Pam Bok Waterfall: A natural beauty near Pai

Pam Bok Waterfall, located approximately 9 kilometers southwest of Pai, Thailand, is a serene natural attraction nestled within a picturesque canyon. Surrounded by towering cliffs, the waterfall cascades into a refreshing pool, offering visitors a tranquil spot to swim and unwind. Easily accessible via a short hike from the parking area, Pam Bok is less crowded than other local waterfalls, providing a peaceful retreat into nature’s beauty.

Pam Bok Waterfall: popular with tourists and locals

In the vicinity of Pai there are several waterfalls to visit such as the Pam Bok Waterfall. This waterfall is not far from the Pai Land Split and can be easily combined within the same (mid)day. The way there is a piece of Pai (cake) and after you have parked your scooter you can reach the waterfall within a few minutes on foot. Despite the fact that the waterfall is a location that is popular with tourists and locals, in many cases it is not very crowded. When we visited the Pam Bok Waterfall in July 2018 a maximum of ten people were present.

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Once arrived at the parking lot at the Pam Bok Waterfall

On the parking lot where you will be dropped off or you can park your scooter you don’t hear or see the Pam Bok Waterfall yet. From here it’s a five minute walk along a narrow path along a stream of water (depending on the season). After a short walk you’ll arrive at two bridges, a metal bridge or a rickety wooden bridge that’s about to collapse. The choice is yours… Once you cross the metal bridge (right choice) you arrive at the waterfall. Here you still have to climb down and you can take a well deserved dip in the fresh but oh so refreshing water. We left our stuff on the rocks overlooking the waterfall.
PS in the YouTube video at the bottom of this article you can only see the wooden bridge.

Scenic dirt path with parked scooters and people resting under trees at sunset spot

Hiking trail signs on a tree in a lush green forest with a dirt path nearby

Best period in the year to visit the Pam Bok Waterfall

During the rainy season, from May till October, it’s the best time to visit the Pam Bok Waterfall. This because of an abundance of water. If a lot of rain has fallen before your visit, it’s possible that the waterfall and the water basin are very brown, unpleasant, but harmful swimming water.

During the months December till March a visit to the Pam Bok Waterfall is not recommended. Regularly there is almost no waterfall to be seen or the pool in front of the waterfall is too low.

The Pam Bok Waterfall itself

The Pam Bok Waterfall consists of a fairly deep basin (depending on the season) which then leads you to the waterfall itself. Beware of the rocks around the waterfall as these can be treacherously slippery. By the way, it is possible to jump into the water from the surrounding rocks if the water in the basin is high enough. Because the waterhole is almost always in the shade of the rock formations, the water is quite cold but the cooling gets used quickly and is welcome during the heat of the day.

The Pai Canyon was created by constant erosion by wind and rain. We wonder how many heavy Thai showers it takes before a path has crumbled to such an extent that it’s not passable anymore. All in all the “mountain range” is a unique sight that towers above the wilderness. At several places you have a 360 degree view over all the beauty!

TIP!

If you want to swim in the pool of the waterfall put on your swimsuite beforehand. It’s quite difficult to change clothes on the rocks around the Pam Bok Waterfall.