Erawan Falls

Seven-tiered waterfall

Located outside Kanchanaburi, the seven-tiered Erawan Falls is one of Thailand’s most beautiful cascades. Dense bamboo groves and a lush mountainside setting support various forms of wildlife, including numerous bird species, monkeys, and reptiles. The 550 square kilometer National Park is also home to Phrathat Cave, which contains monumental stalagmites.

Erawan National Park

Erawan is Thailand's 12th national park, founded in 1975. The park extends for 342 square miles and contains the amazing, seven tiered Erawan Falls. This was possibly my favorite part of our thirty day trek through Thailand. The waterfalls are named after Erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. The amazing part about these falls is the clarity of the water, and the strange material that the stone beneath the water appears to be made of. It's a warm, soft texture that is very velcroey (ie. provides lots of friction) - you never feel like you're going to slip (unless you step on some of the more slimey plants and algae).  Climbing around these waterfalls, and swimming in the caves, is great fun. Can you make it all the way to the seventh falls? The weak at heart shouldn't attempt the climb, as at some points there's quite the tricky traversals (the tourism industry may have put stairs in place since we've been there).

Either way, the view will take your breath away. The whole time you're climbing up these waterfalls you're surrounded by lush, green, jungle; filled with animals (birds, monkeys, and more). And when we reached the seventh fall the jungle opened up and a beam of sun came down and turned a light rain that was pouring down into little drops of fire. It was an unbelievable experience that I'll remember to this day. If you're anywhere near the park - you must see these falls!