Erawan National Park

Erawan National Park, in the hills of Kanchanaburi province, is known for Erawan Falls: a waterfall of seven tiers that you climb through on foot, with pools you can swim in along the way. It is the most popular add-on to a Kanchanaburi trip, and it is a long day trip from Bangkok.

The short version

We found no official fee list or timetable; confirm both with the park or the Department of National Parks before you go.

The falls

The park was declared in 1975 as Thailand's 12th national park and covers about 550 square kilometres (Wikipedia). The falls are named after Erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology; the water leaves the top tier through three spouts that are said to resemble its heads.

• Tiers one to six are reached by a trail from the visitor centre, and visitors can swim in the pools along the river. The distance from the trailhead to the top tier is 1.5 km, according to Wikipedia; one guide advises allowing at least three hours for a leisurely round trip to the seventh tier.
• Garra rufa, the small "doctor fish" that nibble skin, live throughout the pools.
• Caves in the park include Phra That, 12 km west of the visitor centre.

Beyond the falls

The park has four caves: Mi, Rua, Wang Badan and Phra That. Phra That, about 12 km west of the visitor centre, can be reached by a concrete path from the ranger station, and is 544 metres long; Wang Badan, at 744 metres, is on the south-east side and is not open to visitors (Wikipedia). A breast-shaped hill, Khao Nom Nang, rises to the north-east of the waterfall area.

The park is home to a wide range of wildlife: 14 species of mammals and some 237 species of birds have been recorded, plus reptiles including the banded krait and king cobra. You are unlikely to meet the snakes on the busy trail, but keep to the path.

When to go

The park's climate is shaped by the monsoons: the rainy season runs from May to October, the cold season from November to January and the hot season from February to April (Wikipedia). Heavy rain can affect conditions on any trail, so check the park's announcements before a long journey. In autumn 2026, floods affected central Thailand; see our rainy season guide.

Getting there from Bangkok

• Day tour. The KKday listings below run about 12 hours with pick-ups around 7:30am. Check where the pick-up is: one listing's hotel pick-up covers only a regular service area (Khao San Road and Siam Square), and another meets at MBK Center.
• Private driver. One listing offers a private driver with no guide and gives the park fee as 300 THB, plus 60 THB for the Kanchanaburi Skywalk.
• Independent / overnight. The most relaxed way is to base yourself in Kanchanaburi. See Kanchanaburi from Bangkok.

What to bring

Our suggestions: swimwear and a towel, shoes with a good grip for the trail, water and a bag that can get wet.

• Kanchanaburi From BangkokKanchanaburi is where the Death Railway crossed the River Kwai. It's a place of real history, river scenery and national parks — and it's better with a night than as a rushed day trip.
• Best Day Trips From BangkokA day trip costs you a whole day of a Bangkok trip, so it needs to earn it. Ayutthaya does. Some of the others are better as half-days or not at all.