Here is not as famous as Chiang Mai and Phuket, but it’s definitely the most beautiful place in Thailand in my mind! Kanchanaburi, only 2 hours away from Bangkok, is a place full of historical traces and beauty but far underestimated!
Erawan Waterfalls is the jungle secret of Kanchanaburi. Some people call it the Jiuzhaigou of Thailand, but in fact the two places are not comparable. It’s more similar to the Kuang Si Falls in Luang Prabang, but smaller and quieter.
About the best season: November and December are the best months to visit Erawan Waterfalls, with abundant water and beautiful blue color pools. We went there in May this time, just after a severe drought and the rainy season had just begun, the water volume was very small, but the color was still beautiful. ⚠️It is not recommended to go in August and September, the mud in the rainy season will mix into the pools.
About tickets: 300 baht/person for foreigners, plus 20 baht/car. Opening hours: 08:00-16:30, ⚠️ There are 7 levels of waterfalls, the whole distance is about 2 kilometers, the altitude rises 230 meters, and the seventh level waterfall closes at 15:30 in the afternoon. Try to avoid weekends and afternoon time, there will be many local tourists, but much less people at 8-9am in the morning.
About swimming: The water in the 1st and 6th level pools is extremely shallow and not open for swimming. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th level waterfalls are open for swimming. The water in the 5th and 7th level pools is shallow, less than 1 meter, but the water in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th level pools is more than 2 meters deep, which is very suitable for swimming.
About life jackets: The life jacket rental point ⚠️ is only located at the 1st level waterfall, 20 baht/person for 2 hours, after 10 baht/hour. In fact, no one calculates the time, and it’s just charged at 20 baht/person.
About toilets: Only located at levels 1 and 2.
About bringing drinks: alcoholic beverages are not allowed. It’s said on the Internet that even drinking water cannot be brought in when you reach level 3 waterfalls, but in reality, there is no control.