Huay Kaew Waterfall - Popular Waterfall in Chiang Mai

Huay Kaew Waterfall has 2 separate waterfalls, Pha Ngerb and Wang Bua Baan. To have a good view of the falls and enjoy the refreshing and cool shade of the many trees you will have to stray a distance of about 100 metres from the main road in Chiang Mai. The white of racing water stands out dramatically against the deep green of the surrounding forest.

However, do check with locals how clean the falls are as during the dry season the sewage from the villages further up the mountain trickles down the falls. Best to sit with a beer or glass of wine at the end of a day and chill out, rather than go for a dip.

This is the closet falls to Chiang Mai town, being a mere 10 minutes drive from city center and a great place to relax with a picnic in Thailand.

Erawan Waterfall in Kanchanaburi Thailand

Erawan Waterfalls are the focal point of the Erawan National Park. This is an exquisite park, very pretty, and very popular with locals and foreigners alike. The waterfalls are equally exquisite. There are seven tiers of waterfalls, each feeding lovely, freshwater pools that you can swim in.

A series of tracks lead you to the various falls across wooden footbridges - quite an experience in their own right! The waterfalls can get a bit crowded as they are so popular, so if you are looking for a more solitary experience, you should perhaps look elsewhere. A number of stalls provide staples like grilled chicken and rice along the way, and there is often very much of a carnival atmosphere about the place, especially in April during the Songkran Festival. A visit here will take the day – you should bear this in mind if you have limited time.

How to get there: Buses leave Kanchanaburi on a regular basis for the waterfalls, but as you will need the whole day there, you will need to catch the early morning bus. (currently 08:00)