All information for tourists about the Erawan waterfall in Thailand. How to get there, photos, prices, etc. Erawan National Park and Waterfalls Erawan Waterfalls in Thailand

in thai น้ำตกเอราวัณ, in Russian it reads like "erawan" ) and the erawan national park of the same name is deservedly one of the wonders of Thailand. The waterfall is named after elephant erawan since the seventh level in its outlines is somewhat reminiscent of the head of this mythical animal. The Erawan elephant in Hindu mythology belongs to God Indra and is his vehicle. Erawan Waterfall is not only beautiful, it is also just huge! The length of the waterfall along the path is 1700 meters, the height from the first to the seventh level is 831 meters (the seventh level is at an altitude of 996 meters above sea level, the first at an altitude of 165) The path from one level to another runs along paths, sometimes the path turns into rocky areas and you need to show a little dexterity to climb the next step. Above the fifth level, a good trail turns into a good physical workout.

In all guidebooks, the waterfall is listed as "seven-level", but in fact, there is an eighth, ninth, etc. above the seventh level. For a mere mortal tourist, these levels are not available. since on the seventh level, a specially trained guard sleeps in a hammock; secondly, it is not safe to climb the waterfall.

The area of ​​the Erawan National Park is 550 square meters. km. It is Thailand's twelfth national park, established in 1975. Erawan Falls is the most significant attraction, but not the only one. There is also a waterfall on the territory of the national park. Pha Lun, the river bank is partly attributed to the national park Khwae Yai(in Russian River Kwai), dam Sri Nakharin Dam , karst caves Phra that, Mee Cave and Ta duang cave in which rock paintings were found, as well as simply protected forest areas.

The bluish color of the water is due to calcium carbonate, deposits of which can be found on the roots, on stones, on everything that comes into contact with water.

• Monkeys. Monkeys can be found on the territory of the national park. These are the Rhesus Macaque and the Crabeater Macaque. These macaques swim very well and have adapted to life near the water. The main source of food is tourists, or rather their products. It is strongly not recommended to feed monkeys, as they are wild dangerous animals. which by the way is said on the stands, the administration is trying in every possible way to drive them away from the habitats of tourists. This is usually done with a slingshot. Monkeys are very clever at stealing things, while they often do this on the go, run up from behind to a gaping tourist, grab a package and up a tree! Try it, get out your Iphone or your camera now ... If you are swimming and see monkeys nearby, it is better if you drive them away immediately with a stick or a stone. Otherwise, watch your belongings carefully. I'm not scared, I see all this almost every excursion to the River Kwai.
• Fish. In Thai, this fish is called "Pla Pluang". This is a type of carp. The fish, when entering the water, begins its procedures regardless of whether you ordered a peeling or not. The small fish cleanses the dead skin epithelium from your skin. They say that it is useful ... In any case, you do not need to be afraid of fish, and if you are burned out and your skin hangs in rags, then the doctor prescribed this fish for you. If there are small wounds on the body, it is better to seal them, otherwise this wound will turn into a wound!
• Trekking trails. There are several explored and marked trails on the waterfall. The most accessible trail starts (Ends?) from the second level and takes you directly to the bus stop. The trail is asphalted, there are large spider holes, birds, sometimes you can see a squirrel or monitor lizard. If you stand facing the stairs to the third level of the waterfall, then the trail starts on your right.
  Second trail, assumes time. Starts between the fourth and fifth level. After climbing the ladder, the trail leaves the main path to the right. The trail is not marked in any way, but it is difficult to lose it. The trail goes first through the bamboo forest, and then abruptly goes uphill. Then you will find a rather long and protracted climb over the stones. The trail I have explored to the top of the mountain, the trail does not disappear on this, but goes down ... I do not know where it leads yet .. But this is for now. Stay tuned ... In any case, this trail is not for organized excursions. Third trail starts between the third and fourth level of the Erawan Falls. If you go up, there will be a pointer to the left. The trail has many branches and this can be the reason for your wanderings. As a result, she will lead you through the humid tropical forest directly to the guest house. It takes an hour if you don't get lost. Someday I'll arrange a reconnaissance here and lead a route through the jungle ...
• Bathing. You can swim, wherever and however you want. At the last levels, you can meet nudist Europeans. The most popular bathing levels of Erawan Falls are from the second to the fifth inclusive. On the second level there are changing toilets and showers. There are also toilets near the bus parking, where you can change your clothes. On the second level, vests are available for rent.

Conditions of visit

• A ticket for foreigners costs 200 baht. Children under 14 years old 100 baht. Children under three years old are free.
• The national park starts working from 8:00 to 16:30. Above the second level, they stop letting in after 16:00.

Residence

Within the Erawan National Park there is a camping with the possibility of renting a tent and own cabins. The cost of camping with your own tent is 30 baht per night per person.

You can rent a tent (for two from 90-150 baht, three-ruble baht 225, for 4 people 300 baht) A complete set - a tent, mattress, pillow and blanket will cost a little more than 200 baht.

The cost of a bungalow for two is from 800 baht, for three 1200 baht, for 6 people 1800, a house for eight will cost 2400. Prices are per day.

When entering the territory of the Erawan National Park by private transport, a fee is charged: 20 baht for a motorbike and 30 baht for a private car.

Food

To the territory Erawan National Park, food cannot be carried above the second level. Water can be carried above the second level, provided that you leave a deposit of 20 baht. On your return, show the bottle and get your twenty baht back. It is CATEGORALLY forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages on the territory of all national parks in Thailand. After relaxing at the waterfall, you can have a bite to eat at the bus stop. I recommend cafe # 5, where they cook efficiently and inexpensively. The easiest way to get to the bus stop is not along the "for all" trail, but along the footpath from the second level and straight to the cafe.

National park photos

First level

Second level. The most accessible level for swimming.

Third level.

