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Yasothon Nature Trip
Phu Tham Phra, Waterfalls & Isan Rice Fields

Yasothon is a small province most people drive straight through on their way to Ubon or Roi Et — but if you like quiet, uncrowded nature, there's good stuff tucked away here. It starts with Phu Tham Phra, a little hill you can actually hike, with old caves and a waterfall in one spot, and runs out to a red lotus field in the middle of the paddies and the misty Isan rice fields at first light. We've laid this out as a 2-day, 1-night plan with easy, unhurried driving. If you only have a single day, just take Day 1 on its own.

🥾 Hiking Phu Tham Phra💧 Rainy-season Waterfall🌾 Isan Rice Fields at Dawn
Yasothon Nature Trip Phu Tham Phra, Waterfalls & Isan Rice Fields

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Let's be straight up front: nature in Yasothon is the "easygoing" kind, not towering mountains or huge waterfalls like Loei or Chiang Mai. The appeal here is the quiet, the wide-open rice fields, and spots that locals visit far more than tourists do. If you come expecting dramatic deep jungle, you may be let down. But if you want a calm trip — shooting photos of the fields, doing gentle hikes, and eating proper Isan larb — Yasothon delivers.

When's the best time to go

Nature in Yasothon is very season-dependent. The waterfall at Phu Tham Phra only has water in the rainy season (June–October), while the red lotus field blooms beautifully around December–February, before dawn. If you want both, this trip suits the early cool season, when there's still a bit of leftover rain in the streams.

The 2-Day, 1-Night Route at a Glance

The main line of this trip runs from Yasothon town → Loeng Nok Tha district (Phu Tham Phra), about 85 km apart. Take Highway 212 and it's roughly an hour and a half of driving. Day 1 pushes out to the nature on the eastern side and you spend the night back in town; Day 2 picks up the rice fields and a city park at an easy pace before you head home. We'd recommend having your own car or a rental, because there's almost no public transport reaching the nature spots.

  • Day 1 — Hike Phu Tham Phra + ancient Buddha-image cave + Nang Non Waterfall (Loeng Nok Tha / Kut Chum districts)
  • Day 2 — Red lotus field at dawn + Isan rice fields + Phaya Thaen Public Park in town
  • Getting around — your own car is easiest · fill the tank before leaving town, as petrol stations near Phu Tham Phra are scarce
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Book the activities in your Yasothon trip ahead

Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.

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Day 1 — Phu Tham Phra: Hiking, Old Caves, Waterfall

Day 1

Nature on the Loeng Nok Tha–Kut Chum side

07:30
Leave Yasothon town, take Highway 212 toward Loeng Nok ThaAbout 85 km, around an hour and a half · fill up on fuel and grab drinking water plus a snack to tide you over
09:00
Arrive at Wat Phu Tham Phra, park in the temple lot, start the climb up the hillPhu Tham Phra is a small hill of roughly 200 rai. The path isn't steep — kids and older travellers can manage it; sneakers are enough.
09:30
See the ancient Buddha images inside the main cave and pay your respectsThe cave is about 3 m wide and 8 m deep, with old carved-wood and cast-metal Buddha images · nearby are Tham Kheng, Tham Ngu Suang, and Tham Kliang caves you can walk on to
10:30
Hike the mixed deciduous forest on the hill, finding viewpoints by the oddly shaped boulders on topThe forest is shady and cooler than down below; in the rainy season there's moss, ferns, and wild orchids clinging to the rocks
12:00
Come down off the hill and find lunch at a local spot in Loeng Nok Tha townAround here the local larb and som tam joints are punchy and bold — 40–60 THB a plate. Tell the cook to go light on the chilli if you can't handle the heat.
13:30
Drive to Nang Non Waterfall at the foot of the Phu Tham Phra rangeOne access road passes in front of Wat Phu Tham Phra · the waterfall only runs in the rainy season (Jun–Oct); off-season it's a dry rock terrace. Check water conditions with locals before you go.
15:30
Relax by the water, soak your feet, take photosNo entrance fee and no shops at the site — bring your own water and pack out all your rubbish
16:30
Drive back into Yasothon town, check in at your accommodationMost accommodation is in town · leave before dark, as this road has few lights
18:30
Dinner in town, stroll the Ban Singha Tha quarter or the evening marketTry larb, koi, and pla som — Yasothon specialities · Ban Singha Tha is an old-building district with a nice atmosphere in the evening

What you really need to know about the waterfalls

Nang Non Waterfall and Hin Kho Waterfall in the Phu Tham Phra group are not year-round waterfalls. Come in the dry season and you'll find only a rock terrace — don't be disappointed; treat it as a hiking spot instead. Local pages like Yasothon Today often post clips of the latest water conditions, so check before you set off.

