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The Erawan day
Museum, bridge, falls
- FeeTHB 300
- Length12 to 14 hours
- Starts inBangkok
Pick-for-me guide
Erawan National Park reviews: is the waterfall worth the trip?
Two questions, one verdict
Is Erawan the right day for you
Say what would make the trip worth it and how you like to travel, and the matching day appears with its starting price.
Best for you
The small-group day
from $53
12 to 14 hours with the museum and the bridge, then 1 hour of hiking and swimming; up to 9 guests.
Best for you
The Khao Yai day
from $44
11 hours from Bangkok with forest trails and waterfalls, the other national park for a day out.
Best for you
A private day, long stay
from $176
A private day with 3.5 hours at Erawan Waterfall and the bridge before it.
Best for you
The short small-group trip
from $129
6 hours from Kanchanaburi for up to 6 guests, with 3 hours at the falls.
Best for you
The day from Kanchanaburi
from $225
8 hours starting in the province, with 2.25 hours in the park and a ride on the Burma Railway.
What the reviews of Erawan day trips praise and what they wish for, who should skip it, and how the park compares with Khao Yai, Sai Yok and Khao Sok on fee, time and swimming.
Editorial team, erawanwaterfalltour.quest · Updated November 12, 2026 · Quick read: 7 min
Summary view
- ReviewsThe day trip sold here averages 4.5 across 1,845 reviews.
- PraisedReviewers praise the guides, the drivers and the stops.
- Wished forOne reviewer would have liked a longer stay inside the park.
- Gate feeErawan charges a foreign adult THB 300; Khao Yai THB 200.1,2
- SeasonThe Tourism Authority calls the rainy season a perfect time for waterfalls.3
Is Erawan waterfall worth it? The short answer
Erawan is worth the trip if you want a swim in a green pool at the end of a day of history, and less so if you want solitude. The Thailand Tourism Directory describes a waterfall of 7 tiers where each level has water you can enter, and the Tourism Authority calls the cascade famous for its seven tiers.4,5 That structure is what makes the park an easy half of a day out.
The cost is time. The day sold on this site fills 12 to 14 hours: 2.5 hours of van to get there, 3 hours to get home, and 1 hour of hiking and swimming beside 1 hour of park visit. If the falls are the only reason you are going, that is a lot of road for a short swim, and a private or Kanchanaburi-based day gives longer at the water.
So the answer depends on the day you pick. A shared day is a good way to see the bridge, the museum and the falls in one go. An overnight stay near the park is a good way to see the falls alone and early. This page lays out the evidence from reviews and from rival parks so that you can decide without guessing.
Rival parks
Erawan, Khao Yai and Khao Sok side by side
| Park | Fee, foreign adult | Tour example | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erawan National Park | THB 3001 | From $53 | 12 to 14 hours |
| Khao Yai National Park | THB 2002 | From $44 | 11 hours |
| Khao Sok National Park | THB 2002 | From $121 | 7.5 to 11 hours |
| Sai Yok National Park | THB 3006 | Not covered | Not covered |
Fees are the Department of National Parks rates for foreign adults; tours are the listing from-prices, not quotes.1,2,6
What the reviews of Erawan tours say
The day trip sold here has 1,845 reviews averaging 4.5. Reviewers from 2024 to 2026 praise the guide and the driver, a smooth and safe ride, a fast and easy pickup, the historical details and a friendly atmosphere from the start. One returned to Bangkok exhausted after a day they called informative and delightful, which is a fair description of a 12 to 14 hour trip.
The elephant camp and falls day has 858 reviews averaging 4.9. A small-group day with an English guide has 12 reviews averaging 4.8, with a score of 5 for guide, transportation and value. The private highlights day has 85 reviews averaging 4.9. Higher averages on smaller samples deserve less weight than the average of a big sample.
These are reviews of tours, not of the park itself, and they mix opinions of the guide, the van and the stops. The park is the setting for the swim, but the score you read often reflects the day around it. Read the newest comments for the option you are considering, and look for the practical advice buried in them, such as footwear and spare clothes.