The fourth level or the Chest of the Giantess. It is on these cups, reminiscent of a woman's breast, that tourists and locals slide into the water, as if in an amusement park.

At the fifth level. The fifth level is two-stage.

One of the sleeves of the sixth level. Swimming on the sixth level will not work, there are almost no natural pools.

Clear azure sea, hot beaches, extraordinarily beautiful nature - all these characteristics are applicable to a wonderful country called Thailand. This place will literally conquer you with green islands, seething waterfalls falling from the slopes of the rocks. Of course, tourists have a lot to go and see here.

Slopes and waterfalls in Erawan National Park in Thailand

One of these wonderful places can rightfully be considered the Erawan National Park, the twelfth in a row in Thailand. It was founded in 1975 and covers a total area of ​​550 square meters. An unusual place is located in the north-west of the Kanchanaburi province in the mountainous area, it is completely covered with high mountains, exotic jungle. Imagine: the plains and jungle cover an area of ​​approximately 500 km2 in total!

Throughout the park, the height of the mountains is about 1,000 meters. In summer, hot, stuffy weather reigns, so your stay here will not be so comfortable, and in the period from November to February it gets a little cooler. The rainy season is from May to October. At this time, the Erawan Park from the north-west and south-east sides is overcome by the most powerful thunderstorm fronts.

Information sign at the entrance to the park

Evergreen forests cover 81% of the entire territory of the park. The remaining 19% are bamboo and dipterocarp dry forests.

To the east of the park rises a majestic mountain range, the limestone tops of which sometimes rise 1000 meters. It is they who create a powerful barrier from the hated monsoon from the east. It is for this reason that a sufficient amount of precipitation falls here. In the mountain ranges, seething river streams begin their journey.

For example, rivers such as Omtala and Mong Lai merge from the east of the park. On the southern side of the park, the unique Khao Pang river, which forms the majestic Khao Pang waterfall, runs its course.

Erawan National Park is distinguished by a diverse flora and fauna. Birds, mammals, reptiles live here. You can be considered a real lucky one if during your trip you managed to meet a flying squirrel, gibbon, hare, elephant, wild boar.

Detailed map of Erawan National Park

In addition, here you can admire white-eyed eagles, pheasants, peacocks, the Sambar deer, and the tiger. If possible, you should avoid meeting snakes or wear stiff high-toed shoes in order to protect yourself from snakes: Asian stone python, king cobra and ribbon krait. The fauna of Erawan boasts colorful fish, insects, crabs - they can be seen in the lake.

How to get to the park

The easiest way to get to the reserve is to take a bus from the city of Kanchanaburi. They run very often, about once an hour, from 08:00 to 16:00. The ticket price ranges from 48-50 Baht. But often they get to the park when they order the famous excursion to the River Kwai at travel agencies in Pattaya and Bangkok.

Tourists here admire the mesmerizing view of the waterfall and are very often photographed in these picturesque places.

Requirements for visiting the park

Electric cars for visitors to the national park

A ticket for adult foreigners will cost 200 baht, while for children under 14 years old you will have to pay only 100 baht, but for kids under 3 years old admission is free.

The delightful park is open from 8:00 to 16:30 - this is on the first level. Climbing above the second level is allowed after 4 pm.

Where to stay

Having visited the national park, be sure that you will definitely not be left without housing. Tourists are offered to rent a tent or their own house. Camping with its own tent is 30 baht per night per person.

But you can also rent a tent. So, a complete set, which includes a mattress, pillow and blanket, will cost you about 200 baht.

An ideal accommodation option would be a spacious bungalow, the cost of which for two varies in the range of 750-800 baht, for three - 1200 baht, but for six you will have to pay 1200 baht.

Food

Please note ¬– it is forbidden to bring food above the second level.

Street diner in Erawan Park

But you can take water with you, provided that when you return, you bring an empty bottle back, since Thais love order in everything and will not tolerate garbage.

If you dream of visiting the second level, then you will have to give twenty baht as a deposit, which will be returned to you when you provide the bottle. In no case should you drink alcoholic beverages on the territory of the park. In this picturesque place, you can have a tasty and inexpensive snack in an ordinary cafe number 5.

What's interesting in the park

Monkeys

Erawan National Park is especially famous for being home to monkeys. The most common of these are the two species of Crab-eating Macaque and the Rhesus Macaque. These animals are perfectly adapted to aquatic life, so they swim just superbly. The main source of food for monkeys is the scraps left by people passing by. Feeding macaques on your own is by no means allowed, as they are extremely dangerous and annoying animals by their nature.
Monkeys are quite clever enough to steal other people's things and even carry them away. One instant, and your phone or camera is in the hands of the agile monkey. It also happens that an impudent animal grabs packages and clothes. If a nimble monkey is in the immediate vicinity, then try to drive it away with a stone or a slingshot. Otherwise, you will have to be on the alert all the time and watch your belongings.

Read also

Crocodile farm in Pattaya

Fishes

The Thai fish Pla Pluang, one of the carp species, is considered a natural healer. After you dive into the water, the doctor fish begins to perform anti-aging procedures on your skin, which in terms of effectiveness will never be compared with salon ones.

A small fish destroys dead skin from the skin. Thais say it is very healthy. But you should not be afraid of harmless fish, since they will only benefit your body. Take note that if there are wounds on the skin, then it is better to glue them, otherwise a huge wound awaits you!

Trekking trails

Along the perimeter, the territory of the reserve is ennobled with convenient asphalt paths. The most accessible of them starts from the second level and leads to the bus stop. On the way you can see monitor lizards, burrows of spiders, various tropical birds.

