Relaxing At The Sai Rung Waterfall In Khao Lak

We headed out to Asia for the first time recently and based on advice from friends and research from other travel bloggers, we decided that a visit to Thailand would be the best way to kick off our exploration of this continent.

Thailand offers some incredible places for tourists to visit and we certainly weren’t short of options during our stay on the west coast in Khao Lak.

One of the things that we decided to do was head 10km north of Khao Lak in a tuk tuk to the Sai Rung waterfall. From Khao Lak this set us back 450 baht (around £10 at today’s prices) but was the easiest and safest mode of transport. Turning off of the main road the road then winds down a single track road, over some bridges and between rows of trees before arriving at the Sai Rung waterfall car park. You can leave your car or scooter here but it’ll set you back a few baht to the local guy.

As we arrived by tuk tuk and there went any others parked up we didn’t want to be stranded so simply asked our driver to hang orotund 15 minutes for us as from the waterfall we planned to head on to the nearby White Sand Beach.

From the car park you follow a small and cobbly path up to the waterfall. The path is really uneven under foot so I would advise you to wear proper shoes to avoid a twisted ankle. That said, I managed it in flip flops (thongs to those non-brits out there!) but it was a little precarious.

Sai Rung Waterfall, Khao Lak, Thailand

Along the walk you’ll also need to cross a narrow wooden and concrete bridge across the run off from the waterfall. The wooden one is a little wobbly and if it’s been raining is likely to be incredibly slippery so do be careful.

Sai Rung Waterfall, Khao Lak, Thailand

Once at the top, your short 5 minute hike from the car park will have been worth it as the waterfall is beautiful.

Depending on the time of year that you visit the amount of water flowing over the waterfall will of course vary quite dramatically. We headed here on 16th April during the peak heat yet the water was still flowing well. There’s been a lot of thunder showers recently so I expect this has kept the water level more topped up than usual.

At the plunge pool you can take a refreshing dip but be warned about a few things:

  1. it’s not the warmest water you’ll step into in Thailand!
  2. There are quite a few tourists here all trying to get the perfect photo so it’ll likely be busy
  3. The surface under foot in the plunge pool is very rugged as it is full of rocks so you won’t be able to walk around easily. Get some jelly shoes or just paddle around

If you read about the waterfall online there are stories of thousands of biting insects here. Well, it’s water, it’s in a humid country, and the waterfall is basically in a jungle so you’re more than likely to encounter bugs and insects! During our visit at 1pm however we didn’t see anything other than a few butterflies! Like anything in these countries, avoid dawn ad dusk and you should be fine.

During our visit at 1pm in mid-April it wasn’t too busy with around 15-20 people at the waterfall. If you read some of the reviews online however it sounds like it can get quite busy here so you’re best advised to visit early in the morning or later in the day to avoid any crowds.

Sai Rung Waterfall, Khao Lak, Thailand

It’s definitely not the most spectacular waterfall I’ve seen by any stretch however as a local site goes the Sai Rung waterfall is well worth a visit to if you’re staying in the area and have the time. It’s interesting, easy to get to and gives you some respite from sunbathing for a few hours.

Are you staying in Thailand this year and planning a trip to Khao Lak or the Sai Rung waterfall? Let us know in the comments!

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