Mae Klang Waterfall - Falls at the bottom of Doi Inthanon

The Mae Klang Waterfall (Nam tok Mae Klang; pronounced “MEH KLAHNG”) was the lowest of the waterfalls on the road going up to the top of Doi Inthanon, Thailand‘s highest peak.

However, we happened to visit this particular waterfall as the last of the three on the slopes of the mountain (starting from the top).

Mae_Klang_022_12292008 - The Mae Klang Waterfall — The Mae Klang Waterfall

I believe the main tier of the falls cascaded and tumbled some 25-30m, but there were more tiers further downstream from the main viewing deck.

So given there was no way Julie and I could capture the entire waterfall in a single photograph, we had to settle for enjoying each component of the falls one-at-a-time.

Prior to our visit, I remembered our guide had set our expectations low by saying it wasn’t big.

But once we saw it, we stopped believing his sense of “small”, and from looking at the photographs on this page, you might agree with us.

Although I’ve read that this waterfall was said to be the most visited one in Doi Inthanon National Park, I recalled that our time spent at the Mae Klang Falls was relatively quiet and peaceful.

Mae_Klang_001_12292008 - The cascades further downstream from the main drop of Mae Klang Waterfall — The cascades further downstream from the main drop of Mae Klang Waterfall

I wasn’t sure if that was because most people were still having lunch or taking an afternoon siesta, but whatever the case, we thoroughly enjoyed not having to contend with large tour groups and crowds of people.

In any case, we probably spent less than a half-hour encompassing both the short walk as well as all the photographing at the Mae Klang Waterfall.

So it was a pretty quick and hassle-free place to visit.

Authorities

The Mae Klang Waterfall resides in Doi Inthanon National Park near Chom Thong in the Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. It is administered by the National Park, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Department. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Route to this Waterfall

We noticed during our ride (as part of an escorted tour) that the falls is actually on a spur road branching left from the road up to Doi Inthanon as we left from Chom Thong (the village is 66km southwest of Chiang Mai).

In terms of logistics, it took us maybe 20 minutes of driving downhill from the Wachirathan Waterfall or about 30 minutes east of the Mae Ya Waterfall.

For geographical context, Chiang Mai was in Northern Thailand roughly 700km north of Bangkok. It would take around 9 hours to drive or a little over an hour to fly between the cities.

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Sweep from one of the waterfall's lower cascades to the top of the main falls

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Featured Images and Nearby Attractions

Doi_Inthanon_036_12292008 - Further up the mountain of Doi Inthanon from Mae Klang Waterfall was where we could visit the temple with its pair of chedis like this brown one — **Further up the mountain of Doi Inthanon from Mae Klang Waterfall was where we could visit the temple with its pair of chedis like this brown one**

Doi_Inthanon_067_12292008 - At the summit of Doi Inthanon, there were impressive vistas though it was surprisingly chilly up here, especially for most Thais on holiday who weren't used to it — **At the summit of Doi Inthanon, there were impressive vistas though it was surprisingly chilly up here, especially for most Thais on holiday who weren’t used to it**

Sunday_Walking_Street_Chiang_Mai_003_jx_12282008 - We had based ourselves in Chiang Mai for the part of our Northern Thailand tour that included Doi Inthanon, and that let us experience night markets like the Sunday Walking Street — **We had based ourselves in Chiang Mai for the part of our Northern Thailand tour that included Doi Inthanon, and that let us experience night markets like the Sunday Walking Street**

Tagged with: mae klang, mae chaem, doi inthanon, chiang mai, national park, thailand, waterfall, chom thong

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