Water is necessary and fascinating. An undeniable source of life, it animates and shapes landscapes. Come and discover with us the most spectacular and charming waterfalls on the Asian continent. The suggested order is not a classification, it is only a pretext for wonder.
Erawan Waterfalls, Thailand
These waterfalls are located about 3h30 drive north-west of Bangkok, in the province of Kanchanaburi, on a tributary of the Kwai Yai River. They evolve on seven levels, each more beautiful than the other, in Erawan National Park. Created in 1975, this park is one of Thailand’s main tourist attractions and is home to a lush tropical forest rich in wildlife (Asian elephant, gibbon, colourful birds, etc.).
The name of the place is that of a white elephant with several heads (between 3 and 33) which bears the god Indra, in the Hindu religion.
Swimming is allowed and it takes at least half a day to visit the falls. The flow is greater at the end of the monsoon, towards the end of October.
To see a hundred magnificent Asian waterfalls on Video, it’s here:
Kuang Si waterfalls, Laos
Kuang Si is an extraordinary natural phenomenon, located less than an hour’s drive from Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Lan Xang (kingdom of a million elephants). The waterfalls are on three levels, offering at their foot magnificent limestone pools popular for swimming and relaxation.
Legend has it that a golden deer had dug its den there under the rock (kuang means deer and si means to dig).
Ban Gioc/Detian Falls, Vietnam/China
Located on the border between China and Vietnam, the falls are called Ban Gioc on the Vietnamese side and Detian on the Chinese side. They are more than four hours’ drive west of the Chinese city of Nanning and about 6:30 northeast of Hanoi. The falls are fed by the Quây Sơn River (known as Guichun in China).
The visit is very popular, on foot, on the Vietnamese side, and in flat boats made of bamboo. These rafts are of two colours: blue on the Chinese side and green for the other side of the border. The visit is chargeable.
The dense green vegetation and the mountainous relief offer incredible landscapes. So, less loaded, it is during the dry season that the falls offer all their finesse to the sight of the spectator. Nearby, the Buddhist temple of Truc Lam Phat Tich is worth a visit and also offers a sumptuous panorama. There is also the Ngom Ngao cave or Tiger cave to visit in the vicinity.
Kawasan Falls, Philippines
A true oasis in the middle of the Philippine jungle, on the island of Cebu. Several small falls follow one another in a spectacular gorge, while the last and largest fall ends its course in a large and sumptuous basin with milky turquoise waters. The colour comes from the mineral richness. Swimsuit highly recommended.
It takes about three hours to reach this place from Cebu City. The place is very popular, so you should not count on a moment of solitude. There is an entrance fee and it is possible to go to the foot of the falls on bamboo rafts. It is also possible to practise canyoning.
Thi Lo Su, Thailand
Succession of falls, this waterfall is about 250 m high. It is located in the tropical forest of the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, in which evolve clouded leopard, Malayan tapir, Indochinese tiger, Indian elephant…
It takes nearly 12 hours to reach this place from Bangkok located about 300 kilometres to the southeast. While the Burmese border is only about fifteen kilometres away.
Arrival on the site requires going through a private service provider for the last stretch of road which is done in a 4×4 vehicle.
Pongour Waterfall, Vietnam
This waterfall embraces the rock like a fine lace curtain, providing a soft and sumptuous spectacle. It is located in the province of Lâm Đồng, about five hours’ drive east of Ho Chi Minh City. Near the sumptuous Buddhist temple of Phương Liên Tịnh Xứ Chùa Đại Ninh.
Other falls are located in the vicinity, but Pongour is the most famous and the most incredible.
Ulaan Tsutgalan Fall, Mongolia
Very different from the previous ones, the Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall flows into a deep hole in a large steppe plain in Mongolia. This formation is the consequence of a seismic and volcanic past. The waters then join the Orkhon (or Orhon) River, which is part of the watershed that feeds Lake Baikal in neighbouring Russia.
In the heart of summer, the fall has a high flow due to the melting snow in the surrounding mountains.
It is about an eight-hour drive west of Ulaanbaatar.