Day 2 — Red Lotus Field, Rice Paddies & a City Park

Day 2

Dawn out in the fields, then a chilled morning in town

05:00
Wake before dawn and drive out to the red lotus field amid the rice paddiesThe red lotus is the provincial flower, blooming across more than 100 rai · it only looks its best from Dec–Feb; off-season it's just an ordinary lake
05:45
Arrive at the red lotus field and wait for the morning light and a thin layer of mistThe flowers are fully open from 05:00–11:00; come too late and they close up · villagers offer paddle-boat rides out across the lake — ask the price on the spot
07:30
Drive along the rice fields, finding spots to photograph Isan rural lifeIn late rainy / early cool season the rice is vivid green, with buffalo, field huts, and paddy bunds to shoot · ask the field owner's permission before stepping into the plots
08:30
Find an Isan-style breakfast — sticky rice with grilled pork, or rice porridgeMorning shops in town open from first light · try Yasothon's morning market and browse the local produce while you're there
10:00
Stop by Phaya Thaen Public Park in the centre of townA riverside park of about 18 rai, shady, with flower gardens and a small stream running around it · it's where Yasothon locals come to relax, an easy walk, no entrance fee
11:30
Pick up souvenirs before heading back — pla som, jasmine rice, fermented larbYasothon is a source of jasmine rice and Maha Chana Chai pla som, both great to take home as gifts
12:30
Have a final lunch to wrap up the trip, then head homeIf you're carrying on to Ubon or Roi Et, Yasothon sits right in the middle, so it links up easily with onward trips

Extra Nature Stops, If You Have More Time

If you stretch this to 3 days or want a change of scene, there are nature spots and communities nearby you can add to the plan. Most are on the same Kut Chum–Loeng Nok Tha side, not far on from Phu Tham Phra.

Kut Chum

Cowboy Village, Ban Nong Hae

A Kut Chum community with homestays, where you can get a feel for Isan-style cattle herding — walking the fields, the stream, and the village temple. Good for an overnight nature stay.

Loeng Nok Tha

Hin Kho Waterfall

Another waterfall in the Phu Tham Phra group, at Ban Chong Mek, Bung Kha subdistrict, Loeng Nok Tha. It runs in the rainy season too, with fewer people and more quiet than Nang Non.

Around town

Forest and fields around town

If you'd rather not drive far, just cruising the paddies around town in the morning gets you lovely Isan field shots without entering any tourist site.

Getting Ready for a Yasothon Nature Trip

  • Sneakers / hiking shoes — the climb up Phu Tham Phra is rock and dirt, slippery in the rainy season
  • Insect repellent and long sleeves — the forest and waterside have plenty of mosquitoes, especially toward evening
  • Drinking water and snacks — most nature spots have no shops, so bring your own and pack out your rubbish
  • Check waterfall conditions ahead — call Wat Phu Tham Phra or watch local pages to avoid arriving at a dry rock terrace
  • Start early, return before dark — roads into the nature spots have few lights, and driving them at night isn't easy

Travel without leaving a trace

Phu Tham Phra is a conservation area and a temple as well, and rubbish is a problem locals complain about often. Help pack out your trash, keep the noise down inside the cave areas, and dress modestly, since there are Buddha images to pay respects to.

Keep planning — see accommodation and the full Yasothon travel guide

See the Yasothon Travel Guide →

FAQ

Where is Phu Tham Phra in Yasothon, and is it hard to reach?

Phu Tham Phra is in Kut Chiang Mi subdistrict, on the Loeng Nok Tha side, about 85 km from Yasothon town via Highway 212 — around an hour and a half by car. The climb up the hill isn't very steep, so kids and older travellers can manage it, but you'll want your own vehicle as public transport doesn't reach it.

Does Nang Non Waterfall have water all year?

No. Nang Non Waterfall and the others in the Phu Tham Phra group only have water in the rainy season, roughly June to October. Off-season there's just a rock terrace left. It's best to check water conditions with Wat Phu Tham Phra or a local page before you travel.

When does the Yasothon red lotus field bloom?

The red lotus starts blooming around early December and runs through February. It looks its best before dawn, between about 05:00 and 11:00 — any later and the flowers close. Aim to arrive before 6 a.m. to catch the light and mist.

How many days is ideal for a Yasothon nature trip?

Two days and one night is about right. Day 1 covers Phu Tham Phra and the waterfalls on the Loeng Nok Tha–Kut Chum side; Day 2 takes in the red lotus field at dawn and a city park. With 3 days you can add the Cowboy Village or Hin Kho Waterfall.

Is there an entrance fee for these nature spots?

Phu Tham Phra, Nang Non Waterfall, and Phaya Thaen Public Park have no entrance fee. At the red lotus field, taking a villager's paddle boat costs a small fee — ask on the spot. Bring cash, as there are no ATMs out that way.

Related

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