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The shimmering azure ribbons of Erawan Falls, cascading down the mountains outside Kanchanaburi, Thailand, are a tourist favourite.
This popular spot, if you’re considering visiting, has almost certainly caught your eye due to the milky blue, limestone infused streams that tumble through the dense jungle. The seven tiers of waterfalls are a remarkable spectacle, captured beautifully by many a photographer.
However, the magnificence of this place is said to have been tainted by over-tourism, causing enormous crowds to converge daily on a relatively compact destination.
If you add the out-of-the-way location, ticket costs and hike difficulty, it has a lot of prospective visitors asking – are the Erawan Falls really worth the journey?
Well, we had the exact same questions before we visited. So, we’re here to give our honest opinions, the pros, cons, hints and tips, and as much information as possible (plus a crowd-free alternative!), to help you decide if a trip to Erawan Falls is a good choice for you.
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IN THIS GUIDE //
Erawan Falls – are they worth it?
WHAT ARE ERAWAN FALLS?
PROS AND CONS OF VISITING ERAWAN FALLS
HOW IS THE JOURNEY TO THE FALLS?
– FROM BANGKOK
– FROM KANCHANABURI
WHAT DOES ERAWAN MEAN?
IS THE ERAWAN FALLS HIKE WORTH IT?
CAN YOU SWIM AT ERAWAN FALLS?
IS THE ERAWAN FALLS TICKET WORTH IT?
ARE THE FALLS ACTUALLY THAT PRETTY?
IS ERAWAN FALLS TOO CROWDED?
IS ERAWAN FALLS WORTH VISITING IN THE OFF SEASON?
ERAWAN FALLS – A MAP
WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR TRIP
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FINAL THOUGHTS
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What are the Erawan Falls?
Erawan Falls is home to a huge waterfall, made from seven distinct tiers that you must hike between (so kind of like seven individual cascades). These falls are located within Erawan National Park, about a one-hour (68-kilometre) drive to the north-west of Kanchanaburi, a larger town in Thailand.
The seven tiers of waterfalls, all accessed by sometimes rough paths and steps, are named (in ascending order):
1 | Hlai Khuen Rung
2 | Wang Macha
3 | Pha Namtok
4 | Oke Nang Peesau
5 | Buea Mai Long
6 | Dong Prucksa
7 | Phu Pha Erawan
FIRST TIME VISITOR TO THAILAND?
If this is your first ever trip to Thailand, have a look at our monster-guide to visiting this beautiful country, which includes tips on money, food, transport, logistics, culture and more.
Also, if you’re landing in Bangkok, consider having a look at our overly ambitious one-day Bangkok itinerary (we live here, so we know it well).
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RELATED POST | A SOUTHERN THAILAND ITINERARY
Pros and Cons of Visiting Erawan Falls
Below, we’ve listed all the good and bad about Erawan Falls.
This includes the travel distances and logistics, costs, hiking, crowds and alternative options, so you can weigh up if a trip to Erawan Falls is worth it for you.
Is the Journey to Erawan Falls Easy?
The journey to Erawan Falls is usually made from either Bangkok, or the nearest larger town, Kanchanaburi.
From Bangkok
Distance | from Bangkok, it is a little over three hours of driving to Erawan Falls, often organised in advance by a tour or private rental vehicle as a day trip.
This six-hour round-trip to Erawan Falls is questionably not worth it, just for a waterfall, especially since you’ll be arriving in the middle of the day when the crowds are typically largest. However, lots of people with limited time swear by these lengthy day tours which include a visit to the famous bridge over the River Kwai and other attractions.
Tip | if you’re going to choose an organised tour, pick one without an integrated unethical elephant sanctuary included. Many regular tours will tell you they are ethical, but are simply not. The only ethical sanctuary out towards Kanchanaburi is Somboon Legacy Foundation – and they do not offer combined tours with a visit to Erawan Falls.
Remember, Thailand is the number one country in the world for elephant abuse – always avoid any ‘sanctuary’ that offers elephant contact like bathing or feeding.
So, having said all that, we’d recommend a tour like this one – it has all sorts of cool Kanchanaburi stuff, none of which include elephant exploitation!
Private rental vehicle | the drive is long, but doable (we’ve driven it – the roads are straightforward). It makes visiting the falls more worthwhile because you can leave really early in the morning to arrive before the crowds (if you can cope with early mornings). It’s possible to stop off at the distinctive, dusty pink dragon temple on the way – check it out!
From Kanchanaburi
If you’re staying in Kanchanaburi for several nights, Erawan’s waterfalls are definitely worth visiting.
Distance | Erawan Falls is just an hour away in the car, either by tour or rental vehicle. There is also a public bus (information further down).
