We have seen many waterfalls in last one year as we have been hiking in Canada, USA, New Zealand and Hawaii. But Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall is quite different as you are not just enjoying the sight of waterfall and may be taking a dip in the pool of water at the base but you are actually climbing the waterfall while water is pouring down. It was, no doubt, a very special experience and something we would highly recommend for someone coming to Chiang Mai.
The Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall is a unique and mesmerizing natural attraction located in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. Unlike typical waterfalls, the Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall has a special feature that makes it stand out: its limestone-coated rocks, which give visitors the ability to climb directly up the waterfall’s face, thanks to the sticky, textured surface. These falls are unique as you can safely walk through the cascade, from level to level.
The 100m (328 ft) waterfall is divided into several tiers, with the highest part of the fall being about 10 meters (33 feet) tall. There are 4 levels to the waterfall – top to bottom it is labelled as 1 to 4. Good thing is you can go all the way down and climb up the waterfall (most people prefer this) or you can just do sections (like go down to level 4 by stairs and then climb up the waterfall to level 2 and then again walk to the top through stairs. Even if you don’t want to climb the waterfall, you can stay in the small pool area at the bottom and enjoy a shower in the waterfall. There are some steep areas and there are either rails or ropes to climb up but mostly it is not a difficult climb.
Park is open from 8am to 5pm daily. The best time to travel to the falls is early morning as it can get crowded during the day and specially on weekends. It is open all year around but more popular during summer months or on hot days for obvious reasons. We went on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-November and it was quite crowded.
Our experience
We were told that you should go early morning to avoid rush but we are not morning people. We left around 11am and it took us an hour to reach there. We were not sure what kind of shoes to wear and if the hiking trail will be open or not so we wore our hiking shoes and kept our flip flops along with a change of clothes. The drive itself was beautiful once you are out of the city. When we reached the National Park, we saw a sign for checkpoint and we thought that there must be a ticket. But the checkpoint turned out to be chatting with 2 friendly Thai ladies. Once inside the park, the signs are quite clear so we kept following them and reached to top of the falls.
To be honest, it looked scary at the first sight. So, we spent some time watching people on how they are climbing, spoke to couple of people for tips etc. and then walked all the way down. We just left our shoes at the side of the trail and jumped in the pool. After that, there was no looking back – we climbed up and then walked down again and repeated this 3 times!! It was so much fun, not just the climb but also enjoyed sitting in small water pools along the way. We had lunch at the small café/restaurant there and also walked to the Chet Si Fountain (short nature walk through lush green rainforest). All in all, absolutely lovely and unique experience. So if you are coming to Chiang Mai, add the visit to Sticky Waterfalls on your itinerary and don’t miss out on this experience of a lifetime.
How do I get to Sticky Waterfalls?
The waterfalls are located about an hour and a half drive north of Chiang Mai’s Old City. You can drive to the park by car or scooter or join one of the tour companies which can arrange pick up and drop off. The drive to the Sri Lanna National Park (where waterfalls are located) is beautiful and relaxing with hills on one side and the route going through local villages and nature, especially for last 20-25 kms. You will see signs along the route with last sign approximately 3 kms before the National Park.
There is no entry fee for the park. Yes, that is the best part. It doesn’t matter whether you are Thai or foreigner, this attraction is absolutely FREE. There is a checkpoint just before the entrance but they will just ask you how many people and may be which country you are from (probably collecting data for some research). Lots of parking places for both cars and bikes. From the parking, just follow the path to the left and you will arrive at the viewpoint just 100m down the road. This is the top of waterfall where you get a beautiful view of the whole National Park and can watch people climbing up the falls.
What all facilities are there at the Sticky Waterfall?
Just besides the parking, you will see a visitor centre (which is actually just a booth with one person sitting there). Mostly, the information is well posted (in both Thai and English) at the entrance itself. Also there is a small café where you can get snacks, drinks and local Thai dishes. Plenty of washrooms and changing rooms provided near the parking and also on the way down to the falls. Lockers
What kind of shoes and clothes should I wear at the waterfall?
Most people prefer to climb barefoot – that is how we did it. This is also recommended as you get good grip by stepping on the calcium deposits. Other people were in sandals and some were wearing water shoes as well. You can leave your shoes at the top (there are lockers at the entrance) or you can leave your shoes at the level where you want to climb up. Walking barefoot on the wooden stairs is quite ok.
If you are planning to climb up or down, most probably you will get wet. Swimsuit or bikini is not really required as there is no option to actually swim in the water. Best is to just wear normal clothes and carry a set of clothes that you can change into when you are back. You’ll find plenty of spots to sit and dip your feet into the cool water, which is crystal clear and refreshing.
What is the fitness level required to walk down or climb up the waterfall?
We think it is doable for anyone with average fitness as long as you follow the instructions and guidelines and don’t take unnecessary risk. Walking down the wooden stairs and path is manageable (there are around 20-25 stairs for every level so around 100 stairs from top to bottom). If you have any doubts or not feeling comfortable, we suggest that you observe others for few minutes and also make yourself familiar with the height etc while walking down the levels. The best part is that if you do it once, you want to do it again and again. Just because it’s so much fun. Once you step on the rock, you can feel if its slippery or not (ones with green color are surely slippery but you can easily avoid them). After couple of rocks, you get the hang of it and rest of the climb is easy.
Having said that, make sure you do not put yourself in any kind of risk by following some simple rules:
- Stay away from areas marked as “Danger” or “No-Go” zones
- Don’t try to be too adventurous or try something careless for that one shot or video.
- Do not block the way for others by taking too long for the photos/videos. There are plenty of spots and opportunities for photos (even with quite a good crowd, we could get some nice shots)
- Go barefoot or wear water shoes (with grip)
- If you don’t feel comfortable, ask for help.
How much time do I need for Sticky Waterfall visit?
Your time at the waterfall will depend on which levels you want to do (and how many times!). Going down and climbing all the way up with take an hour (stopping for dip in the pools and taking photos etc). The Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall is located inside Sri Lanna National Park. So it is not just the waterfall that you can enjoy (though I would say that will take most of your time). While you are here, you can also have a picnic. There are many wooden benches (with or without shade) and some green areas where you can sit and have food. You can bring your own food or buy from a small café at the entrance (snacks, drinks and local Thai dishes). The nature view specially from the campsite (behind visitor center and café) is absolutely mesmerizing.
Would suggest to also keep some time for walk around the falls. There used to be a nature trail from top of the waterfall to the base of the waterfall through the hilltop and forest. But seems it has been closed for couple of years now. So unfortunately you cannot do that but there is a short relaxing walk amidst the lush greenery of the forest which takes you to the Chet Si Fountain, the “fountain of seven colours” (Nam Phu Chet Si). There you will find a small shrine and a sacred spring, hidden in the jungle. Around 2 hours is good time to enjoy the waterfall and explore the place.