Rim Tan Resort — streamside cabins you can swim in front of, and you can bring the dog
Picture waking up and walking straight off the verandah to dip your feet in a stream running past the front of your cabin — Rim Tan Resort (Rimtan) is a Sarika-area stay built around the water, about 500 metres from Wang Takrai and set right beside the Saeng Sam Chan rapids. The draw is its mix of cabins — riverside houses, train-car rooms, treehouses and houses with private pools. The grounds are large, pets are welcome, and standard cabins start from approx. THB 2,500/night.
The selling point is clear from the name — many of the cabins sit right on a stream that runs past the front of the house, so you can step down and splash without driving anywhere. The resort is on the Nakhon Nayok–Wang Takrai road, roughly 500 metres from Wang Takrai and set beside the Saeng Sam Chan rapids. Guests consistently say the charm is the sound of the water and the stream by the verandah — a feeling of being close to nature that a town hotel simply can't offer.
What sets Rim Tan apart from an ordinary riverside resort is just how many cabin styles there are. There are Zone A riverside houses near the restaurant, Zone BC houses with private pools, Zone D stream-view houses, a 'forest' zone styled as cave-like cabins, plus train-car rooms and treehouses. They sleep anywhere from a group of three to large parties. Every cabin has the basics — TV, fridge, hot water and free 24-hour Wi-Fi. What you're paying for here is the atmosphere and the stream, not luxury fittings.
"Open the door and there's a stream running past the front of the cabin — the kids could just hop in, and we brought the dog too. It's under two hours' drive from Bangkok."
Two things come up again and again in reviews: the spacious grounds and the fact that pets are welcome. The resort is large, shady and uncrowded, which makes it a good fit for families or groups travelling together — and it's one of the few stays in Nakhon Nayok that takes pets (for an extra fee), so dog and cat owners love it. On site there's the Rimtan Kitchen restaurant, which reviews praise for the food, plus a cute café with several photo spots.
The location works well for nature trips — splash in the stream out front, then drive a short way to Wang Takrai, the Saeng Sam Chan rapids, Sarika Waterfall and Nang Rong Waterfall. It suits families or groups of friends who want an easy, water-focused break close to Bangkok without a long drive. Set against the atmosphere and the space, the price is approachable: smaller cabins start in the low thousands of baht, while larger houses and pool cabins climb with size and headcount.
To be honest, it isn't perfect. Some reviews mention stray dogs in the area barking on certain nights, and because the resort is large with several zones, a few cabins sit a fair walk from the restaurant or car park. The styling leans toward natural atmosphere rather than the polish of a brand-new hotel. These are real things to know before booking — but the overall sentiment stays clearly positive, with a score around 9 out of 10.
One thing to plan around is the water season. The streams and waterfalls around Sarika–Wang Takrai are fullest and prettiest from the rainy season into year-end (roughly June–December), while in the dry months (January–May) the water drops and splashing out front is a different experience. If you're coming mainly for the water, the high-water window is worth more. Overall, if you want a stay that is part of the stream and the forest — one you can bring the whole family and the pets to — Rim Tan Resort delivers that at an accessible price.
A tip from reading many reviews: ask specifically for a cabin right on the stream (Zone D or a riverside house), as that's the angle that makes this place special. If several families are travelling together, a single large house that sleeps many works out better than booking lots of small rooms. And if you're bringing a pet, always flag it when you book.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Cabins right on the stream — splash out front, a rare setting
- ✓ Large, shady, uncrowded grounds, good for big groups
- ✓ Pet-friendly, a favourite with dog and cat owners
- ✓ Rimtan Kitchen restaurant and on-site café praised for the food
- ! Some cabins are a fair walk from the restaurant and car park
- ! In the dry season (Jan–May) the stream runs lower
- ! A few reviews mention area stray dogs barking on some nights
- ✓ Many cabins with stream and forest views, calm and quiet
- ✓ A wide choice of cabin styles, including train-car and treehouse rooms
- ✓ Near Wang Takrai, the rapids, Sarika and Nang Rong waterfalls
- ✓ Under two hours' drive from Bangkok, with parking
- ! Styling leans natural rather than new-hotel polished
- ! Popular cabins fill fast on long weekends — book ahead
- ! Pets carry an extra fee; flag it before you book
- 💡If you visit in the dry season (Jan–May) — the streams and waterfalls here run lower, so splashing out front is limited → if you're coming mainly for the water, choose June–December.
- 💡If you expect 5-star luxury standards — this is a large nature resort with styling that isn't perfectly polished → think of it as a streamside cabin stay instead.
- 💡If you'd rather not walk far to the restaurant or car park — the resort has several zones and some cabins are far out → ask at booking for a cabin near the centre or restaurant.