Tip | we don’t recommend riding a scooter unless you’re keen and experienced. This is because the journey is long, some of the roads are busy and it just takes ages on a sluggish scooter! Also, do not rent a scooter for this route unless you have a motorbike licence from your home country, accompanied by the applicable International Driving Permit.
Summary | Erawan Falls is definitely worth visiting if you stay in (or around) Kanchanaburi. If you want to visit from Bangkok, it’s debatable.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR KANCHANABURI TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Thailand, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
If you book through the link below, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we actually use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
WHAT DOES ERAWAN MEAN?
The name ‘Erawan’ refers to a mythological multi-headed elephant called Airavata, the ‘king of elephants’.
If you want to learn more, Bangkok’s Erawan Museum houses a massive three-headed statue of Airavata.
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Is the Erawan Falls Hike Worth It
The full Erawan Falls hike, for an average fitness person, is pretty straightforward and easy. It involves lots of rough, potentially slippery uphill paths, some made from just mud and tree roots, plus steep sets of steps. However, the length is only two kilometres to the top, so totally doable if you stop to take a million photographs or swim on route.
Who will enjoy the hike | anyone active and looking for a forest adventure, wanting to get their sweat on in the Thai jungle!
Who will not enjoy the hike | anyone with physical limitations, like painful knees with steps, or any injuries that make it difficult to walk and balance. The hike is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs.
If you are only going to Erawan Falls to swim in the lower pools, the hike is very minimal and perfect for children. (However, then I’d question whether it’s worth the three-hour drive to solely swim in a pool).
Hike Distances from the Car Park
According to one of the signs at Erawan falls, the distance in metres, from the car park to the individual cascades are:
1 | Hlai Khuen Rung – 500
2 | Wang Macha – 600
3 | Pha Namtok – 700
4 | Oke Nang Peesau – 1050
5 | Buea Mai Long – 1550
6 | Dong Prucksa – 1750
7 | Phu Pha Erawan – 2000
Summary | the hike should not put off anyone coming to Erawan Falls, unless you’re unable to climb steps or navigate uneven surfaces.
CAN YOU SWIM AT ERAWAN FALLS?
Swimming is permitted and popular at Erawan Falls, so it’s an added bonus if you love to take a dip.
There are lifeguards and wearing lifejackets is mandatory (20-baht rental fee).
Some of the pools aren’t suitable for swimming and can occasionally be closed if it’s deemed too dangerous due to weather conditions.
Be aware that there is an abundance of those foot-bitey fish, which I am not a fan of, at all.
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Is the Erawan Falls Ticket Worth It?
In 2025, the entry fee to Erawan Falls is:
◊ 300 baht per adult (60 for Thai citizens)
◊ 200 baht per child aged 4-14 (30 baht for Thai children).
◊ All children under 4 and over 60s (Thai residents) enter free of charge.
This 300-baht fee, about £7 or $10, might seem quite high, especially for budget backpackers and when compared with the equivalent charges for Thai residents (read more about why I’m fine with dual tourist pricing).
◊ However, I believe it depends on what you do while there. For example, if you just pop in, swim in the lower pools for half an hour and leave, it’s probably not with the ticket price.
◊ If you hike to the top, hang out for a while, take a swim and leave after several hours with a bunch of pretty photos, it’s totally worth the cost. Since there are lots of lifeguards and the high volume of visitors means regular trail and facility maintenance, I think it’s perfectly reasonable.
The Erawan Falls entry ticket fee is especially worthwhile if you explore more of the Erawan National Park itself. The ticket price includes access to all of the points of interest within the 550 square kilometres of Erawan National Park, including some caves and a bunch of hiking trails.
Note | there is as an additional fee for parking, also paid as you enter. This is 30 baht for car parking and 20 baht for motorcycles or scooters. Bicycles are free.
Note | we paid with cash at the gate, however there is an app for pre-purchasing a ticket for Erawan Falls called QueQ. If you use QueQ to buy your tickets, you can purchase them via credit card or the Thai QR payment service instead of paying cash on arrival.
Other fees | there is a 20-baht fee to rent a lifejacket. This is mandatory if you swim.
Summary | the fee for Erawan Falls is absolutely worth it, unless you only have a flying visit.
Is Erawan Falls Actually That Pretty?
There are mixed opinions out there about how scenic Erawan Falls is. Some people think it’s kind of average, others rave about how it is the best waterfall they’ve ever seen.
I personally thought parts of Erawan Falls were on-par with Kuang Si Falls in Laos, prettiness-wise, which is crazy because Kuang Si Falls is an outstanding example of a waterfall.
It’s also quite similar to the nearby stunning emerald streams of Huay Mae Khamin, which are just another 45-minute drive up the road from Erawan.
Photography | we visited first thing, around 8am, and the speckled light through the jungle canopy was super photogenic (plus minimal need for ND filters with long exposures as the light was low).
