The tour in a nutshell
Samui's waterfalls are rain-fed, and the island's rain arrives between October and January. In those months Na Muang 1 drops eighteen metres over purple rock into a pool cold enough to wake you up, and Na Muang 2 comes down eighty metres of jungle face. By April, both can be a wet stain on stone.
So this day is built around the season rather than a fixed script. In the wet months we do the Na Muang pair, including the twenty-five minute climb to the upper fall for anyone who wants it. When the interior is dry, we go west instead, to Hin Lad, where the stream holds up longer and the walk through the forest is the better half of the visit.
Either way the second half is the same: a zipline course strung between platforms in the canopy, which needs no experience and gives you the view of the jungle you cannot get from the ground.
Highlights
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Na Muang 1Eighteen metres of water over violet-tinged granite, five flat minutes from the car park, with a pool you can swim in when the river is running.
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Na Muang 2, if you want itTwenty-five minutes uphill on roots and wet rock to the eighty-metre fall. Optional — the group splits and the rest wait at the pool.
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Or Hin Lad, in the dry monthsThe west-coast alternative: a jungle path from the temple behind Nathon, several pools, and almost nobody on it.
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The ziplineCables between platforms in the forest, guides clipping you in at each one. Half the fun is the canopy view; the other half is the drop.
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A swimWhen the water is up, there is time to get in. Bring a towel and something to swim in under your clothes — there is nowhere to change.
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No elephant campThe sellers at the Na Muang car park push an elephant trek and a « compulsory » ride to the falls. We take neither, and we will tell you why on the way.
How the day runs
- Pick-upHotel pick-up anywhere on the island, and a short briefing on which version of the day the season gives us.
- First waterfallNa Muang 1 — or Hin Lad — with time at the pool and the story of why the rock is that colour.
- The climb, or notThose who want the upper fall go up with the guide; the others stay by the water. Allow an hour for the round trip.
- The ziplineHarness, briefing, and the run of platforms through the canopy. No experience required, and the guides do the technical part.
- Back downDrop-off at your hotel, usually early enough to be on a beach by mid-afternoon.
Times are indicative — the exact pick-up time depends on where you stay and is confirmed after booking.
✅ What's included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle and driver
- English or French speaking guide
- Zipline course with instructors and equipment
- Water on board
❌ Not included
- Lunch and drinks
- Towel
- Gratuities
What to bring
- Closed shoes with grip — the zipline requires them and the path demands them
- Swimwear under your clothes, and a towel
- A dry bag or a plastic pouch for your phone
- Insect repellent for the forest
💡 Good to know
🌧️ The season decides: October to January is when the falls run properly. From February the flow drops, and in April Na Muang 2 can be almost dry — we will say so before you book rather than after.
🐘 About the elephants: there is a trekking camp beside the Na Muang road. It is not us, we do not stop there, and we do not send anyone to it — the only animal venue on this site is the sanctuary above Bophut, where nobody rides anything.
💰 At the car park: someone will offer you a « compulsory » lift to the falls. It is not compulsory, and Na Muang 1 is five flat minutes on foot.
⚡ Thunderstorms: the zipline stops in a storm, for obvious reasons. If that happens we rearrange or refund that part of the day.
👶 Children: the zipline operators have their own minimum age and weight — tell us the ages when you ask and we will confirm before you commit.
Book this tour
This day is ours, not a partner's: tell us the date and how many you are, and we come back within 24 hours with the exact plan, the pick-up time and the price. A deposit confirms the booking.
Request this day 💬 Ask on WhatsApp
No online payment on this site. We answer within 24 hours, seven days a week, and the price depends on the size of your group and the vehicle.
In pictures
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year for this day?
October to January, during and just after the rains, when all the falls run properly. February and March are marginal and April is the driest month. A day or two after heavy rain is the single best moment of all — if you are on the island then, ask us to move you.
Do I have to do the climb to Na Muang 2?
No. It is twenty-five minutes uphill on roots and wet rock, and plenty of people stay at the lower pool instead. The group splits and nobody is hurried.
Can we swim?
When the water is up, yes — in the pool under Na Muang 1 and in the shallow basin at Hin Lad. Both are cold and neither is supervised, so it is a swim rather than a swimming pool. In the dry months there may not be enough water to bother.
Is the zipline scary?
It is a series of short runs between platforms with a guide clipping and unclipping you each time. People who dislike heights generally manage it; people who love them wish it were longer.
Do you go to the elephant camp at Na Muang?
No. It offers rides, and this site does not send anyone to venues that do. The only elephant visit we sell is the sanctuary above Bophut — observation and feeding from a walkway, no riding, no bathing, no shows.
📖 Read more: Waterfalls and viewpoints: the full guide · All four waterfalls, mapped
