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🇹🇭 Khao Yai · Attraction Guide

Haew Narok & Haew Suwat Waterfalls
Khao Yai's two famous falls — the 'The Beach' pool and the tallest cascade

The two waterfalls everyone asks about in Khao Yai National Park: one a clear jungle pool that once made the big screen, the other a tall multi-tier drop you climb down a long staircase to reach — both at their fullest and loudest in the rains.

What they are

Two very different falls in one stretch of forest

Honestly, going up to Khao Yai without stopping at a waterfall feels like leaving the job half-done — and of all the park's falls, the two names people ask for most are Haew Suwat and Haew Narok. The interesting part is that they are completely different experiences. Haew Suwat is a low single-drop falls with a pool below, easy to reach. Haew Narok is the tallest waterfall in the park — a much longer walk and a far steeper staircase down.

Haew Suwat is the more famous of the two, partly because it appeared in the Hollywood film 'The Beach' (the cliff-jump scene with Leonardo DiCaprio). It is formed by the Lam Ta Khong stream dropping about 20 metres over a cliff into a pool below, reached from the car park down a few short flights of concrete steps. If you want to see a Khao Yai waterfall without much effort, this is the one.

Haew Narok is a different mood entirely — the tallest waterfall in Khao Yai, dropping in stages through a deep, jungle-rimmed gorge. From the car park you walk a trail of roughly 1 kilometre, cross a footbridge over a stream, then take a steep staircase down to a viewing deck. It is more work, but the payoff is worth it, especially in the rainy season when the water thunders over the cliff and mist drifts across the whole gorge.

Haew Suwat Waterfall, Khao Yai — shot from beneath a rock overhang looking out at the falls and jungle pool, the view that made 'The Beach' famous
Haew Suwat — the classic view from beneath the rock overhang, the falls dropping into a jungle pool
🎫
Admission
In the park fee, ~฿400
Foreigners ~฿400 / Thais ~฿40 (check at gate)
🌧️
Fullest
Jun–Oct (the rains)
Thinner in the dry months, Mar–May
🚶
Haew Suwat
Short walk, a few flights of steps
Single drop with a pool below
🥾
Haew Narok
~1 km trail + steep stairs
Khao Yai's tallest, multi-tier drop
🚗
Getting there
You need a car
Two falls in different spots; no transport in the park
⚠️
Take care
Slippery rocks · flooding · leeches
Leeches in the wet; Haew Narok may close in high water
The two falls up close

Haew Suwat vs Haew Narok — how they differ, which to do

If your time is short, choose by your legs and the weather — these two are not the same outing.

Haew Narok Waterfall, Khao Yai — the park's tallest multi-tier falls dropping through a deep jungle gorge in the rainy season
Haew Narok — Khao Yai's tallest falls, dropping in stages through the gorge, seen from the upper viewpoint
When to go + safety

The rains make the best water — and demand the most caution

🌧️ When the falls are at their fullest

Both waterfalls are fullest and most dramatic in and just after the rains, roughly June to October, when rain has built up in the forest catchment and the water thunders over the cliffs in clouds of mist. This is when the scene is at its most powerful — the trade-off being afternoon downpours, muddy trails and leeches in the damp forest.

The cool season, November to February, is the peak time in Khao Yai (cool air, misty mornings, comfortable walking, bigger crowds). The falls still carry some water from the late-year rains, then taper off into the dry months. March to May is hot, the forest is drier and the falls run at their thinnest — pleasant walking and fewer people, but underwhelming if you came for big water. See the full month-by-month picture in our best time to visit Khao Yai guide.

⚠️ Safety at the falls — read this before you go down

The rocks around the falls are very slippery, especially in the wet season. Walking on wet rock or wet stairs takes real care — wear shoes with good grip. Do not climb over barriers or step off the trail to get a photo. Water that looks shallow can hide a stronger undercurrent than you would expect.

On swimming — follow the posted signs and ranger warnings first. In many periods, particularly the rainy season when water floods quickly and dangerously, signs prohibit swimming. Do not jump or enter the water where signs forbid it. And if heavy rain sets in or rangers announce the descent is closed (which can happen at Haew Narok), do not go down.

🐛 Leeches in the rains: the damp forest from June to October has leeches. Bring leech socks or repellent, wear long trousers tucked into your socks. Leeches are not dangerous, just unpleasant — come prepared and you will enjoy the walk far more.

🐘 You are inside the park — respect the forest and its wildlife

While you drive to the falls you are in a park with real wild animals. Do not feed them (especially the macaques around the car parks), carry every scrap of rubbish out, and above all: wild elephants use the park roads, especially at night — drive slowly and give way to them, always. For the full picture on wildlife and park rules, read our Khao Yai National Park guide.