Trail number 2 starts between the fourth and fifth levels. Keep in mind that it is very easy to lose sight of her. At first, bamboo forests dominate, then a steep mountain begins with a long protracted ascent along pebbles. Erawan National Park is ennobled by the third trail, which starts between the third and fourth levels. Walking along the trails will seem too exciting for you;

Bathing

Swimming and sunbathing on golden Thai beaches - what could be better ?! You can plunge into the azure transparent waters of the ocean, getting a surge of cheerfulness and a lot of positive emotions!
The last level of the Erawan waterfall is marked by the frequent presence of European nudists there. For swimming, the most popular levels are considered to be from the second to the fifth, inclusive. On the second level, you will be provided with a shower, toilets for changing clothes.

Being in the park is not limited to one swimming, you can walk through the forest, see local sights, enjoy a fascinating journey through the cave.

If you are in provinces Kanchanaburi then be sure to visit one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand - Erawan(Erawan), located in the park of the same name, about 70 kilometers from the city towards Burma. It is believed that it got this name because of the similarity of the most picturesque, seventh cascade, in shape with the mythical white three-headed elephant. Whether it is true or not is up to you when you get to the upper cascade and you can appreciate it with your own eyes!

The track of our walk along the seven cascades of the Erawan waterfall

The track along the Erawan waterfall is designed for physically fit people

Hotels in Kanchanaburi - where to stay

Kanchanaburi is a very famous tourist destination, both among Thais and foreigners. Tourists from Pattaya come here, and, of course, independent travelers do not bypass the wild and pristine beauty of Kanchanaburi. If you do not have a hotel in Kanchanaburi yet, we advise you to book it in advance. Despite the huge number of guesthouses and hotels in Kanchanaburi, the best are in high demand. We have compiled a selection of the best hotels both in the city itself and on the River Kwai in the rainforest.

• The Float House River Kwai- grade 8.7 ... This 4 * hotel on the River Kwai is located close to the main attractions of the province - Erawan and Sai Yok waterfalls. Spacious and chic waterfront rooms with river view verandas surrounded by rainforest and mountains create a romantic atmosphere. Guests praise the restaurant and the starry sky. Book >>
• Felix River Kwai Resort Is another 4-star hotel next to the bridge over the River Kwai. Located in a beautiful tropical garden, spacious, bright rooms in Thai style with modern technology. It features an outdoor pool, spa and tennis court. A pleasant plus - breakfast is included in the price. Many guests call this hotel an oasis and the best of their trip to Thailand. Book >>

Read also:

How to get to Erawan waterfall on your own from Kanchanaburi

The waterfall itself is in Erawan National Park which was formed in 1975. In addition to the waterfall of the same name, there are several lesser-known waterfalls, caves (including those with rock paintings), the coast of the River Kwai, impassable jungles inhabited by exotic animals and rare birds, and even the Sri Nakarin dam. There are several guesthouses and lodges in the park, so if you are a lover of pristine nature, you can live here for a while.

You can come from Kanchanaburi directly to the entrance to the Erawan waterfall by a small bus from the city bus station. He runs on a schedule once an hour, and during the day he has a long break, so check the schedule in advance. One way fare is 50 baht, and the travel time is about an hour and a half. If you go by car, then exit on the 323 highway, passing through Kanchanaburi, and then turn onto the road 3199. The cost of an entrance ticket to the park for foreigners is 200 baht.

This post describes our second visit to Erawan Falls, and you can read about the first one.

To make it more convenient for tourists to inspect all the cascades of the waterfall, an equipped trail has been laid along the river, with a concrete covering to the fifth cascade.

The path to the fifth cascade is equipped and poured with concrete

Walk in Erawan Park

The trail stretches along the stream for 1700 meters up the hill, and the climb when ascending to the seventh cascade of the waterfall is about 250 meters. The walk to the seventh cascade of the Erawan waterfall is quite comfortable, the road passes in the shade of trees, and in time it will take about one and a half hours one way. But on a hot day, walking is quite difficult, so it is best to go to the very top as early as possible, before the air warms up so much.

Laying tiles with natural patterns

It is best to plan your visit to the waterfall in the early morning. It is worth arriving here before nine o'clock, until the national park is filled with crowds of tourists arriving by large buses starting at 10 o'clock. The morning is also good because at this time the monkeys that live along the waterfall in large numbers are still sleeping. Sometimes, when they want to eat or just have some fun, they pester tourists, so keep an eye on your belongings, they may suddenly be liked by dexterous hooligans!

Erawan waterfall cascades

Information about all seven cascades is presented on the information board at the beginning of the trail

1 stage- Lai Kuen Rung (or Hlaikeunlung, there are different nameplates), located at a distance of 20 meters

2 cascade- Wang Macha, 170 meters away

3 cascade- Pha Nam Tok, 220 meters away

4 stage- Oke Nang Phee Sue, at a distance of 520 meters

5 cascade- Bue Mae Long, at a distance of 1120 meters

6 cascade- Dong Pruk Sa, located at a distance of 1420 meters

7 cascade- Phu Pha Erawan, at a distance of 1520 meters

The first two cascades are beautiful rapids on a mountain stream, and around them there are recreation and picnic areas. Thais love to come here on vacation, bring food and drinks for a picnic with them, take the best places and slowly while away the sultry day in the shade of trees, periodically taking water procedures.

Overflow first stage Erawan waterfall

Thais take the best seats in the morning and continue to sleep

NS the second stage there is a wide path, the ascent along which is not difficult. Although some especially fastidious visitors for a certain fee are taken to the second stage in an electric car.

The first cascade is quite picturesque, and here you can take the best photos of the multistage cascade of rapids on the stream, provided there is good lighting and a small number of visitors, that is, in the morning

Part of the first stage

It's nice to walk barefoot here

Trees are incredibly rooted in rocks from which water falls

See what a beautiful view opens up from here! No wonder the Erawan waterfall is considered the most interesting in Thailand, and tourists from Pattaya and Phuket come here. Water from a height of about 10 meters falls into a huge bowl in the rock, adapted for swimming.

