Park

Erawan is a natural reserve centred on a seven-tiered waterfall named after the three-headed Hindu elephant Erawan — locals say the top tier resembles its shape. The falls stretch about 1.5 km. You can reach the top tier in roughly an hour via a trail along the river; the path gets more difficult the higher you go. Each of the seven levels has natural pools. Many fish live in the water and will swim around people — if you move gently they’ll nibble and tickle you. Some pools are quite deep. Life jackets are available to rent at the park entrance for 20 baht. Visit on weekdays if you can, as weekends are popular with locals. Entrance for foreigners is 300 baht. Getting there: a bus runs from Kanchanaburi bus terminal every hour from 08:00 to 17:00; the last bus from the park to town departs at 16:00.