The last couple of weeks we spent in Thailand in 2020 found us in Kanchanaburi. During our time there, we got to go on two motorbike day trips. One was to Tham Krasae Bridge. The other, which is the subject of this travel story, was to Erawan Falls and the nearby Srinagarind Dam.
Erawan National Park is located some 70 km northwest from the center of Kanchanaburi. It covers an area of 550 km2, and its major attraction is an array of seven delightful waterfalls. It owes its name to Airavata, the three-headed elephant of Hindu Mythology, whom Thais refer to as Erawan.
We started from Kanchanaburi early in the morning, and in order to get there, we drove on road 3199 for about an hour and a half. We had plenty of time. So before entering the national park, we decided to go explore the shore of Srinagarind Reservoir a bit.
We remained on road 3199 and drove up a steep slope to get down to Ban Mong Kra Thae on the other side. That village is built on the southernmost shore of Srinagarind Lake and, although it principally consists of a land portion, its most interesting part is to be found on the water. We drove to the shore and parked the bike to continue on foot over the extensive complex of raft-houses occupying the lake’s coast. A little community in its own right, the passageways between the rafts were full with locals busily scampering up and down. Many of the floating edifices were hosting bars and other tourism-oriented businesses. All were shut, probably due to the Coronavirus lockdown, but the owners were present, fervently engaged in reparations and preparations for their upcoming reopening. The views of the lake and the adjacent lush mountains were outstanding.
We got back to the bike and, after exploring the coast a bit further, we went for a coffee at Ananta River Hills Resort, situated on the shore. Then it was time to head to the waterfalls.
Just like all the national parks of Thailand, Erawan had reopened only days prior to our visit, following the easing of the pandemic measures. Although the national park was open, the virus still presented an impediment to its smooth operation. For one thing, we were requested to wear masks, and worse, we weren’t allowed to swim. The latter I found especially frustrating since we had to pay 300 THB per person as an entry fee. And on top of that, a 30 THB motorbike parking fee also applied. This latter fee may be avoided by just parking outside of the park’s premises and walking a little extra.
The good thing was that the place was much quieter than what it must be during normal times. I imagine it must be totally crammed, given it already was fairly busy.
The hiking trail along the stream and the seven waterfall tiers was very pleasant. It runs for about 2 km and ascends some 200 meters from the entrance of the park until the last of the falls. It is well-shaded along its entire length and rather physically-undemanding for anyone to do. The waterfalls themselves were exceptionally charming; the turquoise pools formed beneath them mind-appeasing and inhabited by large fish; the surrounding forest mystifying. Taking our time to leisurely walk up and down the trail and duly enjoy the place’s serenity, we were out of the park by afternoon.
Lastly, before heading back to Kanchanaburi, we had some time left to spare for checking out the Srinagarind Dam, situated a 3-km drive north from Erawan National Park’s entrance. There was a quite extensive open area beside the dam, featuring walking paths and nice viewpoints to the dam and its reservoir. We had a stroll around, and then perched in one of the kiosks to chill and wait for the afternoon heat to recede a bit before starting on our way back. In the end, we were back in Kanchanaburi a good two hours before sunset.
Accommodation and Activities in Thailand
Stay22 is a handy tool that lets you search for and compare stays and experiences across multiple platforms on the same neat, interactive map. Hover over the listings to see the details. Click on the top-right settings icon to adjust your preferences; switch between hotels, experiences, or restaurants; and activate clever map overlays displaying information like transit lines or concentrations of sights. Click on the Show List button for the listings to appear in a list format. Booking via this map, I will be earning a small cut of the platform's profit without you being charged any extra penny. You will be thus greatly helping me to maintain and keep enriching this website. Thanks!