Wonderful view of the second cascade of Erawan

Pla Pluang, or Tor Soro Cuvier & Valeciennes, live in a bowl under the waterfall. These fish stick to the skin and scrape off the dead layer. It's called fishy fish peeling(Fish Piling). In beauty salons, for these purposes, very small fish are used, of another species - Garra Rufa, or a doctor fish from the carp family, they are about the size of a finger. And here they are completely different, larger, up to 30 centimeters in length.

Thais feed the fish with their feet. Want to try it too?

Massage with these fish is very exotic and extreme, it is simply impossible to spend a long time in their company, it becomes a little painful and ticklish at the same time. And swimming with them is still fun. But if you want to swim to the waterfall itself, then you will have to risk and test yourself, it is not so scary, but rather unusual. The most important thing is not to sit in one place, otherwise rather large fish will fly at you with a whole school and it will be quite ticklish!

Photo of the second cascade of Erawan waterfall

Depository, here you need to leave a deposit for the bottles. So take care not to litter

Here you will be labeled with your plastic bottles of drinks, and for each bottle you will be asked to leave a deposit of 20 baht, which will be returned to you on the way back, subject to the presentation of the labeled bottle. We have met such a rather unusual service only in Erawan Park and nowhere else.

Labeled bottle, priced at 20 baht

Bamboo grows along the slope along which you go up. Some lovers of leaving a mark on history take advantage of the moment: in addition to the traditional "Anna and Roma", there are "Hurray, Chita" and "Nakhodka". Do not do this in any case, this is a national park, a nature conservation area. And although there are no patrols and rangers here, as in the US national parks, you still need to take care of nature.

Folk art in Erawan Park does not paint our compatriots

Third cascade also has a bathing bowl. But she's not very big and not very attractive. But fish for peeling are also found here.

Cascade number three usually pass by

If you really want to take a good swim, go straight to the fourth level.

Fork on the trail in Erawan Park

Here on fourth level usually the most tourists. Most of them stop here, as to the next cascade to go another half kilometer up the stairs and just along the paths. Therefore, many stay here and wait for their companions, and also leisurely continue to get acquainted with the Erawan Park. There is a really large and comfortable swimming pool, and the shady forest protects well from the sultry sun.

The most popular place in the park is actually very beautiful.

Track on fifth stage becomes steep enough, it is chained in concrete to make it easier to walk. And if you decide to go further, do not forget to check your drinking water supply, as the ascent can be quite exhausting, and then your walk in Erawan Park can be delayed. On the way, you will come across a large viewpoint, which offers a good view of the surrounding hills.

Viewpoint view of mountains in Kanchanaburi province

Longest transition to the fifth stage

When you finally reach Erawan Waterfall on fifth cascade, you will be amazed by the color of the azure water, from which two large stones, well smoothed by water, and named for their shape "Big Balls", protrude from it. It looks very similar. You can climb them from the side and slide off like a water slide.

Whimsical figure - big balls!

Here live fish that love to bite on the heels

In the fifth cascade of the Erawan waterfall, you can take a good swim

The path becomes more and more rocky and steep, and passes through the jungle, around huge trees, carefully propped up with sticks.

Caring support

On the way to the sixth level, you will need to be smart about how to get through in the most optimal way.

Ahead is the path to the sixth cascade

The more and more narrowing path rests on a gentle rock, which must be climbed, choosing the most convenient route. It overlooks sixth cascade waterfall.

Natural steps are smoothed by water from a mountain stream

A stream of bizarre shape murmurs loudly

A small stream of water slowly runs down

The sixth cascade is overgrown with plants

Here the Erawan waterfall is overgrown with moss and plants, and the jungle surrounds it from all sides. But in the shade it is not as hot as in the open space.

The sixth cascade of Erawan is covered over

Around the waterfall - a real jungle

Huge leaves literally fall on your head! Who did not dodge - he got!

Natural mask for carnival

But going here is actually not that difficult, just a little tiring.

Path to seventh cascade Erawan waterfall begins with a steep wooden staircase, which turns into a somewhat difficult climb along the cliff

Climbing the cliff in Erawan Park along the steep wooden stairs will surely be remembered for you

Along the way, there are depressions on gentle rocks inhabited by small fish

The natural pool with emerald water is inhabited by small fish. This unusual color is actually due to the dissolved minerals in the purest mountain water.

Natural pedestal in the national park of Thailand

A couple more stairs, then you have to climb the roots of huge trees, and here you are!

Nature along the Erawan waterfall

The road to the highest level only occasionally becomes completely horizontal.

Seventh cascade Erawan waterfall will really give you its beauty and coolness if you are persistent and did not give up on the way. It will be a worthy reward for your hard work and perseverance!

The water on the seventh cascade rushes down the ledges of the picturesque cliff

The seventh cascade of Erawan waterfall is the most beautiful

It is very pleasant to swim here, and the opportunity to climb under the waterfall into a small cave will give you incredible pleasure!

The cave under the waterfall can accommodate several people

Here it is worth freshening up, gaining strength and getting ready for the return trip.

An excellent hydromassage can be done under the streams of water!

If you came to upper level of Erawan waterfalls among the first, then on the way back you will meet crowds of people trying to conquer the next cascade, and asking you “Well, how is it, really interesting? And how much more to go? ", Hoping to get a negative answer and thus justifying your laziness and desire to quickly stop the ascent, in order to get back to the cool bus and go watch the next one, look on the Aviasales website >>

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Thailand is a very beautiful country, offering not only ideal conditions for a beach holiday almost all year round, but also many beautiful green islands, excursions through tropical forests, stunning beauty of waterfalls and architecture. In e, you will definitely find where to relax and at the same time what to see in the surroundings!

One of these stunning natural sites in Thailand is the twelfth opening (1975) Erawan National Park, which is located in an area of ​​more than 500 square kilometers of mountainous terrain, covered with dense jungle and fertile valleys, deep in the province of Kanchanaburi.

