Bua Tong Waterfall or local people call Sticky Waterfall

Bua Tong Waterfall one of the hidden gems of Chiang Mai.

Bua Tong Waterfall and Jedsee Fountain Forest Park is not popular among tourists as it pretty, because it far from Chiang Mai city.

Buatong Waterfall and Jedsee Fountain Forest Park is located in Si Lanna National Park. It has an area of 9,375 rai. The Royal Forest Department announced the establishment of Buatong Waterfall and Jedsee Fountain Forest Park on September 10, 1994. The park shares its borders with Mae Taeng National Forest Reserve in the North, Khun Mae Kuang Forest and San Sai Forest in the South, Mae Ho Phra Forest Plantation no. 2518 (The Forest Plantation by the Forest Industry Organization) in the East, and San Sai- Mae Taeng Forest in the West.

When you read about ‘Buatong Sticky Waterfall’, you will definitely curious. What does it mean? ‘sticky waterfall’? OK!, What makes this waterfall different to the hundreds of others in Northern Thailand, is that its fed by a calcium-rich spring at the very top, which rushes downwards over the boulders of the waterfall. This makes them feel and appear quite “sticky”, and unless you’ve had much experience groping calcium-hungry rocks, you will be shocked at your ability to grip them with your bare skin.

Bua Tong Waterfall is a spectacular place to relax and enjoy the day. The landscape of Buatong Waterfall and Jedsee Fountain Forest Park is mountain alternating with valley and brook. It is located on a height of around 400-900 meters above mean sea level. Around Buatong Waterfall and Jedsee Fountain are a plain and a pan-shaped valley. The forest is abundant, cool, and pleasant. Since a lot of large trees grow densely, the forest can be both rain forest and mixed forest with many view points. The most important brook is Huai Mae Pon.

At the entry you will find a little well maintained Park, with an open grass area, a bathroom, a small hut serving drinks and ice cream. This is the place where you can find locals picnicking on the grass and exploring the waterfall.

From the top of Bua Tong Waterfall, you can admire the mountains and the jungle. You can also do what the locals do and have a picnic. The small pool on the left that you see in the picture below is absolutely safe for the kids to have a splash.

Bua Tong Waterfall has 3 levels and each of them is a great place to sit down and enjoy your surroundings. The rocks are creamy, almost white and they are a wonderful contrast to the green trees. The lime also makes the water crystal blue. There are no places to swim, but you can cool off by just sitting in one of the small ‘pools’ at the bottom of the waterfall. It is a good idea to take your swimsuit.

This stunning limestone waterfall is famous for its unusual face and convenient step to climb on.

There’s also another short hike depicted on a large wooden sign near the entrance to the fountain trail. When you are at the top look for a sign to Nam Phu Chet Si. It is a small shrine and a sacred spring, hidden in the jungle. It is an easy walk from the Buatong Sticky Waterfall. It seemed to me that not many people visit this place, except some religious locals.

Nam Phu Chet Si which literally means 7 colours fountain is a mineral geyser containing calcium-carbonate, gushing from the ground and then over flowing streams and small waterfall. Its streambed is solid white, glittering crusted with calcium carbonate. Sunshine reflected from the clear flowing and falling water, as well as the white streambed, makes for quite impressive natural scenery.

In addition to your picnic items, we recommend to bring:

Bathing suit
Towel and some clothes to change
Camera
Water shoes
Tissues/toilet paper

* They have public bathrooms you can change in.

There are places to stay nearby if you want to build a weekend around the falls, such as the Mae Ngat Dam Houseboat. It’s also a good place for a day trip, and as the area is so isolated and undeveloped, it might be wise to bring a picnic and a few beers. You can’t take any food or drink down to the actual waterfall, but there are picnic tables at the top level, and plenty of wild forest to explore.

They has English-language pamphlets available when we visited, and it lies just three kilometres off the main road down a sealed side-track.

Getting to Bua Tong Waterfall :

From the Superhighway take road number 1001 towards Phrao. Drive straight, pass the Mae Jo University. From there you won’t see any signs for the waterfall. Just drive straight. After a while the busy road gets a little more quiet. Around 18 km before the waterfall you will see a metal sign for the waterfall. Stay on that road until you see another sign telling you to turn right.

Operating day : Open daily from 06.00 until 18:00

There is a park fee : Free

Address : Si Lanna National Park, Mae Ho Phra, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand

Note : Wheelchair user is accessible

More About Si Lanna National Park

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