Namuang Waterfall Koh Samui: Na Muang 1 and 2, Hours, Hike

Overview

Namuang Waterfall on Koh Samui is two falls in the southern interior, off Route 4169 between Nathon and Lamai. Na Muang 1, the lower fall, drops 18 meters over purple-tinted rock into a natural swimming pool about a 5-minute walk from the car park. Na Muang 2, the upper fall, is the tallest on the island at 80 meters and takes a steep 30-40 minute jungle climb from Na Muang 1. Entry is free, parking costs 20 THB for a motorbike and 60 THB for a car (as of 2026), and listings give opening hours of about 09:00 to 17:00 or 18:00.

The name “Na Muang” comes from the Thai word for purple, after the mineral-stained rock face of the lower falls.

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Na Muang 1 or Na Muang 2: Which One to Visit?

Visit Na Muang 1 if you want a swim and an easy stop; add Na Muang 2 only if you are fit, have grippy shoes and dry weather. Most visitors stop at the first fall, and the climb to the second is what sets the two apart.

Why Is It Called the Purple Waterfall?

Na Muang 1 is called the Purple Waterfall because minerals stain the rock face a violet shade that shows most when the stone is wet, most vivid during and after rain. For generations the falls have been a local gathering place, and as tourism grew the lower fall became one of Samui’s first natural attractions, with a car park, stalls and walking paths.

The steep terrain around the upper fall has kept much of the surrounding jungle undeveloped.

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Na Muang 1: The Lower Falls

Na Muang 1 is the accessible waterfall: the one you see in every Samui guidebook. A flat, paved walkway leads 100 meters from the parking area through a corridor of souvenir stalls selling sarongs, coconut bowls, and elephant trinkets.

The waterfall itself is a broad, 18-meter cascade pouring over a wide purple rock face into a natural pool approximately 5 meters deep. The pool is large enough for swimming, and surrounding flat rocks provide spots for sunbathing and picnicking.

What makes it special

• The purple rocks: The mineral-stained cliff face glows violet when wet, most vivid during rainy season
• The swimming pool: Deep enough for a proper swim, refreshingly cool after the tropical heat
• Accessibility: No hiking required, families with small children, elderly visitors, and anyone in flip-flops can reach it

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Na Muang 2: The Upper Falls

Na Muang 2 is a completely different experience. At 80 meters, it’s the tallest waterfall on Koh Samui: a multi-tiered cascade dropping through dense jungle canopy. The only way to reach it is a 30-minute uphill trek through the forest from Na Muang 1.

The reward at the top is a smaller, shallower pool surrounded by massive boulders, and a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the island’s interior. Far fewer visitors make the climb, so you may have the waterfall entirely to yourself.

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The Trail: What to Expect

The combined trail to both waterfalls is approximately 2.7 km out-and-back (per AllTrails). The experience divides neatly into two halves.

Na Muang 1 approach (easy)

• 100 meters on flat paved path from parking
• Lined with souvenir stalls
• Accessible for all fitness levels
• 5 minutes walk

Na Muang 2 trail (moderate to challenging)

• 30-40 minutes uphill from Na Muang 1
• Terrain changes from concrete steps to dirt, roots, and boulder scrambles
• Several sections require climbing over rock faces using installed guide ropes, essentially a via ferrata
• Steep cliff sections with loose stone
• Sturdy shoes with grip are essential: flip-flops are genuinely dangerous here
• The trail is signposted in places but has unmarked, slippery sections even in dry conditions

How Do You Get to Na Muang 2?

Follow the path past the Na Muang 1 pool and keep climbing: steps give way to dirt, roots and boulders, with installed ropes on the rock faces. Budget 30-40 minutes each way from Na Muang 1, and expect sections that reviewers describe as unmarked or poorly maintained, so stay on the worn path and turn back if rain starts. Some guides quote 15-20 minutes from the car park to the base of Na Muang 2, which is only realistic for fast, fit walkers.

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Swimming and Natural Pools

Na Muang 1 pool

The main attraction for most visitors. The pool at the base of Na Muang 1 is approximately 5 meters deep at its center: deep enough for swimming and even jumping from lower rocks. The water is cool and refreshing, fed by the mountain stream above.