Erawan National Park is vast and rich in natural beauty, so tourists will find many interesting places here for themselves, but no matter what, everyone in Konchanaburi province should visit the waterfalls called Erawan and Phalun, the River Kwai, various karst caves of Rua. Phra Tat, Ta Duang, and Sri Nakarin Dam.

When to visit?

Despite the fact that the park is open to visitors all year round, the best time to travel to Erawan is considered to be the period from November to the end of January. During this period, the weather in the park and its environs is quite comfortable for relaxation and walking.

As for the hot season in Thailand (from early February to April), during this period it is especially hot in Erawan Park and it will be extremely difficult for unprepared tourists to stay on its territory for a long time.

Erawan National Park is open to the public every day from 08:00 to noon until 16:30. There are some restrictions depending on what time you arrive. For example, an hour before the closure of the park zone, you will not be able to see the Erawan waterfall above the second level. We recommend that you go to the park in the morning: this way you will slowly see everything that seems interesting to you, and you will not be constrained by any restrictions.

A visit to the Erawan National Park is paid: an entrance ticket for an adult and children over 14 years old will cost 400 baht, for children under the age of 14, but over 3 years old - 100 baht, up to three years old - the entrance is absolutely free.

How to get there?

If you decide to go to the park on a centralized excursion from a travel agency, then be interested in those labeled as a trip to the River Kwai. At the same time, be sure to clarify the question of whether the excursion to the River Kwai includes visiting other attractions of the Erawan Park and how long it is planned to stay on its territory. In the event that your chosen excursion to the River Kwai is designated as three hours or less, it is inappropriate to visit it, unless you want to see exclusively the River Kwai, and not the park and other attractions of the province.

In the event that tourists are planning an independent trip, first of all, it is necessary to get from their resort to the central city of Kanchanaburi province by any convenient means of transport. Erawan National Park is located about 63 - 65 kilometers from its borders.

In Bangkok, go to the Chonburi area at the South Station, from where every hour, starting at 08.00 and ending at 17.20, bus number 8170 departs towards the park. The cost of the trip is about 100 baht one way.

Also, from the capital of Thailand, you can get to the River Kwai and other attractions of the Kanchanaburi province from, from where minibuses and songteos depart twice a day (at 13.30 and 18.30 hours).

The distance from a to the main entrance to the park is about 200 kilometers. The way is 3 -3.5 hours.

Major attractions

1. Erawan waterfall is a seven-stage water stream with a maximum height of about 830 meters and a length of 1.7 kilometers. The lowest level is about 165 meters above sea level, while the highest point is about 1,000 meters. Erawan waterfall, as a unique natural object, and the administration of the park to preserve the natural beauty of this place forces tourists to adhere to the rules established here:

- do not go above the first level with packages and bulky bags (all things are left in special storage rooms);

- it is forbidden to bring animals to the waterfall (if you are with a pet, you will have to leave it in a place specially equipped for this);

- You can bring food and drinks only up to the second level, everything above is available for visiting only with one half-liter bottle of water per person, and even then on a bail of 20 baht (money will be returned only in exchange for an empty bottle).

Those who have ever visited the Erawan waterfall do not always remember the established rules, but their beauty and unusual water color will be remembered for a long time. The waters of the rivers that form the falls are saturated with calcium carbonate, and therefore, the water in the Erawan Falls is quite changeable: its color can vary from turquoise to deep emerald. For the convenience of visitors, a rather comfortable and wide path with a staircase runs along the levels, however, sometimes it is blocked by rocky ledges, and not everyone can rise above the fifth level, since the path is bad from this level, and those who want to see more will have to show strength and dexterity ...

The road to the top of the waterfall can take quite a long time, especially since at each level a water body is formed by the waters of the waterfall, where it is allowed to swim and relax. The second and third tiers are considered the most comfortable for swimming, but if you are not as confident as a good swimmer, take a swimming vest on deposit.

In the waters of the park, you can find flocks of fish used in spas for fish massage. Here you can go through this procedure absolutely free of charge and as long as you want.

1. Karst caves are considered another must-see attraction in the national park. There are quite a few of them here, but only a few are considered the most popular and visited: Ta Duang (inside there is rock art with images of people and a forest), Phra Tat (inside there are many stalactites and stalagmites of bizarre shapes and sizes), Mee (according to the beliefs of local residents, this the cave was once inhabited, since all five of its halls are well ventilated and quite comfortable for life), Rua (several relics are kept inside that make the cave look like a fabulous place), Wang Badan (a cave with a river, which has several halls with shining beautiful stones).

1. The Mong Lai Trail is another attraction in the park. It is laid through dense thickets of evergreen vegetation. The walk on this trail takes about an hour on average, during which you will pass through twelve different natural zones.

1. The Khao Hin Lan Pii trail is about 5 kilometers long. A walk along it takes an average of 2.5 - 3 hours. The trail ends at the fifth level of the Erawan Falls. When choosing walks along the trails, be extremely careful and do not lag behind the group of tourists, since there are a lot of branches off the trails found that can take you deeper into the park.

1. Phaloon waterfall is not as large and beautiful as Erawan, but it also deserves attention, especially during the rainy season, when this one-level beauty reveals itself in all its glory.

Accommodation in the park and surroundings

If you intend to thoroughly examine the entire territory of the park, without missing a single interesting place, then you will have to spend the night in the park or its environs in order to continue your fascinating exploration in the morning. It is best to do this in the park itself, so you can save on the entrance ticket.

For tourists, there is the possibility of renting a tent or a house on the territory of a camping specially equipped for this purpose. If you are with your own tent, then the cost of the place for you is only 30 baht, in the same case when you need a tent, count on the amount of 90 - 300 baht (depending on the size). Renting a bungalow for a day also depends on the number of people and will cost from 800 baht to 2,500 baht.

