Elsewhere Letters

Chiang Mai should rank high on your Thai bucket list. The city remains one of my favorite places in Thailand. From amazing food, sacred temples, rich history, and less chaos than the notoriously bustling Bangkok, everyone in Thailand should visit Chiang Mai if given the chance.

My first morning waking up in Chaing Mai, I wandered out into the street in front of my hostel, toothbrush in hand-ready to start my day but with no toothpaste, I was searching for a 7-Eleven. Almost immediately, I was approached by another traveler who walked me to the nearest one (don’t be afraid to solo travel, you’ll always meet people!)

After finally brushing my teeth, I learned that my new friend had done absolutely no research on what to do while in Chaing Mai and was going off vibes alone. I, on the other hand, had my heart set on climbing the nearby sticky waterfall-which he had never heard of.

The Bua Thong Waterfall, also known as the “Sticky Waterfall” is a natural wonder located in the Namtok Bua Tong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park, about 40 miles north of Chiang Mai. This waterfall is a scientific wonder and an awesome side quest for nature and adventure lovers. 

Sticky Science

The Bua Thong Waterfall possesses a unique quality- the porous limestone rocks that make up the foundation of the waterfall are surprisingly sticky rather than slippery.  The rocks feel almost like a hardened sponge, and since algae and slime cannot grow on them this also helps the surface of the waterfall to remain “sticky”. Its unique texture allows people to climb up the waterfall without slipping off, and this quality has made it a renowned attraction for tourists and locals alike. 

The Experience

My side quest to the sticky waterfall was a memorable adventure! There are ropes available to help you climb up, some strength is needed, but there were families with young kids climbing up the waterfall as well. The Namtok National Park is quite small but very beautiful, and there are nature trails around to supplement your park visit. While climbing the waterfalI felt like a kid at an all-natural waterpark. I enjoyed it so much that I descended the stairs back to the bottom and climbed up a second time. Overall, I found it to be a fun and unique experience, how many people can say they scaled a waterfall?

There is a small hut with drinks and snacks for sale. I would recommend bringing water, water shoes, and maybe a change of clothes- though I dried off pretty quickly. Overall, the sticky waterfall is best enjoyed with some playfulness and appreciation for nature. If you’re on a solo trip, this is a great excursion to ask around your hostel (or in group chats) if others would like to join. Not only can you split the cost of a ride there and back, but it seems many people may not hype themselves up to go alone on this little day trip from Chiang Mai. 

How to arrive (and return) from the Sticky Waterfall

Getting to the Sticky Waterfall proved to be surprisingly easy. I met up with my new travel companion right outside my hostel and walked a few paces until we saw a Songthaew: a red pick-up truck that functions like a shared minibus. We were given a reasonable price for the journey, and set off. The cost is split so the more people, the cheaper the journey, expect to pay ฿600-฿1000.

The other easiest way would be to rent a motorbike or car if you will be using one for an extended stint in the Chaing Mai area. In a little less than an hour, we made it to our destination. Despite some objections, we insisted to our driver that he did not need to wait for us. Though he kept asking if we were sure.

This is where we effed up. 

We went off to explore the wonderful waterfall and had a great time. However, as the sun began to set, we were ready to head back into the city. We soon realized we should have kept our ride. No Grabs (Thai uber) were available to take riders back to Chaing Mai (I don’t think they go over there at all unless dropping off). We asked the park officers for help in calling a taxi, and they said no taxis would come. We were at a loss and completely humbled when the park officers began to walk around and ask different Songthaews if they had space for more riders, but they were all booked up. The advice we got was to ask everyone leaving the park if we could ride with them.

We did eventually find a Songthaew driver who said she would tell her other riders we were coming along even though they were on a paid tour with her. She even gave us some of her homegrown bananas. This woman was our savior for the day.

I couldn’t tell if the other riders were annoyed with us or just tired from the day, but at least I wasn’t stuck sleeping in the forest. In retrospect, I see now why our original driver insisted he could wait for us to give us a ride back-for a fee of course. I thought this might have been some sort of scam, but in the end, it is better to say yes or to arrange a ride back from the Sticky Waterfall in advance, so you don’t end up looking very silly and being stressed like us. However, almost getting stuck in a Thai forest is an adventure I’m sure I’ll always remember. 

So, have I convinced you yet to visit the Bua Thong Waterfall? 

 “Collecting moments and making memories, one Thai adventure at a time.”

-Unknown