Reviewer ratings
Average rating of Erawan and rival day trips
- Khao Yai day trip4.5
- Our small-group day4.5
- Small group, Kanchanaburi4.6
- Khao Sok lake tour4.7
- Railway and park day4.7
- Other shared day4.8
- Elephant camp day4.9
Averages as shown on each listing, out of 5 stars; they are a sample of those who reviewed, not a measure of the park.
What visitors love and what they wish for
The pools and the guides come up in the praise. A reviewer from May 2026 called the waterfall very beautiful and described the museum and bridge as good stops before it. Another described a family party of mixed ages that left without complaint, the youngest aged 9. Those comments point to a day that works across ages, as long as everyone is ready for the length.
The wishes are consistent. A traveller from January 2025 would have stayed longer in the park. Another advised footwear and clothing that cope with the climb, plus dry clothes for bathing. Neither is a complaint about the falls; both ask for more preparation or more time, and both are easy to act on before you book.
The Tourism Authority adds a detail that makes the pools memorable: the emerald-green water holds fish that gently nibble at your feet.8 It also says fewer people venture deep into the park, where lesser-known waterfalls and Phra That Cave wait for trekkers.5 If you want more than the lower pools, the answer is time, and that is a matter of choosing the right tour or a night nearby.
Three days out
Erawan, Khao Yai or Khao Sok
Forest day
The Khao Yai day
Trails and waterfalls
- FeeTHB 200
- Length11 hours
- Starts inBangkok
Lake day
The Khao Sok day
Lake and cave
- FeeTHB 200
- Length7.5 to 11 hours
- Starts inKhao Lak
Who should skip Erawan
Skip the shared day trip if the long ride is the deal-breaker. On the tour sold here the journey out takes 2.5 hours and the journey back 3 hours, so anyone who dislikes long rides or winding roads should choose a night near the park instead. The stay guide lists lodging near the gate, and a night there also puts you at the pools before the day tours arrive.
Skip it also if you dislike sharing a pool with strangers, since the water is shared by everyone who comes. This guide has no official figure for visitor numbers, so it makes no claim about crowds, but any waterfall that draws visitors asks you to share the pools. An early start is the usual answer, and the park opens at 7.30 by the directory.11
Finally, skip the park on a day when the authority has closed part of it. Thai parks close some attractions for part of each year, and the Tourism Authority links this to extreme weather in the rainy months.10 A tour operator refunds up to 24 hours before the start, yet a closure on the morning itself is a risk you carry, so read the park notice before you leave.
A realistic day
What a visit asks of you
Before
Choose your day
A shared day, an elephant day or a private day.
Early
Long ride out
The van ride out takes 2.5 hours.
Midday
Museum and bridge
Each takes 1 hour on the itinerary.
Afternoon
Climb and swim
1 hour of hiking and swimming in the park.
Evening
Tired and happy
A van ride of 3 hours brings you back.
Next day
Rest your legs
A reviewer returned to Bangkok exhausted.
Khao Yai National Park vs Erawan National Park
Khao Yai National Park is a rival worth weighing for a day out from Bangkok. The Khao Yai day from Bangkok fills 11 hours, with 3 hours of car out and 1.5 hours back, plus trails and waterfalls, from $44. It has 864 reviews averaging 4.5. The fee for a foreign adult is THB 200, against THB 300 at Erawan.2,1
The difference is the kind of day. Khao Yai gives trails and viewpoints and a drive through forest, while Erawan gives a staircase of pools you can enter.4 If your priority is a swim, Erawan is the one the listings promise. If your priority is a walk in forest with fewer water stops, the Khao Yai day is built for it.
Price and distance also differ. The Khao Yai tour starts from $44 against $53 for the Erawan day, and the Erawan day adds history stops. Neither day wins outright; they answer different wishes. A traveller who has time for both parks can fit them on separate days from Bangkok, and the fee for each is paid separately at its own gate.
Video
Things to do in Kanchanaburi on a short trip
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Please find out more about the rules and regulations at each national park before visiting.
Before you decide
Questions to settle first
About the day3
- Can you spare 12 to 14 hours?
- Are you comfortable with long van rides?
- Is your group fit for a climb?