River Kwai: exciting excursions

Despite the fact that the River Kwai itself does not flow through the territory of the national park, excursion tours to it often involve visiting the waterfall itself, since these attractions are located in the same province of Thailand. True, an undoubted disadvantage is the fact that in this case you will not be able to be in the park for as long as you want, but you can still see one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Thailand - Erawan.

In addition to visiting the parkland, excursions to the River Kwai involve visiting coconut plantations, a teak factory and other interesting places in the province.

The duration of the excursion program on the River Kwai can be from 3-4 hours to several days.

The text of the article was updated: 05/29/2018

In the previous part of the review about an independent vacation in Thailand and a trip behind the wheel of a rented car, we looked at photos of the Black Monk statue in Wat Huay Mongkol and wandered through the underground halls of the magnificent Tham Khao Luang Cave, located on the outskirts of Phetchaburi. We finished the report that after visiting Khao Luang Cave and feeding the monkeys, we went to Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi province, where tourists from Pattaya who bought a tour to the Kwai River are brought. Today we will look at photos of the Erawan Falls, figure out what settings to set when shooting stormy streams of water and find out why it is better to come to Erawan on our own.

Google Maps claims that the distance between Tham Khao Luang Cave and the 192 kilometers entrance to Erawan National Park can be covered in 2 hours 45 minutes. Well, this is - he is an optimist! And what about food on the way? And what about traffic jams on the outskirts of Bangkok? And wandering around the park in search of ticket offices? Only by 18 o'clock we found a barrier with security guards at the entrance to the parking lot.

Entrance to Erawan National Park for foreign tourists costs the standard 300 baht per person, plus 30 baht for parking. As always, at the entrance to the park, the navigator began to glitch, again "wound" extra kilometers, before scouting all the points of tomorrow's route.

According to the experience of other travelers, if you settle in a bungalow on the territory of the Erawan National Park itself, you will not have to pay for a visit. But 10 minutes from the ticket office, we saw several hotel complexes with bungalows on the water - right on the River Kwai. We decided that it would be more interesting to spend the night in them (after all, we could not get to the Khao Sok National Park, where there are also raft houses), and in the morning go to see Erawan.

We chose a new hotel with pretty wooden houses buried in flowers. The hostess does not speak English, but she explained with gestures that the price of the room per night was 900 baht. We looked at the room: new renovation, air conditioning, cleanliness. We agreed. Here, the administrator let slip that there are still rooms for 600 baht. Let's get a look! Old furniture, wheezing air conditioner and battered showers. Hmm, we just have to sleep until morning. We take the one that is cheaper ...

As it turned out, the beautiful houses at the bend of the River Kwai belong to another hotel complex, and our hotel has no access to the shore. It's too late to move. Yes, and tired of the long journey, I want to fall asleep. We got a watermelon bought from the market on the sidelines, together with the hostess we treated ourselves to a delicacy - and bainki.

True, at first I walked through the hotel and took a couple of shots for the protocol.

The alarm was set at 7:30 in the morning. While the room was rented out, we went to the 7/11 store (Seven Eleven) for yoghurt and buns, the sun had already risen quite high - the regime light was lost. If you want to get really gorgeous pictures of the Erawan Waterfalls, you still need to spend the night in a house in the territory of the national park.

The car was parked at approximately 8:30 am. The parking lot is still empty (on the way back, all the parking spaces were occupied). Deserted paths.

Cattle, covering walls and furniture, is not only in Russia and the CIS countries. It is found all over the world.

How to shoot waterfalls with a DSLRNikonD610

What parameters should be used to "wash into milk" the rushing streams of waterfalls? We have already touched upon this issue several times on the pages of the site. So, in the section "Weekend hikes" there is a report where you can see photos of the water flows of the Smorodinsky reservoir, shot at short and long exposures. In the same place, there is a review about LDPE in, where you can take pictures of a small waterfall. In the 4th part. Each time we discussed how to get this effect. Repetition is the mother of learning, let's refresh our knowledge.

So, in order to turn the stormy stream into a "milk river", we need to shoot at a long exposure. To do this, it is advisable to shoot at dusk, during working hours - also the light will not be hard. If the lighting is too bright, you have to go for a trick: hold down the aperture, lower ISO. If this does not help, the ideal solution would be to screw on a neutral gray filter (ND-filter).

I have an ND-4 filter for a Nikkor 18-55 VR kit lens that I used with a Nikon D5100 cropped camera. But now the stock lens for a Nikkor 24-70 / 2.8 full-frame SLR has a larger thread diameter. And on the Samyang 14 / 2.8 shirik, you can't screw anything at all - the front lens protrudes.

On the set of the Erawan waterfall, I was helped by the Hoya HD Circular-PL polarik, which, when screwed onto the Nikkor 24-70 / 2.8 reporter, “takes” about 1.5 stops of exposure. The ability of Nikon D610 to photograph at low ISO 50 units also helps. So we can already extend the shutter speed to 1 second and longer.

Naturally, with such a long exposure time, it is impossible to take a clear shot unless the camera is placed on a hard surface or on a tripod. On vacation to Thailand, I took a Sirui T-2204X carbon tripod with a G-20KX head.

Erawan Falls got its name from the three-headed mythical elephant - a Hindu deity. Streams of water rush from the top of a huge mountain 996 meters high and form 7 steps with emerald lakes in which schools of hungry fish are found. Since most tourists come to Erawan National Park by buying a tour of the River Kwai in Pattaya, and they are brought here by noon by bus, there is little time left, not everyone has time to climb to the 7th level.

We, on that sunny February day, were in no hurry. We slowly stomped from one level to another, taking pictures, swimming in cool water and enjoying the rest.

The first photo of Erawan Falls was taken before approaching the first level. And we already gasped, admiring such beauty. Can you imagine our feelings when we got to the 1st stage?

If, when processing a RAW file, select the illuminated area of ​​the photo with a mask and add a little exposure (+0.15 EV), color temperature and saturation to it, then it, like a magnet, attracts the viewer's eye.