Tad Lo, Laos
Tad Lo Falls are located at the edge of the Bolaven Plateau, in the very south of Laos. Half a day’s drive from Vientiane or Phnom Penh. The nearest town is Paksé, about 1h30 away.
It is a region oriented towards the culture of tea and coffee (renowned).
There are two main falls Tad Pasuam and Tad Champee.
Tad Yuang, Laos
Tad Yuang is located near the previous fall, on the Bolaven plateau. There are still other magnificent waterfalls to see in the area such as Tad Tayicseua and Tad Katamtok.
There are several guesthouses in the area.
Wei Sawdong Falls, India
Small is beautiful! This three-tiered series of falls is located in the Indian state of Meghalaya, about two hours from Shillong. Stuck between Bhutan, Bangladesh and Burma.
With each fall its delicate little basin, a feast for the eyes. The region includes many other falls including the imposing one of Dainthlen,
Sendang Gile, Indonesia
Sendang Gil Waterfall is located near Mount Rinjani National Park on Lombok Island. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Indonesia. It takes about two hours to reach it from Mataram, the main town of the island.
Tiu Kelep, Indonesia
Tiu Kelep is a neighbour of Sendang Gile. It can easily be visited during the same excursion departing from Mataram or another place on the island of Lombok.
Khone Phapheng, Laos
Khone Phapheng Falls are the rushing rapids of the Mekong in the popular 4000 Islands region, Laos. They are located at the southern end of the country, shortly before the border with Cambodia. It takes 2h30 by road from the city of Pakse.
The turbulent waters are particularly impressive and make swimming impossible. During the rainy season, there is so much water that the falls are barely discernable, so it is best to visit them in the dry season.
The region is also known for the presence of freshwater and saltwater dolphins, the Irrawaddy dolphins, a species in danger of extinction.
Shiraito Waterfall, Japan
Located at the foot of Mount Fuji, this waterfall has the softness and harmony of a Japanese garden. It is located about 2 hours from Tokyo and Yokohama, in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is made up of multiple streams of water that seem to want to steal the show from their neighbour. It is probably in autumn, when the vegetation is adorned with shimmering colours, that the place is the most sumptuous.
Kegon Waterfall, Japan
Also Japanese, this fall is located 2h30 from Tokyo, in Tochigi Prefecture. It is located fairly downstream from Lake Chūzenji, in a mountainous region.
In the surroundings, do not miss the extraordinary Shinto shrine of Nikko Toshogu.
It is a classic, straight waterfall with a large volume of water falling from 97 m high. The fall can be observed from above and there is also an elevator (paying) which leads to the bottom of the fall.
Dudhsagar waterfall, India
Dudhsagar is located in the mountains east of the mythical state of Goa, about 2 hours from Panaji. Either in the Mollem National Park, a preserved place where developed wild fauna still lives: leopard, Bengal tiger (very rare), common langur…
It is a powerful fall of three hundred metres high for an average width of thirty metres. Additional curiosity, a railway line spans the river at this place.
Sekumpul Waterfalls, Indonesia
Located in the north of Bali, it takes fairly over two hours to reach these mind-blowing waterfalls from Denpasar. Powerful waterfalls rub shoulders in the middle of an ocean of greenery. With a little luck and the sun, a rainbow forms at its foot for an unforgettable moment of contemplation.
Tegenungan Waterfall, Indonesia
Also in Bali, Tegenungan is less impressive. It is only half an hour from Denpasar.
At its feet, a beautiful basin is offered to the visitor, suitable for swimming.
Coban Sewu Waterfalls, Indonesia
Also called Tumpak Sewu, Coban Sewu is an incredible waterfall located at the foot of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park and its volcanoes. Several falls unfold side by side to form an almost unreal arc in the heart of the rainforest.
The waterfalls are located on the island of Java about two hours from Malang and three and a half hour from Surabaya.
Sipiso Piso Waterfall, Indonesia
Still in Indonesia, but this time on the island of Sumatra, Sipiso Piso is an imposing waterfall located about three hours from Medan. The site is close to the largest volcanic lake in the world, Lake Toba.
It is one of the biggest waterfalls in Asia.
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