Koh Chang's two best-known waterfalls are Klong Plu on the west side and Than Mayom on the east, and the Department of National Parks (DNP) says both have water all year. They lie inside Mu Ko Chang National Park, where foreign adults pay the 200-baht park fee (children 100 baht, November 2026), and the island's forested hills are best explored on marked trails or with a licensed guide.
Most visitors see Koh Chang from a sun lounger, and the island's beaches have their own page: our guide to Koh Chang's beaches, from White Sand to Bang Bao. Behind them, though, the island rises steeply into rainforest. DNP describes the forest as dense enough to feed many streams and waterfalls, with the highest peak, Khao Salak Phet, at about 743 meters.
This page covers the interior: the waterfalls, the park fee, the walking, and the weather that makes the falls beautiful one day and dangerous the next. For an overview of the island, its ferries and where to stay, see our Koh Chang island guide.
Mu Ko Chang National Park at a glance (DNP, November 2026)
- Declared
- 31 December 1982, Thailand's 45th national park
- Area
- About 650 km², roughly 70 % of it sea; Koh Chang plus more than 42 smaller islands
- Main waterfalls
- Klong Plu (west side), Than Mayom (east side); water all year, according to DNP
- Highest point
- Khao Salak Phet, about 743 m
- Foreigner fee
- 200 baht adult, 100 baht child (Category 2 park)
- Opening hours
- Check at the gate; we found no official hours
Klong Plu: the west-coast waterfall with a nature trail
Klong Plu (Namtok Khlong Phlu in the park's own spelling) is the waterfall most visitors see, because it lies inland from Klong Prao, one of the main beach areas. DNP singles out its nature trail as an excellent one, which makes the walk to the fall part of the visit rather than a chore. Songthaews, the shared pickup trucks, run along the west-coast road; our guide to riding songthaews explains how to flag one down and agree the fare.
Expect company at the island's best-known fall. Go early in the day if you want the pool to yourself, and wear shoes with grip: the rocks around any waterfall are slippery, wet or dry.
Than Mayom: the quieter east side
Than Mayom is on the east coast, the side of Koh Chang that DNP describes as quieter, with traditional fishing villages rather than beach resorts. The ferries from the mainland land on this side too, so it can be combined with an arrival or departure day. Our page on getting from Bangkok to Koh Chang covers the ferry piers.
Like Klong Plu, Than Mayom is a park site with a fee point. DNP says it too has water all year round, though the flow is naturally lower in the driest months and much stronger after rain.
Klong Nonsi, Klong Kloi and the smaller falls
Klong Nonsi and Klong Kloi are smaller waterfalls whose names you will see on island maps. We could not find a DNP description of either, or confirm whether the park fee is charged there, so ask at your accommodation or at a park office before you go. Smaller falls also tend to have fewer people around, which matters if you slip or the water rises; do not go alone.
The park fee: what you pay and where
Mu Ko Chang is a Category 2 park in the DNP fee schedule in force since 7 June 2022: 200 baht for a foreign adult and 100 baht for a child, against 40 and 20 baht for Thais. Travel guides say it is collected at the waterfalls, and we found no evidence of a park fee on the ferry. Our explainer on why foreigners pay more at Thai parks covers the five-to-one ratio and who can pay the Thai rate.
Keep the receipt from the first waterfall. Travel guides report that one ticket covers both Klong Plu and Than Mayom on the same day if you show the receipt at the second gate. This is not an official DNP rule, so ask when you pay.
If you also take a boat trip to the smaller islands, the same park charges apply there; ask the operator whether the fee is in the ticket price.