Photo 9. Rest in Thailand on your own. Drive to Erawan Park. If the "sunspot" is increased in temperature and a little bit the exposure, it attracts the viewer's eye. (50, 24, f / 16.0, 5.0)

Is not it? I look forward to your feedback in the comments to this report.

As you can see, in order to lengthen the exposure time, I tightened the aperture even more: to f / 16.0 (but not to the maximum of f / 22.0, so that diffraction does not appear).

All the time there was almost no one around: one Thai family with three children. Jungle. Morning. Freshness.

On the second level of the Erawan waterfall there is a deep emerald lake. I took the first shot.

And it seemed to me that trees and stones were blocking my view. I decided to change my location in search of a better view of Erawan Falls.

Photo 11. Independent travel across Thailand by car. Reviews about excursions. While photographing this shot with Erawan Waterwall, I fell into the water with all my photographic equipment. Fatal photo ... (50, f / 16, FR = 56mm, 2.5 seconds)

The trouble is that I forgot to take off the camera bag, which contained the rest of the lenses (a Samyang 14 / 2.8 wide lens and a Nikkor 24-70 / 2.8 telephoto lens), a flashlight and macro filters from the KIT 18-55 VR. Together with a backpack, a Nikon D610 camera, a Hoya HD-Circular PL polaric, a Nikkor 24-70 / 2.8 reporter and a Sirui T-2204X tripod, I climbed to the middle of the platform. At some point, the stone turned, I lost my balance and with all my photographic equipment fell into the water ... Fortunately, I landed on my butt. The equipment is not soaked. There is, after all, a photographic God in heaven! Saved…

As he came to himself from the shock caused by the realization of the possibility of losing all the photographs taken on vacation in Thailand and damaging the camera and lenses, he undressed and started swimming. There are schools of hungry fish in the water, nibbling at your dead skin. It tickles! Funny! An indescribable sensation when you do a "peeling" of fish the size of two palms!

We continue our ascent to the upper steps of the Erawan waterfall. Third level. Observation deck overlooking the surrounding mountains. Fourth. We feed the fish with our bodies again.

Somewhere around the 5th or 6th stage, Erawan WaterFalls met such a monster. It is not very large: 70 centimeters from the tip of the nose to the tail.

The monitor lizard turned out to be a little blurry, because the shutter speed is too short. In a hurry, there was no time to check the shooting parameters. During processing, I applied the "Sharpening - Image Stabilization" filter in Photoshop. It seems to have gotten a little better.

When processing this photo, I darkened the background around the lizard with a mask to focus the viewer's attention on the reptile. Varan, by the way, is not that big: the next morning we arrived at the Mueang Boran Park (Ancient City, เมือง โบราณ, Mueang Boran) and there, a “crocodile” about a meter and a half long jumped into a canal with water.

Quite a lot of people have already gathered at the 7th level of the Erawan waterfall. I didn’t take pictures. They simply swam, exposed the body to streams of water falling from a great height, and rested. The time was approaching noon, it became crowded at the waterfall, they decided to go down little by little. We still have to go to Bangkok.

Apparently, by this time they brought the "packets" from the Pattaya resort: hordes of tourists rushed upstairs. Around each lake there are 20-30 vacationers. The water turned from tender emerald into a muddy slurry. Screams, din. Heat. I strongly advise you to go here on your own and for 2 days, so that you can come to the Erawan waterfall early. I am sure that Katya and I saw Erawan Falls not at all the way it appeared to compatriots who visited this attraction under the hellish sun in the company of thousands of other visitors.

This concludes my report on an excursion to another national park in Thailand. My tip is this: you shouldn't make Erawan National Park a special purpose, where you need to come at any cost. But, if you are bored with your vacation in Pattaya, you want to unwind, then rent a car or hop on a bus and go to Kanchanaburi province. On the way to the waterfall, you can also swim in the River Kwai, visit the historical park with the famous bridge.

You need to go exactly for two days, since the traffic at the exit / entrance to Bangkok is very intense, it will take longer than you expect to get there.

What else can you see in Erawan National Park

The area of ​​the reserve is 550 square kilometers. And the waterfall is the main, but not the only attraction of the park. If you rummage around the Internet, you can find out that there are other interesting places.

There is a cave 12 kilometers from the administrative park of the reserve. Phartat Cave with 2 rooms with stalactites and stalagmites. A short path from the parking lot leads to the cavern.

30 kilometers away, not far from Tha Thung Na village, there is another cave: Ta duang cave... On its walls you can find drawings of trees and people made by primitive man.

Cave Mi cave located in the southern part of the park. You can get there through the village of Ban Thap Sila. Translated from Thai “Mi” means “bear”. It looks like these animals used to be there. There are 5 halls with stalagmites and stalactites in the cavern. To get to it, you need to walk 7 kilometers along the trail.

Well, there are still caves Reua cave(next to bearish) and Wang bah dan cave- 54 kilometers from the headquarters of Erawan National Park.

Those who wish can go hiking along the hiking trails. The first one is Khao Hin Lan Pee Nature Trail, about 5 kilometers long will take 2-3 hours. Eventually it will lead to the 5th level of Erawan Falls. The second is Mong Lay Dry Evergreen Forest Natural Trail between the lakes the waterfall takes 1 hour.

The following animals are found in Erawan National Park: Burmese hare, Indian elephant, Indian muntjak and sambar deer, white-handed gibbon, goral (similar to a goat), giant red flying squirrel, wild boars, dozens of bird and reptile species.

How to get to Erawan National Park by public transport

In the western part of Bangkok, in the Thonburi microdistrict, there is the Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal. From here there is a bus route number 81. There are 2 adjacent terminals in Kanchanaburi. Class 1 departs from Thanon Saengchuto, while Class 2 departs from the large terminal one block east.