Haew Suwat Waterfall, Khao Yai, head-on — water dropping into a wide pool ringed by boulders and forest
Haew Suwat head-on — the water dropping into its wide pool, ringed by boulders and forest
Getting there

How to reach Haew Narok & Haew Suwat

Both falls are inside Khao Yai National Park, on the side reached from the Nakhon Ratchasima (Pak Chong) gate. You need a car — the two waterfalls are in different parts of the park, some distance apart, and no public transport runs between them inside the park.

🚗
Own car / rental
The most convenient way
~2.5–3 hr from Bangkok; through the gate, then drive between the falls yourself
🚆
Train / minivan to Pak Chong
Gets you to the area
The NE-line train to Pak Chong station is a scenic ride; then arrange onward transport up to the park
🚐
Charter / tour
If you would rather not drive
Hire a car and driver for the day, or join a Khao Yai tour from Bangkok that circuits the falls and viewpoints
Planning your time: with a half-day in the park, pairing one waterfall + one viewpoint + the grasslands for wildlife works well. Want an easy walk? Choose Haew Suwat (plus Pha Kluai Mai). Want the dramatic shot? Choose Haew Narok. See all the driving and transport options in getting around Khao Yai, and the train, minivan and drive from Bangkok in how to get to Khao Yai.
Before you go

What to pack — for an easy waterfall walk

🎒 The checklist

Shoes with good grip (rocks and stairs are slippery, especially in the wet) · drinking water (the climb back up from Haew Narok is tiring) · a rain jacket or small umbrella, as it rains most afternoons in the wet season · leech socks or repellent for June to October · a waterproof pouch for your phone and camera · and a light long-sleeved top against insects. Carry your rubbish back out of the park.

⏰ The best part of the day

Come in the morning — softer light, fewer people, and time to circuit a waterfall, a viewpoint and the grasslands comfortably before the afternoon rain (in the wet season). If you also want to watch animals on the grasslands, early morning or late afternoon is when you are most likely to see deer grazing. Read more on wildlife and the night safari in our Khao Yai wildlife & night safari guide.

Where to stay

Hotels in Khao Yai & Korat near the park

Most people stay along Thanarat Road near the park gate, or in Pak Chong town — choose by budget and style.

10 Best Hotels in Khao Yai & Korat
From hillside resorts and glamping to guesthouses in Pak Chong — every price point
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Where to Stay in Khao Yai
Thanarat Road · Pak Chong town · camping inside the park — compared
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Khao Yai First-Timer Guide
Start here — how to arrive, where to stay, what to see and eat, in one place
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Frequently asked

FAQ · Haew Narok & Haew Suwat

When are Haew Narok and Haew Suwat waterfalls fullest?
Both are fullest and most dramatic in and just after the rains, roughly June to October, when rain has built up in the forest catchment. That is also when the rocks are slippery, the trails are muddy, there are leeches in the forest, and the descent to Haew Narok is sometimes closed during heavy rain or flooding. In the dry months of March to May the falls run thinner but the trails are easier.
Do you pay separately to see Haew Suwat and Haew Narok?
No. Both are inside Khao Yai National Park and covered by a single park entry fee (around ฿400 for foreign visitors and around ฿40 for Thai nationals — check the current rate at the gate). Once inside the park you drive between the two falls.
Can you swim at Haew Suwat waterfall?
Haew Suwat has a pool below it, but follow the posted signs and ranger warnings first. In many periods, especially the rainy season when the water is strong and floods quickly, swimming is prohibited for safety and signs say so. Do not jump or enter the water where signs forbid it — the undercurrent is more dangerous than it looks.
Is Haew Narok a long walk with many stairs?
Haew Narok is a noticeably longer and harder walk than Haew Suwat. From the car park you follow a roughly 1-kilometre trail across a footbridge over a stream, then descend a steep, narrow staircase to the viewing deck. Going down is easy; the climb back up is tiring. Wear shoes with good grip and take care when the stairs are wet. Haew Suwat, by contrast, is a short walk down a few flights of steps.
Do you need a car to reach the waterfalls in Khao Yai?
Yes. Haew Suwat and Haew Narok are in different parts of the park, some distance apart, and there is no public transport inside the park. Most people self-drive, rent a car, charter a car and driver for the day, or join a tour. You can take the train or a minivan down to Pak Chong, but from there you still need onward transport up to the park and between the sights (there is no BTS/MRT/metro — this is a national park).
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