Towards midday, the light was a little less picturesque, but didn’t make the falls less worth visiting, in my opinion (we’ve put in a bunch of pictures here so you can see for yourself – all taken between 8-10am-ish).
Summary | it’s a subjective response, for sure, but I think Erawan Falls is super picturesque, especially the second, third and fifth tiers, so it’s certainly worth a visit!
Is Erawan Falls too Crowded?
The answer to this is a subjective one. In our experience we’d say that after 10am, during peak season, Erawan Falls might be too crowded to be enjoyable, depending on your tolerance for human swarms in tight spaces.
It’s tricky since everyone has a different opinion on this issue.
Personally, we’d consider not being able to get to the edge of the pools because of super busy crowds, and not being able to hear the birds over the visitors’ clamouring voices, to be an unpleasant experience. This is how we found the lower falls around 11am, on our way out of Erawan Falls, on a week day.
I’m going to be totally honest – at times it reminded me a bit of Brits in Benidorm (I assume UK people know what I mean by that).
Conversely, first thing in the morning, at opening, it was utterly empty and we really loved it. If arriving later in the day, the crowds obviously thin out a little bit as you go up to the higher levels (but not as much as you’d hope).
Summary | the crowds at Erawan Falls are avoidable first thing in the morning, so it’s well worth visiting before the tour buses roll in.
Is Erawan Falls Worth Visiting in the Off Season?
In my opinion as a photographer and less-than-enthusiastic swimmer, the best time to visit Erawan Falls is during Thailand’s high and dry season, between December and April. (Although the foliage will be less green towards the end of this period and some parts of the waterfalls may be a bit drier).
During the dry season:
◊ the falls are easy to hike due to lower daytime temperatures;
◊ paths will be dry;
◊ water will be calmer and you’re more likely to see that perfect azure blue water, which is perfect for photography;
◊ the sun will be out, which makes everything prettier;
◊ and the water flow will be calmer, so is safer for swimming with a low risk of flash flooding.
◊ However, this all comes with high season crowds and morning temperatures might be a little cool to swim for some.
Is it Worth Visiting Erawan Falls in the Wet Season?
Some people are adamant that the wet season is the best time to visit Erawan Falls!
Wet season | between June and October, there is higher risk of flash flooding, muddy paths, and murky grey skies. Despite this, there are still many dry days during these months. However, a consequence of the increased rain is that the surrounding foliage will be more lush, green, and wild, and the rushing waterfalls more impressive.
It’s also less crowded from tourists during this season – making this a potentially amazing time to visit.
Shoulder season | it’s hit or miss in May and November in Thailand. We’ve been inundated by rain for weeks in November before, while it’s been completely dry during other years.
Summary | we think that it’s worth visiting in either season; both have their benefits!
ACCOMMODATION FOR ERAWAN FALLS
Kanchanaburi is the nearest major accommodation hub to Erawan Falls. It’s a large-ish town with a plethora of overnight options and restaurants, both within and outside the city.
It’s a worthwhile place to stay overnight because it’s home to the famous River Kwai, and has lots of cool temples and things to do in the surrounding area.
Many visitors also choose to stay outside the city in a riverside lodge.
Our recommendations are:
Natee the Riverfront Hotel ($$+) | situated in central Kanchanaburi, we stayed in this hotel with friends for four nights and it was *surprisingly* nice. The clean, modern (but classic) rooms are huge and all come with expansive river views. The balconies are comfortable, the beds are comfy plus the included breakfast was top notch. The location is within a one-minute walk to many restaurants and bars, and around a 30-minute walk to the famous bridge over the river Kwai. The pool was genuinely exquisite too. The price tag was outstanding, especially since we stayed in the height of the peak season.
Lake Hill Resort Kanchanaburi ($$) | this riverside option is a great affordable choice for visiting Hauy Mae Khamin and Erawan Falls, and it cuts down the driving time to the parks significantly (or consider any of the other riverside options nearby). It’s located in a cute little village area that we explored during our trip, situated on some of the most beautiful segments of the river, surrounded by lush, verdant jungle.
The Float House River Kwai ($$$+) | we haven’t stayed here yet, but it comes *very* highly recommended from several people we know. Although the location is a little out of the way for the falls, it’s an astonishing-looking hotel, with high-end, but rustically designed huts, sat right over the river. We’d recommend reading the reviews – it’s a very fashionable option at the moment (you’ll see it all over social media – if that appeals to you).
River Kwai Resotel ($$$) | for a significantly lower price tag, you can stay right next door to the Float House in this contemporary, outstandingly well-reviewed hotel (we have this one booked for our next trip to Kanchanaburi). If you’re looking for a smart and comfortable riverside hotel at a reasonable price, this might be the one for you.