Best after rain, dangerous in a flood
The falls are at their most impressive when it has been raining, and that is exactly when they can turn on you. The TMD weather station on the Trat coast, the closest to Koh Chang, is the wettest in Thailand's 1991–2020 averages, with 4,926.5 mm of rain a year. Most of it falls from May to September, peaking in July at 1,024.1 mm, while December (27.8 mm) and January (51.1 mm) are the driest months.
| Month | Rain (mm) | Month | Rain (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51.1 | July | 1,024.1 |
| February | 81.5 | August | 969.7 |
| March | 140.0 | September | 816.4 |
| April | 196.0 | October | 337.6 |
| May | 419.9 | November | 85.2 |
| June | 777.2 | December | 27.8 |
The UK Foreign Office warns that lakes, caves and waterfalls are particularly at risk of dangerous flash flooding, and that conditions can change rapidly. Rain over the hills can raise the water at the fall while the sky above you is blue. Our guide to staying safe at waterfalls and rivers lists the warning signs; if the water turns brown or starts rising, get out and climb away from the stream.
We found no DNP notice of seasonal closures for Koh Chang's falls, but parks close sites after heavy rain, and a rope or a ranger's whistle is final. Check the Thai Meteorological Department warnings (hotline 1182) the evening before, and read our page on what the rainy season means for a trip. From November to April the approach is safer, though the falls carry less water.
Hiking in the rainforest, and why a guide helps
The Klong Plu trail is easy to follow on your own. Deeper walks into the hills are a different matter: the forest is dense, paths can be overgrown and a phone signal is not guaranteed. DNP recommends the Khao Salak Phet area for plant study, birdwatching and butterflies, which is the kind of walk where a guide who knows the route earns their fee.
In Thailand, guiding tourists is a job reserved for Thai nationals, and a licensed guide must wear their guide identification card while on duty. Tour companies need a Department of Tourism licence. We could not find a rule that makes a guide compulsory on Koh Chang's trails, so the choice is yours, but book through a licensed operator; our guide to checking a tour operator's license shows how.
Whoever you walk with, start early, carry more water than you think you need, tell someone at your accommodation where you are going and turn back well before dark.
Leeches, monkeys and other wildlife
Guides and park staff commonly warn of leeches on wet forest trails in the rainy season, but we found no Thai official advice on them; our page on leeches and sandflies sets out the prevention and removal advice of an Australian parks authority. Scrub typhus, spread by mites in grass and brush, is a separate risk explained in our guide to scrub typhus for trekkers.
Macaques live on the island, and in 2017 the Bangkok Post reported a 500-baht fine for feeding monkeys on Koh Chang; we could not confirm the current amount. Keep food out of sight and read our guide to monkeys and bites. For snakes and other forest animals, our overview of dangerous animals in Thailand puts the risks in proportion.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the entrance fee for Klong Plu waterfall?
Klong Plu is inside Mu Ko Chang National Park, a Category 2 park, so foreign adults pay 200 baht and children 100 baht (November 2026). Thais pay 40 and 20 baht. Keep the receipt and ask whether it covers Than Mayom the same day.
Does Klong Plu waterfall have water in the dry season?
Yes. DNP says both Klong Plu and Than Mayom have water all year round. The flow is lower in the driest months, December to February, and much stronger in the rainy season, when the falls are also more dangerous.
Can you swim at Koh Chang's waterfalls?
People do swim in the pools, but only when the water is clear and calm. Stay out after heavy rain or if the water is brown or rising, obey any closure, and never jump into a pool without checking its depth.
Do I need a guide to hike on Koh Chang?
We found no rule requiring one, and the Klong Plu trail is easy to walk on your own. For longer routes into the hills, a licensed Thai guide is the safer choice, booked through an operator with a Department of Tourism licence.
Sources
- Department of National Parks – Mu Ko Chang National Park (15 October 2022; checked November 2026)
- Department of National Parks – National park entrance fee categories from 7 June 2022 (checked November 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Climatological data 1991–2020 (Trat coast station) (checked November 2026)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Thailand: safety and security (checked November 2026)
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service – Leeches, ticks, snakes and spiders (checked November 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Fine for feeding monkeys on Koh Chang (19 January 2017; checked November 2026)