher tiers are worth it if you’ve got proper trail shoes and thirty extra minutes, but they’re not a quick add-on.

Watch out: The path above the second tier gets genuinely slippery after rain, and there’s no railing on the steeper sections. Trail shoes with real grip make a real difference here.

Visit May through November for the strongest flow across all five tiers — the water thins out considerably by the height of the dry season. Pack proper shoes, insect repellent, and drinking water; there are no facilities beyond the park entrance. It’s roughly 7 km from Bang Niang in Khao Lak — pair it with the main Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park entrance or Sai Rung Waterfall, another cascade in the same subdistrict.