Arguably one of the most amazing waterfalls in Thailand is none other than 'Erawan' waterfalls. It is situated in the Kanchanaburi province, and located at a distance of approximately 70kms from the town of Kanchanaburi.
If you are a person who enjoys Nature and Adventure along with peace and tranquility, then a visit to the Erawan Falls is a must. Imagine a place with emerald pools, natural caves and dense forests mixed together, and that is Erawan for you !!
I had researched about this place before going to Thailand, and the images of Erawan inspired me to visit this place.
The Journey :
Early in the morning of 7th November 2017, Myself and my wife Manasa, headed towards the Kanchanaburi bus stand to board the local bus that departs to Erawan.There are local buses that departs to Erawan from the Kanchanaburi bus terminal at an interval of every one hour, and the first bus departs at 8 AM.
Though the bus was crowded, we managed to get a seat. The journey was quite thrilling, as this was the first time we boarded a local bus in Thailand.
As and when the destination comes closer, the villages and agricultural fields slowly transform into a beautiful thick forest.
Erawan National Park
Erawan National Park is a 550 km2 park in western Thailand in the Tenasserim Hills of Kanchanaburi Province. Founded in 1975, it was Thailand's 12th National park.
81% of the park is mixed deciduous forests and the rest deciduous dipterocarp and dry evergreen forest. The park consists of limestone hills with elevation between 165-996m above the sea level, plains and number of streams. The major attraction of the park is Erawan Falls, a waterfall named after the Erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The seven-tiered falls are said to resemble the Erawan.
Erawan falls constitute of seven different tiers of waterfalls, and to access each tier, one has to trek along a well defined trail.
We purchased fruits and snacks along with few chocolates to help us retain energy for the whole day.
The seven tiers of Erawan Waterfalls :
1) Lai Kuen Rung
The first tier is named as 'Lai Kuen Rung', which is hardly a 100 metre walk from the main gate. The emerald ponds intrigue us to jump in to the water
For photography buffs, this place is tailor made.
2) Wang Macha
A further walk for about 150 metres will lead you to the second tier of waterfalls called 'Wang Macha'. I personally found this as the best of all the seven tiers. You can see lots of fish in these emerald pools, and the beauty of this falls is that you can sit behind the waterfalls.
None of the Thai massages are equivalent to the massage you get at Erawan. To experience this, you have to just sit on a rock and let the water do its duty.
Along with this you also a get a Natural Fish spa / Fish Pedicure in the package :)
3) Pha Nam Tok
Next comes the 'Pha Nam Tok', the third waterfalls which is around 1 kilometre from the entry, and about 250 metres from 'Wang Macha', the second tier.
This is a single tier water falls, that plunges from a height of around 30 feet.
The first image was captured from a DSLR, and the second one was with an iPhone 7 plus.
4) Oke Nang Phee Sue
About half a kilometre further, the fourth tier is seen. This is a small waterfalls, compared to the second and third tier.
A gradual ascent in the forest leads you to this serene place. This waterfalls is tranquil compared to the other ones. One can enjoy Nature and have a peaceful swim here.
5) Bue Nai Long
Next comes the Bue Nai Long, which is the fifth waterfalls in the Erawan National Park. The altitude starts to increase from here onwards, and the gradient of the terrain is a gradual ascent.
The fifth waterfalls is almost 1.5 kilometres from the fourth waterfalls, and it takes approximately 30-40 mins to reach.
6) Dong Pruk Sa
Another 500 metres from the fifth water falls leads you to Dong Pruk Sa, which is the sixth waterfalls in the series.
From the main trail, we have to take a deviation towards the right to visit this waterfalls. Once the stairs are climbed, one has to wade in the water for about 20-30 metres to reach the sixth tier.
7) Phu Pha Erawan
Return to the main trail from the sixth tier and take a deviation towards the left to reach the last tier of the Erawan falls. i.e, 'Phu Pha Erawan'
This is another half a kilometre trek from the sixth tier. Once we reached the top, we were extremely happy to have covered all the seven tiers of the Erawan falls and thereby witnessing the beauty of Nature in its raw form.
We were quite exhausted by then and started to unpack our bag to eat fruits. There were a lot of monkeys, and opening the bag without them noticing us was a herculean task.
We then traced back the steps to reach the main gate before the last bus departed. However, I could not resist swimming in this lovely pool. Hence, we returned to the second tier as quickly as possible.
After fulfilling my desire, we reached the entry point well before time, so that we could board the last bus.
Personally, this was one of the best place that we visited in Thailand, and I recommend nature lovers to visit this place.
Tips to Travellers / Visitors
WHEN TO VISIT THE ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK
Duration: The hiking trail is fairly easy and takes about 1 hour one way to the top, without stops.
However a visit to the Erawan Falls National Park should not be rushed.
Many group tours visiting the falls rush in and out in about 2 hours. This is not enough time to enjoy the tranquil jungle setting. Forget about package tours and spend a whole day at the waterfall.
When: The Erawan National Park open gates at 7.30 am and officially close at 4.30pm.
The Erawan Falls gets busy on weekends. If possible it is best to visit the waterfall during the week. Arrive early in the morning and you’ll have the jungle to yourself.
HIKING TRAILS AT ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK
There are lot of birding trails in and around the park. If you are observant and lucky enough, you get to see lot of chirping beauties along with mammals like monkeys, langurs and Elephants.
CAVES
The Erawan National Park is also known to a number of caves.
• Phartat Cave
• Ta Duang Cave
• Mi Cave
• Reua Cave
• Wang Bah Dan Cave
Contact the information centre to visit these caves.
HOW TO GET FROM BANGKOK TO ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK
Stage 1: The first stage of getting from Bangkok to Erawan National Park is getting to Kanchanaburi. Unless you have your own private transport these are your options:
• Train – Trains depart from Bangkok’s Thonburi train station at 7.50am and 1.55pm. The trip takes about 3 hours
• Bus and Minivan – This is the quickest way of getting from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. Minivans regularly depart from Mochit bus terminal, and costs 120 THB per person
Stage 2: Kanchanaburi to Erawan National Park
• Motorbike – The ride takes about one hour and you have total freedom with time. Motorbikes can be rented for 300 THB per day in Kanchanaburi.
• Bus – There is a dedicated bus operating from Kanchanaburi to Erawan National Park. Buses depart the Kanchanaburi Bus Station for the park almost hourly from 8am to 5pm. They also return to Kanchanaburi almost hourly. The public bus takes about 1 hour each way and costs 50 THB.
ENTRY FEE :
The entry fee collected by the Erawan National Park authorities is 300 THB for a foreign national, and 60 THB for a Thai National.
ETHICS TO BE FOLLOWED :
1. Do not litter the place. It is protected very carefully and beautifully.
2. Do not shout, as it may disturb the fauna of the national park and other tourists as well.
Hope you enjoyed the blog.
Thanks for viewing !!
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