About the money3
- The fee for a foreign adult at the park, THB 3001
- Lunch at your own expense
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Sai Yok and Khao Sok compared with Erawan
Sai Yok National Park sits in the same fee group as Erawan, so a foreign adult pays THB 300 at either.6 It lies in the same province as Erawan, so a traveller with a few days in Kanchanaburi can plan a day for each park without a long transfer. Each park is paid for at its own gate, so budget for both fees before you decide how many parks to visit.6
Khao Sok sits in fee group 2, with Khao Yai, at THB 200 for a foreign adult.2 A Khao Sok tour from Khao Lak with a boat on Cheow Lan Lake runs 7.5 to 11 hours, from $121, and its 1,199 reviews average 4.7. It is a different trip, starting from a different place, and it does not compete with a day out from Bangkok.
Use the table below to compare the three on the same columns. It gives the fee for a foreign adult, a tour example and the length of that tour. The numbers show that Erawan costs more at the gate than Khao Yai or Khao Sok, and that the length of the ride is the main difference among the days. Add the fee to the tour fare before comparing totals, because the listing is silent on whether the fee is included.1
The season changes the swim
The Tourism Authority describes the rainy season, May to October, as a perfect time for waterfall adventures and jungle treks.3 The cool season, November to February, brings temperatures from 18 to 28 degrees Celsius.9 Summer, March to May, runs from 28 to 38 degrees Celsius.12 The season changes the water and the heat, and so changes how you feel on the climb.
The park may close parts of the route for safety when the weather turns.10 In summer the Tourism Authority gives 28 to 38 degrees Celsius, which makes the climb hotter.12 The best time page uses the Kanchanaburi weather record to go month by month, and it is worth reading before you fix a date, because the month you choose changes both the heat and the water.
Whatever the season, check the notice on the day, and carry a layer for the van. A waterfall day is a day for light clothes, grip shoes, a dry bag and a flexible mind. If the weather turns, the free cancellation of the tours here lets you move the booking up to 24 hours before the start. That flexibility is worth using when the forecast changes.
FAQ
Fast, clear answers, short.
Is Erawan waterfall worth it?
Yes, for a swim and a history day.
The falls climb through 7 tiers with water at each, and the day adds the museum and the bridge.4
What do Erawan National Park reviews say?
Praise for guides, wishes for time.
Reviewers praise the guides and drivers, and one wished for more time in the park.
How is the day trip rated?
4.5 from 1,845 reviews.
The elephant camp and falls day averages 4.9 from 858 reviews.
Is Erawan better than Khao Yai?
They suit different wishes.
Erawan offers pools to enter, while the Khao Yai day offers trails and waterfalls.4
Which costs more at the gate?
Is it too long a day?
It is a long one.
The tour sold here fills 12 to 14 hours, with long van rides at both ends.
Who should skip the park?
Anyone who dislikes long rides.
A night near the park spares you the long van rides at both ends of the day.
Is the rainy season good for Erawan?
It suits waterfalls.
The Tourism Authority calls May to October a perfect time for waterfall adventures.3
Sources
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (news.dnp.go.th) · Open entry rates for all national parks, new rules from 7 June 2022 (Thai) ↩
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (news.dnp.go.th) · Open entry rates for all national parks, new rules from 7 June 2022 (Thai) ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Thailand: the perfect year-round destination ↩
- Thailand Tourism Directory (thailandtourismdirectory.go.th, Tourism Authority of Thailand) · Erawan Waterfall (Erawan National Park) ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Revisiting the first-ever travel story of iconic Osotho Magazine ↩
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (news.dnp.go.th) · Open entry rates for all national parks, new rules from 7 June 2022 (Thai) ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Annual seasonal opening/closure of attractions of Thailand’s national park system
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Revisiting the first-ever travel story of iconic Osotho Magazine ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Thailand: the perfect year-round destination ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Annual seasonal opening/closure of attractions of Thailand’s national park system ↩
- Thailand Tourism Directory (thailandtourismdirectory.go.th, Tourism Authority of Thailand) · Erawan Waterfall (Erawan National Park) ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT Newsroom (tatnews.org) · Thailand: the perfect year-round destination ↩
Further reading