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Erawan Falls – Map
Below is a savable Google Map including everything mentioned in this post.
To save it, select the star next to the title.
WHAT TO BRING TO ERAWAN FALLS
Hat | it might be worth bringing despite the jungly shade, as there’s some direct sunshine on parts of the hike and the walk from the car park is exposed.
Camera and gear | don’t forget whatever bits you usually use (for photographers, ND and polarising filters, and a tripod).
Travel towel | a microfibre, lightweight option for drying off.
Swimming gear | essential for swimming.
Water | the Erawan hike isn’t overly strenuous, but we’d always recommend bringing some drinking water (bring a refillable bottle with a filter, then you can drink the water from the river!). If you take a single-use plastic bottle above the second tier, you have to pay a deposit to ensure you return with it.
Go-pro | if you like to film your aquatic adventures.
Eco/river friendly sun block | if you’re going in the water, make sure that whatever you use is safe for rivers (most aren’t).
Shoes | bring something appropriate for the weather! Hiking sandals, like Tevas or Chacos, are great for these types of watery hikes, unless it is particularly muddy.
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An Alternative to Erawan Falls
If all this talk about crowds and Brits in Benidorm has got you all concerned, there is another option.
Huay Mae Khamin Waterfalls, located around 50 kilometres from Erawan Falls, is a similar type of place, consisting of seven tiers of more emerald-toned waters. We’ve written a comparison between the waterfalls of Erawan and Huay Mae Khamin, where we figure out which is our favourite, plus compiled a dedicated Huay Mae Khamin guide, if you’re interested in an alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a bus from Kanchanaburi to Erawan Falls?
Yes, the 8170 public bus departs from Kanchanaburi bus station and takes around 90 minutes. There are multiple buses a day and a one-way trip costs 60 baht.
What are the entrance fees for Erawan Falls?
The entrance fees to Erawan Falls for Adults are 300 baht and children are 200 baht.
Can Erawan Falls be visited as a day trip from Bangkok?
Yes, Erawan Falls can be visited as a day trip from Bangkok. It will be a long day but there are plenty of options on Get Your Guide.
Can I ride a scooter to Erawan Falls from Kanchanaburi?
Yes, you can ride a motorbike/scooter to Erawan Falls from Kanchanaburi. The road is paved and there is plenty of motorbike parking available. Ensure you have a valid motorbike license and IDP from your home country or you won’t be insured.
How long is the journey from Kanchanaburi to Erawan Falls?
The drive from Kanchanaburi to Erawan Falls takes around an hour.
How difficult is the Erawan Falls hike?
The hike to the top of Erawan Falls isn’t particularly strenuous for the average-fitness person. It’s doable for anyone who can walk up steps and across uneven surfaces.
How long do you need at Erawan Falls?
Ideally, you would budget around two-four hours at Erawan Falls. This would depend on whether you’re planning to swim, hike, take photos or a combination of the three.
Can you camp at Erawan Falls?
Yes, it is possible to camp near Erawan Falls. The Erawan National Park campground provides a dedicated camping area and even has tent rentals (though they aren’t guaranteed during busy periods).
Do Grab taxis go to Erawan Falls?
Yes, you can book a Grab Taxi to take you to Erawan Falls. You might struggle to arrange the journey back if you do not negotiate a return trip in advance, though.
What wildlife is at Erawan Falls?
There’s a variety of wildlife within Erawan National Park. Of these, you’re most likely (but not guaranteed) to see gibbons, many varieties of birds (including the rare Assam macaque), deer, snakes, frogs, and foot-nibbling fish. We didn’t see any snakes at the waterfalls, or any monkeys.
What facilities does Erawan Falls have?
Erawan Falls has a number of facilities on-site, including parking, picnic spots, bathrooms, a plethora of restaurants, an electric buggy service to the first level and a souvenir shop.
Final Thoughts
I genuinely think that, for most tourists, Erawan Falls is worth visiting (with some caveats). However, before deciding to go, it’s worth assessing what you will be visiting for, how you will be getting there and at what time of day and year the trip will be. All these factors could heavily impact how enjoyable your visit is.
As I mentioned previously, the ever-increasing tourist numbers at Erawan Falls has a significant impact on the environment and local economies. Investigating alternatives wherever possible is always a smart, sustainable option, and spreading the love (and crowds) across multiple locations is always appreciated.
So, if you’re after a serene, adventurous, more independent trip, consider Huay Mae Khamin Falls instead. You’ll get exquisitely pretty waterfalls without all the negatives that come with more popular spots.
If you’re self-driving to Kanchanaburi in a rental car, consider checking out Bangkok’s crazy pink dragon temple. It’s unique!
Whatever waterfalls you choose, we hope you have a magnificent time!
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