Lonely Planet ThailandLonely Planet
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Thailand
Lonely Planet · 2024
The 19th edition covers Kanchanaburi for Erawan and the Tak and Mae Sot area near Pha Charoen.
Thailand · Chiang Mai
Mae Ya Waterfall
Mae Ya Waterfall is a waterfall in Doi Inthanon National Park, Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai province, Thailand. It is located in the southern part of the national park and is formed by the Mae Ya stream.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Mae Ya Waterfall drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Chom Thong, Thailand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Mae Ya Waterfall itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Chom Thong are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotographyWildlife & safari
When to go
Wet-season fed: fullest from August to December; by March and April many falls here are a trickle.
Getting there
- Base town Chom Thong, Thailand
- Country Thailand
- Region Chiang Mai, Southeast Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Mae Ya Waterfall
Thailand
Height—Width—
Most similar
Vattaparai Falls
India
Height—Width—
Also a cascade waterfall and in India
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Mae Ya Waterfall yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a BudgetRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget
Rough Guides · 2024
For a multi-country trip, one book covering the overland routes between the Southeast Asian falls on this site.
On the map
18.44056, 98.6075
Quick answers
Where is Mae Ya Waterfall?
Mae Ya Waterfall is in Thailand (Chiang Mai). The nearest base is Chom Thong, Thailand. Its coordinates are 18.4406, 98.6075.
When is the best time to visit Mae Ya Waterfall?
Peak flow is August to December. Wet-season fed: fullest from August to December; by March and April many falls here are a trickle.
What can you do at Mae Ya Waterfall?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Mae Ya Waterfall?
The usual base is Chom Thong, Thailand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Mae Ya Waterfall
Wachirathan Falls
Thailand · 11 km away
Wachirathan Falls are waterfalls in the Chom Thong district in the province of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Mae Surin Falls
Thailand · 100 m · 80 km away
Nam Tok Mae Surin, also known as Mae Surin Falls, are waterfalls in Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province. Mae…
Pha Charoen Falls
Thailand · 220 km away
A remote highlight of Thailand's far western borderlands
Swimming
Namtok Kaeng Song
Thailand · 280 km away
Namtok Kaeng Song is a waterfall in the Wang Thong District of Phitsanulok Province in Thailand. It is on the…