The island's water year

Eleven waterfalls, one island year

The same rain reaches eleven waterfalls at eleven different speeds. Below is the whole year at once, then a month you can pick to see who is running and who has gone quiet.

Waterfalls
11
Best month
Nov
Driest month
Apr
Never run dry
3
Tallest drop
80 m
Eleven lanes, wettest fall at the top. A break in a ribbon means that fall ran dry that month; the pale columns behind are the rain that caused it. Flow tracks that same month's rain closely (r = 0.73). It does not lag behind the rise - a wet week shows up in the ribbons almost at once. This is a planning table built from our own articles cross-checked against the island's rainfall record, not a gauge reading. One heavy storm can move it.
A ridgeline chart of eleven Koh Samui waterfalls, one lane each, showing how their monthly flow rises and falls across the year over the rainfall that drives it.
Waterfall JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Zong Raue Waterfall: The Fruit Plantation Hidden Gem StrongLowLowLowGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodStrongStrongStrong
Khun Si Waterfall: The Durian Plantation Hidden Gem GoodGoodGoodLowLowLowLowGoodGoodStrongStrongStrong
Tan Rua Waterfall (Secret Falls): Free, 250 m Walk, Maenam StrongStrongLowDryDryLowGoodGoodGoodGoodStrongStrong
Hin Lad Waterfall: 30 m Falls, Temple Trail, Free Entry LowDryDryLowGoodGoodGoodStrongStrongStrongStrongLow
Sivatara Waterfall: Lamai's Scenic Adventure Hub GoodGoodLowLowLowGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGood
Na Muang Waterfalls: Samui's Purple Cascades and Jungle Pools StrongLowLowDryDryLowLowGoodGoodStrongStrongStrong
Khao Yai Waterfall: Koh Samui's Serene Mountain Oasis GoodGoodLowDryDryDryLowLowGoodStrongStrongStrong
Tartain Waterfall: The Remote Jungle Secret of Lipa Noi GoodGoodLowDryDryDryLowLowGoodStrongStrongStrong
Tarnim Magic Garden: Fee, Road and What to See on Pom Mountain LowLowDryDryDryGoodGoodGoodGoodStrongStrongLow
Lat Wanon Waterfall: The Secluded Boulder Rapids of Lipa Noi StrongGoodGoodDryDryDryDryDryLowGoodStrongStrong
Wang Sao Thong Waterfall: Koh Samui's Hidden Jungle Oasis GoodGoodDryDryDryDryDryDryStrongStrongStrongStrong
Rainfall 1256511585130135115100120295445265
Pick a month

In Jan, 4 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 0 are dry.

In Feb, 1 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 1 are dry.

In Mar, 0 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 3 are dry.

In Apr, 0 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 7 are dry.

In May, 0 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 7 are dry.

In Jun, 0 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 4 are dry.

In Jul, 0 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 2 are dry.

In Aug, 1 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 2 are dry.

In Sep, 2 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 0 are dry.

In Oct, 8 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 0 are dry.

In Nov, 10 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 0 are dry.

In Dec, 8 of 11 waterfalls run strong and 0 are dry.

How far from the car

How far from the car to the water

The question that decides most waterfall trips is rarely the height of the drop, it's the walk from wherever you leave the car. Below, every fall as a range: quick on the near end, a real walk on the far one.

Tarnim's stream runs through a hillside garden you wander rather than a trail you walk to, so it carries no walk time here. Tarnim Magic Garden

Four ways to visit

Four kinds of waterfall visit

Not every waterfall here asks the same thing of you. Some sit beside the car park, some want a proper jungle walk, one is a straight climb, and one is a managed, paid park with pools kept topped up. Pick your kind below.

Roadside

4 waterfalls

Park within sight of the water and walk in on a short, usually easy path. No special shoes required.

Jungle walk

3 waterfalls

A real walk through forest, river crossings and tree roots, to a pool the tour buses never reach.

Steep hike

2 waterfalls

Stairs, ropes or a scramble over boulders. The fall at the top is the reward for the climb, not a given.

Managed park

2 waterfalls

A managed site with an entry fee, paths and staff. What you lose in wildness you get back in convenience.

When to swim

When you can actually swim

Every fall here has a season, but not every wet month is a swimming month. Below is the actual window, plotted across the year, for each fall with a pool worth getting into - and it isn't the month you'd expect.

A month counts here when the fall has a pool and the flow is good: enough water to swim in, not so much that the pool turns into a chute.

Conditions here change within a day, and a fall running strong moves fast. This is what our own visits found swimmable, never a promise that it's safe.

No pool worth the trip

In our own words

What we noticed at each fall

  1. Far fewer visitors make the climb, so you may have the waterfall entirely to yourself.

    Na Muang Waterfalls

  2. Several smaller plunge pools dot the trail below the main waterfall, offering quieter spots to cool off.

    Hin Lad Waterfall

  3. This natural fortification keeps the large tour buses away, leaving the site to independent explorers and adventure seekers.

    Tan Rua Waterfall (Secret Falls)

  4. The air is filled with a cool, misty spray, and the sound of the falls is amplified by the cave walls.

    Khun Si Waterfall

  5. Unlike many other falls where the pools are filled with jagged rocks, the basins at Zong Raue often have sandy or soft silt bottoms.