• First class buses leave Bangkok every 15 minutes between 05:00 and 22:30. You can get to Kanchanaburi in 2 hours. The fare is 110 baht, including a bottle of water.
• Class 2 buses (new route) leave every 20 minutes from 03: 30-19: 00 and reach Kanchanaburi in 2 hours. The fare is 95 baht.
• Buses of the 2nd class (old route) leave every 15-30 minutes from 04: 00-18: 00 and the travel time will be already 3 hours.

There are also minibuses (possibly songteo) departing from Khao San Road at 13:30 and 18:30.

Bus routes from the Northern Bus Station run a little less often (Bangkok‘ s Northern Mo Chit bus terminal). Note is not the same asMo Chit Bts station, and between them you can not walk, for 50 baht you can get there by bike). It is often called"Mo Chit 2")... Here is the timetable:

• First class with toilet (3 hours, 122 THB): 06:00, 11:00, 14:30
• Second class without toilet: 05:00, 07:00, 09:30, 12:30, 17:00

The schedule is constantly changing. But minibuses are constantly on duty at the bus station. Even when they write that the route has been canceled, you can get there (pay attention to the announcements at the ticket offices). Price - 120 baht, time - 2 hours.

P.S. In the comments to the article, I said that there are two more interesting sights in Kanchanaburi province, where

Is it easy to drive in Bangkok and where to stay in the metropolis

In 2010, my wife and I went on our first independent trip abroad - to Thailand. That time, after a week's rest in Pattaya and flying to Krabi province for a week, we spent a day in the capital. In the evening we dined on the roof of the tallest building in Bangkok - the Bayok Sky Hotel. In the report of this evening, there is photo # 7 "View from the Bangkok Baiyoke Tower observation deck at the multi-level road junction."

I remember, in those wonderful moments, when a warm south breeze blew in our faces, and we admired the construction talents of the Thais, I thought, looking at the labyrinth of roads: “God forbid to be behind the wheel of a car on such roads! After all, you can go crazy ... ”5 years passed and fate put me on a car, wandering along these streets. How could I have imagined in 2010 that I would have to drive through this "matrix" without a navigator!

We ate in the national park, typed in Suvarnabhumi Airport in the navigator and slowly drove off to return the car. We specially made the reservation so that there was a reserve and did not have to rush (at 23:30). We arrived in Bangkok at rush hour: by 17:30, approximately. We stood a little in traffic jams, but not too long, drove up the toll road to the Suvarnabumi airport. Who was in Thailand, saw these multi-lane road monsters ...

When the target was about 5 kilometers away, the navigator died ... Neither Google Maps nor Sygic dared to tell us the right direction. Mom dear! You drive up to the "Y" -shaped fork, from which 7 beams depart. Turned the wrong way - drove 20 km extra. Then the aunt in the navigator comes to life, you come back, again the wrong turn ... We drove, probably, 70 extra kilometers, and we still can't get close to the final point of the route. It is not clear how to find the point where the cars rented from Sixt are returned.

Spat. I drove into some office parking lot, stopped (on the autobahn it is also impossible to stop on the side of the road to look at the map).

- What to do?

- Well, let's try to follow the signs according to the Sixt scheme “How to get to the rental car parking”. If it doesn't work out, you will have to call a taxi by phone ...

Another try, driving slower, following the road signs. A sigh of relief: found. True, we have only half the volume of gas in our tank - we need to refuel.

We drove up to a Shell gas station (see on the map), stood in a huge queue among taxi drivers (their parking is next to Sixt) - our brand of fuel is not available. We drove on to the intersection marked in green on the diagram. Happiness! Everything you need is in stock: refueled, cleaned the interior, cleaned up your luggage.

We rented a car in Sri Lanka and Mexico. Nowhere were there any problems with the delivery of the car at the end: a cursory inspection for damage and - OK, mister! We sign the Acceptance Certificate and get back a signed credit card slip (deposit). In Thailand - a surprise! Uncle came out and, almost with a magnifying glass, began to examine the body of the car. Suddenly, he saw something on the rear bumper, called the manager and began to discuss with him lively. He is trying to rub a black spot with his finger - in one of the villages, the asphalt was being repaired and we, apparently, caught bitumen drops. Well, that's it - we got to the dry cleaning! No ... "It's okay, thanks for renting a car with Sixt"!

On this trip, we did not book hotels anywhere. Only in Google Maps was it checked in a particular locality whether there were any hotels there at all. But 2 days before arriving in Bangkok, we decided that it would be better to reserve a room in advance via a smartphone - we would not have to wander the streets of the capital of Thailand with suitcases and look for an overnight stay. We were puzzled by the question “Where to live in Bangkok”. Found reviews of independent tourists on the hotel Astera Sathorn Hotel... It is easily accessible by metro - 5 minutes walk from the Saphan Taksin BTS BTS stop. From here, boats leave for the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Recumbent Buddha (Wat Pho, Wat Pho, วัด โพธิ์) and the Temple of the Morning Dawn (Wat Arun, Wat Arun).

We were taken to the departure hall of Suvarnabhumi Airport in a Sixt minibus. Here we bought tickets for a special line of the City Line express metro and for 45 baht we got to the terminal station Lardkrabang Station, where we switched to the line of the sky metro to Siam station (here, by the way, is the Bangkok Oceanarium). We crossed 20 meters to the next line - and we sit down again in the carriage, following to the Saphan Taksin station.

In general, if necessary, the metro map and a plan of the location of the main attractions of Bangkok can be viewed in the 4th part of the report on holidays in Thailand independently in November 2010. The Astera Sathorn Hotel is inexpensive and the staff are friendly. If we walk from the main entrance towards Saphan Taksin station and turn right, we run into a night market with a bunch of street cafes, a 7/11 store and a bank, where I changed $ 100 after waiting in line for 20 minutes.

Photo 18. Tours Thailand. Bangkok is a city of contrasts: slums and skyscrapers. View from the window of our hotel Astera Sathorn Hotel, where you can stay inexpensively.