🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Erawan Waterfall sits inside Erawan National Park in Tha Kradan subdistrict, Si Sawat district, about 65 kilometres from Kanchanaburi town — roughly an hour's drive. The draw is the clear, limestone-green water tumbling down seven tiers, each with a pool you can wade into, where tiny fish swim up and gently nibble at your legs. That last detail is what keeps a lot of people coming back.
Entry fees and opening hours
- Entry (Thai nationals) — adults 60 THB, children 30 THB
- Entry (foreigners) — adults 300 THB, children 150 THB
- Opening hours — daily 07:30–16:30 (tickets are sold and the climb opens up until early afternoon)
- Car / motorbike — a small extra vehicle fee applies at the standard national-park rate
The timing thing people get wrong
Rangers start limiting how far up you can go from around 3 pm onward. If you want to walk all 7 tiers, aim to reach the waterfall before noon so you have time to both climb and swim at an easy pace.
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What the 7 tiers are like
The first stretch is paved path and low stone steps — easy walking. Past tiers 4–5 it gets steeper, the natural stone steps narrow, and they're slippery when wet. If you genuinely can't manage the climb, tiers 1–4 alone still give you great photos and plenty of swimming for your money.
Tier 1, Lai Khuen Rang
Closest to the entrance, about 500 metres from the park office along an easy, flat path. A wide pool where kids and older visitors can get in easily.
Tier 2, Wang Matcha
A wide pool full of fish and the most popular swimming spot of the lot. Great for soaking and letting the fish nibble your feet.
Tier 3, Pha Nam Tok
Low ground around the pool makes getting in easy, with a pretty curtain of falling water. Another favourite for soaking and photos.
Tier 4, Ok Phi Suea
A smooth, rounded rock you can slide down into the pool — a natural water slide. You have to wear a life jacket here (rental is around 20 THB). This tier is fun and gets busy.
Tier 5, Buea Laeo Tae
Several small, pretty pools and noticeably fewer people. Quieter and calmer than the lower tiers, with a moderately steep climb.
Tier 6, Dong Phruksa
Deep in thick, shady forest, with the sound of water and the forest all around. The path is rough and easily slippery in the rainy season.
Tier 7, Phu Pha Erawan
The top tier, where the waterfall is said to resemble the three-headed Erawan elephant — the source of the name. Not many people make it up here because the final stretch is the steepest, but the view is worth the effort.
Before you go
- Shoes with grip — the wet rock is very slippery and plain flip-flops are a falling risk. Trainers or water shoes are a much better bet.
- Swimwear and a towel — coming all this way and not getting in the water would be a shame. Wear your swimwear under your clothes to save hassle.
- A waterproof phone pouch — to stop your phone slipping into the water while you shoot photos at the pool's edge.
- Water and a few snacks — there are no shops up top; food stalls only go a little way up the trail.
- Cash — life-jacket rental, bottle deposits, and the shops at the bottom are mostly cash only.
- Insect repellent — it's the forest, and mosquitoes and bugs are out in force morning and evening.
About plastic bottles
From tier 2 upward, if you carry a water bottle or any plastic bottle up, you have to leave a deposit of about 20 THB per bottle at the checkpoint. On the way back, return the bottle to get your money back. It's a measure to keep litter out of the forest, so keep some coins handy.
Getting there from Kanchanaburi town
Own car / motorbike rental
The easiest option. From town it's about 65 km along Route 3199, roughly an hour, with parking at the park entrance. Ideal if you want to carry on to Srinagarind Dam afterward.
Bus route 8170
Board at Kanchanaburi bus station; the route ends at Erawan Waterfall. There are several departures from morning to afternoon and the ride takes about 1.5 hours. Cheap, but check the return-bus times carefully before you board.
Chartered car / taxi
Hire a car and driver round trip — good for groups of friends or families and no fretting over bus times. Agree the charter price before you set off.
If you don't have your own vehicle
The last return run on bus route 8170 leaves in the late afternoon, so ask about return times as soon as you arrive — that way you can plan your swim around it and not miss the bus.
When's the best time to go
Late rainy season into early cool season — roughly late October to December — has plenty of water, that lovely green colour, and lush forest. A lot of people reckon it's the prettiest time. In the hot season the water drops but you can still get in. To dodge the crowds, go on a weekday and arrive right at opening, because long weekends get packed, especially on tiers 2–4.
Keep planning your Kanchanaburi trip — the Bridge over the River Kwai, the Death Railway, and riverside places to stay
See the Kanchanaburi guide →