    Zong Raue Waterfall

Before you go

Before you go

  • Wet rock

    Granite turns slippery within seconds of getting wet, shaded patches included. Move slowly near any ledge.

  • Rising flow

    Rain upstream can lift a fall's flow within the hour, well before it starts raining where you're standing.

  • Never dive

    Pool depth shifts with the season and the rock underneath is often out of sight. Wade in, don't jump.

  • Wear real shoes

    Flip-flops slide on wet stone. Closed shoes or grippy sandals make every one of these walks safer.

  • Leeches after rain

    The jungle falls can carry leeches on the trail right after rain. Long socks help more than repellent does.

  • What dry means

    A dry month here means bare rock, not a smaller waterfall. There is no trickle to see, only stone.

  • Carry it out

    None of these trails have bins along the way. Whatever you bring in, fruit peel included, leaves with you too.

  • Some gates charge

    A few of these falls sit on private land with a gate fee. That's normal here, not a tourist markup.

Where they are

Where the falls sit on the island

Every waterfall pinned on the map, plus a table you can scan without waiting for the map to load: form, walk, gate, swim window and how far above sea level the water sits.

Loading the map

Places in view

11 places in view

The full directory

Locals rank these three by size, but no source publishes the measurement behind it. We repeat the order as a convention here, never as something we measured.

Beyond the falls

Beyond the falls

None of these eleven waterfalls sit alone. Each one has a beach, a temple or a trail close enough to fold into the same trip, and a handful of our guides that pass through here too.

Nearest beach

  1. Sivatara Waterfall to Lamai Beach 1.8 km away
  2. Sivatara Waterfall to Hua Thanon Beach 2.4 km away
  3. Lat Wanon Waterfall to Tong Yang Beach 2.8 km away
  4. Zong Raue Waterfall to Nathon Beach, Koh Samui 3.1 km away
  5. Sivatara Waterfall to Na Thian Beach 3.2 km away

Nearest temple

  1. Sivatara Waterfall to Wat Sila Ngu 0.9 km away
  2. Sivatara Waterfall to Dipabhavan Meditation Center 1.1 km away
  3. Hin Lad Waterfall to Wat Namtok Hin Lad 1.2 km away
  4. Wang Sao Thong Waterfall to Wat Khunaram 1.6 km away
  5. Sivatara Waterfall to Wat Lamai 1.9 km away

Nearest trail

  1. Tan Rua Waterfall (Secret Falls) to Tan Rua Trail 0.2 km away
  2. Khun Si Waterfall to Grand Viewpoint Traverse 0.2 km away
  3. Khun Si Waterfall to Khun Si Waterfall Trail 0.2 km away
  4. Hin Lad Waterfall to Nathon Mountain Ridge Trek 0.6 km away
  5. Khao Yai Waterfall to Wang Sao Thong Trail 0.9 km away

Guides that pass through here

  • Koh Samui Waterfalls & Hiking

    Koh Samui waterfalls and hiking guide: monthly flow for 11 waterfalls, stats for 24 trails, best easy and hard hikes, top viewpoints, and when to go.

  • Samui Rainy Season

    Samui rainy season runs October to December, peaking in November (445 mm, 16 rain days). Monthly rain, floods, storms and whether to go.

  • Best Time to Visit Koh Samui

    Find the best time to visit Koh Samui month by month: 2026 weather, rain days, sea temperature, crowds and prices, plus a Gulf vs Andaman monsoon explainer.

  • 25 Best Things to Do in Koh Samui (2026)

    The 25 best things to do in Koh Samui: top beaches, temples, waterfalls, day trips, markets and nightlife, with prices, hours and directions for 2026.

Questions

Waterfall questions, answered plainly

Which Koh Samui waterfalls never run dry?

Three of the eleven keep at least some flow all year: Zong Raue, Khun Si and Sivatara. Sivatara is a managed park with pools that are topped up, so it's also the only one of the three that never runs strong either.

When do most Koh Samui waterfalls run dry?

April is the driest month for flow, not February, even though February gets the least rain. The falls fill within days of heavy rain but take months to drain, so the low point in the water lags well behind the low point in rainfall.

Is the best month to swim also the best month to see the waterfalls?

No. Our swim rule needs a pool and a good, not overwhelming, flow, which peaks earlier than the strongest running months. Check the swim window section for each fall rather than assuming peak flow means peak swimming.

Which waterfall has the tallest drop on Koh Samui?

Na Muang has the island's tallest single drop, reached by a jungle trek above its lower, easier pool. Two other falls are locally called the second and third largest, but that ranking is a local convention, not a published measurement.

Do any Koh Samui waterfalls charge an entrance fee?

Most are free or charge only for parking. A few sit on private land and charge a gate fee for entry, which is normal here rather than a tourist markup - the directory below marks which is which for every fall.

Can you swim at every waterfall on Koh Samui?

No. Two of the eleven, Sivatara and Tarnim, have no pool worth swimming in - Sivatara is built around a fish spa and viewpoint, and Tarnim is a garden stream you wade in rather than swim.