Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall: Hours, Getting There, Safety

Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall is free to enter and open daily 08:00-17:00. The DNP's route is about 53 km from central Chiang Mai, along Highway 1001. Algae on some rocks make slips possible, so check each step before you commit weight.

By Vincent Nguyen

On this page
  1. Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall entry fee and opening hours
  2. What to see at Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall
  3. Who Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Step by step
  9. Common questions

On this page

  1. Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall entry fee and opening hours
  2. What to see at Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall
  3. Who Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall suits (and who should skip it)
  4. How to get to Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall
  5. When to go and how long
  6. Nearby and how to combine it
  7. Before you go
  8. Step by step
  9. Common questions

Entry is free and the falls are open daily 08:00-17:00.

White limestone cascade running down through forest with a few climbers on the rock
The cascade seen from the bottom.

Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall entry fee and opening hours

Entrance is free. The falls are open daily from 08:00 to 17:00, year-round.

Climbers on a wide sloping sheet of white rock with water running over it
Climbers on the white limestone.

Park status

The site is Namtok Bua Tong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park, still marked as in preparation, at Moo 8, Mae Ho Phra, Mae Taeng. The DNP page publishes no rate or hours. Call 093 193 3556 for general information and to check the site is open.

More than 2,500 foreign visitors came in the 2025 Yi Peng holiday period.

What to see at Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall

Why the rock grips

Rounded white limestone ledges with a thin sheet of water running over them between trees
The rough white limestone that grips bare feet.

The three tiers

Stream splitting around green mossy rocks and pale limestone
Green mossy stone beside the white limestone.

Chok Fountain

Fast stream running down pale rock between trees and ferns
The stream above the main cascade.

Who Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall suits (and who should skip it)

  • Skip it if you have no way back: there are no cabs at the site and Grab drivers often refuse return trips.

How to get to Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall

Use the DNP route. Follow Highway 1001 from central Chiang Mai to km marker 49 at Ban Pa Mai. Turn right onto a paved road for about 3 km to the park office, about 53 km in total.

Buatong Waterfall-Chet Si Fountain National Park
Mae Ho Phra, Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

Open Buatong Waterfall-Chet Si Fountain National Park in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

The motorbike rental guide covers passport, helmet and licence.

There is no scheduled songthaew. The only bus-free option is a chartered one: find a driver at Chiang Mai’s Warorot Market and negotiate. Expect around THB 1,000 one way and about 3 hours of travel. The Warorot Market guide has its hours and address, and the red songthaew guide explains city fares.

There are no cabs at the site unless a driver is already waiting for another group. Book a day tour or private transfer, or pay a chartered driver to wait and bring you back.

When to go and how long

Thaiger extends the generally good window, the dry season, to April.

Algae on some rocks make slips possible. Check each step before you commit weight.

Nearby and how to combine it

For a bigger mountain day, read the Doi Inthanon day trip guide. For a hilltop temple, see Doi Suthep.

Before you go

  • Check your footing before putting your full weight down, and use the ropes in some areas for extra support.
  • Book your return ride before you go: Grab drivers often refuse return trips, and there are no cabs at the site.
  • The park office phone number is 093 193 3556.
Photo credits

↑ Contents

Step by step

  1. Check the park statusCall the park office on 093 193 3556 before a long trip.
  2. Drive the DNP routeFollow Highway 1001 from central Chiang Mai to km marker 49 at Ban Pa Mai, then turn right onto a paved road for about 3 km to the park office.
  3. Mind your footingCheck each step before you commit weight, and use the ropes in some areas.

Not confirmed: Fee and hours: free entry and 08:00-17:00 come from press and a directory; the park is still in preparation with no official rate or hours. Call the park office before a long trip. Transport: the songthaew fare is from one press guide, not an official page.

Common questions

Is Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall free?

Entry is free, with no ticket and no parking fee.

What are the Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall opening hours?

The falls are open daily from 08:00 to 17:00.

How far is Bua Tong Sticky Waterfall from Chiang Mai?

The DNP's route along Highway 1001 is about 53 km in total.

Is there a songthaew to Bua Tong?

A chartered songthaew from Warorot Market usually costs around THB 1,000 one way and takes about 3 hours.

Places in this guide

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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