Mae Sa Waterfall

Mae Sa Waterfall (also known as Namtok Waterfall) is one of Thailand’s premier tourist attractions and is best known for its magnificent waterfalls amid the gorgeous natural landscape.

The waterfalls are located about 27 kilometres north-west from Chiang Mai in the district of Mae Rim. You can get there by following the signage on Mae Rim-Samoeng Road.

Location of Mae Sa Waterfall & Getting there from Chiang Mai, Thailand

Mae Sa Waterfall consists of a series of 10 waterfalls with a short walk in between each (uphill). The walks between each only take around 5 minutes, so you can take a rest and enjoy the scenery between each walk and even have a swim at the base of the falls if you wish. Some of the levels are steep and have uneven pathways however, so this is not a walk that is suitable for prams. The entire falls span approximately 1.5kms and will take around 30 minutes to walk each way, without stopping.

The waterfalls are an excellent picnic site, so bring along some lunch and enjoy the serenity of a quiet lunch here. Many Thais come here for a picnic, so it is a great place to interact with the locals, but the busy weekend period is best avoided if possible. Alternatively, if going to the falls on a Saturday or Sunday, make the effort to go early and you might be lucky enough to have the falls to yourself.

The best time to visit the falls is during the rainy season between November and January as the falls will be at their peak. If visiting after February, the falls will lessen, but will still be flowing. If visiting between May and October, the falls may be down to a trickle.

There are restaurants located at the entrance to the falls where you can sit by the river and enjoy a cold drink or a snack, and you are welcome to ride your bike through the national park to some of the other beautiful sites located here.