Umphang

• Thi Lor Su waterfall: Thailand’s biggest waterfall is a jaw-dropping sight.
• Doi Hua Mot: a scenic viewpoint a few kilometers south of Umphang.

Situated at an elevation of around 500 meters and surrounded by dense forests, Umphang enjoys a fresh climate for most of the year, and air-conditioning is rarely necessary. From November to February, the cool season, which can get very chilly at night, attracts tourists in their thousands.

The hot season, from March to May, is not a bad time to visit as it’s less crowded, though the landscapes are not as lush. In the rainy season, tracks become impassable and trekking is not much fun.

There’s really nothing to do in the village of Umphang itself apart from take a stroll round the local temple, Wat Nilaman, and pick up any last-minute supplies for the trek to Thi Lor Su Waterfall. Be warned though, that’s there’s not much on the shelves and you’d be better off stocking up on goodies in Mae Sot.

The one activity that brings everyone to Umphang is the visit to Thi Lor Su, Thailand’s biggest waterfall, though there are hundreds of other waterfalls and natural attractions in the area. Thi Lor Su and many other attractions are located in the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, which covers a huge area to the west of town.

Getting to Thi Lor Su is not easy, so most people sign up for a 2-3 day tour, which includes rafting and trekking to a camp site just a few kilometers from the falls. Though it’s possible to drive directly to the falls at some times of year, this experience misses the rafting trip through a magical canyon, which for many is the highlight of the trip.

A few kilometers south of Umphang on Highway 1090, Doi Hua Mot is a hill with an elevation of about 1000 meters that offers a 360 degree panorama of the lush countryside around.

Rafting & Trekking

The Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary is just a small part of the so-called ‘Western Forest Complex’, consisting of 12 national parks and 7 wildlife sanctuaries that run along Thailand’s western border with Burma. The region contains some of the country’s most spectacular natural attractions, including Thi Lor Su Waterfall, which is understandably a hugely popular destination for both Thais and foreign visitors.

There are over 50 tour companies offering trips to Thi Lor Su and other destinations in the Western Forest Complex, many of them based in Umphang and others operating out of Mae Sot and Bangkok. While there is some difference between their itineraries, most of them follow a similar pattern.

A tour usually begins with a short ride in a pick-up truck to the banks of the Mae Klong River, where tourists put on life vests and board a rubber raft for the first part of the journey downstream along the river. Two paddlers, one in front and another behind, guide the raft downstream, deftly swerving round hanging branches. There’s not much in the way of rapids, but it’s not unusual for tourists to get splashed along the way, so take care with your camera.

The raft passes through a fairy-tale canyon where waterfalls like Thi Lor Jor tumble over the precipice to join the Mae Klong, and the canyon walls are draped in moss and epiphytes. Some visitors find this part of the tour even more exciting than Thi Lor Su Waterfall itself.

After the raft docks, visitors usually trek for another 10km or so to the camp site near Thi Lor Su, where they stay overnight. From here, a raised cement path leads beside the river for about 3 kilometers to the viewing area at the base of Thi Lor Su. After the visit to the falls, visitors are either taken back to Umphang in a pick-up truck or taken to a different destination in the sanctuary before returning.

Most companies offer trips lasting 2 or 3 days and costing around 2,000B per person per day for a group of 4-5 people. Among the many companies offering trips to Thi Lor Su, there are some that are very shoddy in their organization. Two of the bigger companies, which have earned a reputation for reliability, are:

• Umphang Hill Resort, 59 Moo 6 Tambon Umphang; tel 055561064. www.umphanghill.com
• Tu Ka Su Cottage, 40 Moo 6 Tambon Umphang; tel 055561295. tukasu.webs.com

Umphang is not easy to get to irrespective of your point of origin, as it’s situated at the end of a 164km long winding mountain road. From Bangkok, travel by bus to Mae Sot, then by songthaew from Mae Sot to Umphang. The total journey time is around 12 hours. If you’re at all prone to travel sickness, take some medication before beginning the last leg.

While it’s quite easy to take a songthaew from Mae Sot for the 4-hour ride to Umphang, it’s not a pleasant experience as you are constantly swinging round bends and can’t see what’s coming ahead. Perhaps more than anywhere else in the country, it’s worth renting a vehicle for this journey so that you can stop regularly and enjoy the expansive views.

However, you also need to be a confident bike rider or car driver to negotiate all 1,219 bends, and if you have any doubts, it would be wise to arrange for a driver as well as a vehicle (at little extra cost), which would leave you free to enjoy the scenic ride.

It’s easy to explore the tiny town of Umphang on foot, but most people come here to visit Thi Lor Su Waterfall, for which the tour companies provide all transport. A brave few take on the terrible, 37km road to the falls (open from November to May) independently, but it requires a good 4WD vehicle and nerves of steel.

Considering the remoteness of this tiny town, there’s quite an impressive range of accommodation in Umphang. Though there are no top-end hotels, there are several places that are quite adequate for an overnight stay, which is all most visitors require.

The main frustration that foreigners are likely to experience is that since most visitors are Thai, not many people in the resorts and guest houses speak English. However, most problems are usually overcome in one way or other.

Since the most important reason for most people coming here is to visit Thi Lor Su Waterfall, it makes sense to stay at the place that is arranging the trip for you, so you might want to check out their websites for their tour information, along with our suggestions under Rafting and Trekking.

As you might guess, there are no gourmet treats in this tiny town in the middle of nowhere, but as in the rest of Thailand, you won’t starve. Most visitors settle for eating in their guest house or resort after the long ride from Mae Sot, though there are a few other options in town, including a recently-opened pizzeria if you have a craving for Western food.

Most visitors to Umphang are too exhausted in the evening, either after the drive from Mae Sot or trekking all day, to worry about nightlife. Most locals are tucked up in bed by 9pm, though in high season big groups of visitors from Bangkok turn up equipped with guitars and harmonicas.

In the low season things are pretty quiet, though the restaurant at Baan Farang, located a few kilometers north of town, occasionally features live musicians.

At present, there are no shops in Umphang specializing in handicrafts, textiles or other souvenirs, so save your money for elsewhere. The few shops in the town center carry little more than household goods and farming implements.