Safety notes:

• Rocks underfoot and around the pool are slippery year-round
• Check depth and submerged rocks before jumping
• Never swim during or immediately after heavy rain: flash flood risk is real
• The pool floor has some sharp stones; water shoes help

Na Muang 2 pool

Smaller and shallower: more for cooling off after the hike than serious swimming. The setting is more dramatic, though: massive boulders frame a secluded pool with far fewer people.

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Wildlife and Nature

The Na Muang watershed sits in one of Koh Samui’s last significant areas of primary rainforest. The jungle canopy is dense, and the trail to Na Muang 2 passes through some genuinely wild terrain.

What you might see:

• Butterflies, especially abundant near the water
• Monitor lizards basking on rocks
• Dusky langur monkeys in the canopy (more common in early morning)
• Tropical birds: kingfishers, sunbirds, bulbuls
• Massive ferns, strangler figs, and buttress-root trees along the trail

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Nearby Attractions

Under 10 minutes

• Namuang Safari Park: Adjacent to the waterfall parking, open about 09:00-17:00 per TripAdvisor, with elephant and animal shows. Ethical note: multiple reports of poor animal conditions; if you want to see elephants, compare Samui Elephant Sanctuary and Samui Elephant Haven instead.

Under 20 minutes

• Secret Buddha Garden (Tar Nim Magic Garden): Hilltop sculpture park with 80+ stone statues and jungle stream. Entry 80 THB. 4WD access recommended.
• Tartain Waterfall: a wilder, rope-assisted jungle climb up the same mountain roads, for fit visitors who want a quieter fall than Na Muang.
• Wang Sao Thong Waterfall: a quieter, smaller jungle waterfall nearby, reached by a short hike of roughly 500 m-1 km; see the Wang Sao Thong guide for fees and flow by season.
• Wat Khunaram: Famous for the preserved mummified monk (Luang Phor Daeng). Free admission. On the ring road near the Na Muang turnoff.
• Hin Ta Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks): Iconic phallic rock formations on the coast near Lamai Beach.
• Lamai Beach: Full beach with restaurants, bars, and swimming. 15 min drive.

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Where to Eat Nearby

At the waterfall: Simple food stalls near the parking area sell Thai snacks, grilled skewers, fresh fruit, and cold drinks (40-100 THB per item).

Within 15 min drive:

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Getting There

Open the full map

Location

Na Muang is in the south-central interior, off Route 4169 (the ring road). Look for the signed turnoff between Nathon and Lamai. The road inland to the parking area is paved.

From different areas

Starting Point	Drive Time	Taxi Cost
Nathon Town	10-15 min	400-600 THB
Lamai Beach	15-20 min	400-600 THB
Chaweng Beach	25-30 min	600-800 THB
Bophut	30-35 min	700-1,000 THB

Transport options

• Scooter: Most popular option. 150-200 THB/day rental. Follow Route 4169 and the Na Muang signs.
• Private taxi: Negotiate fare in advance, no meters on Samui.
• Songthaew: Available but infrequent to this inland location.
• Organized tours: Many half-day island tours include Na Muang as a stop.

Parking

Large lot at the entrance near the safari park. 60 THB for cars, 20 THB for motorbikes (as of 2026). Free parking exists further along the narrow road past the main lot, or park on the main road and walk about 20 minutes. One older listing quotes a 50 THB entry fee; recent reports say entry is free.

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Best Time to Visit

Season	Months	Water Flow	Trail Condition	Rating
Late monsoon	Dec-Jan	Strong, dramatic cascades	Damp but stable	★★★★★
Dry season (February weather)	Feb-May	Reduced, may trickle by April	Dry, safest hiking	★★★
Early monsoon	Jun-Sep	Building as rains begin	Increasingly slippery	★★★
Peak wet	Oct-Nov	Maximum flow, most dramatic	Slippery, can be dangerous	★★★★

Timing tips

• Best balance: December to January, strong water flow from recent rains, trails stabilizing, good weather windows
• Worst time: Late March to May, waterfalls can reduce to a trickle, disappointing for photos
• Best time of day: Early morning (8-10 AM) or late afternoon (3-5 PM) to avoid midday heat and tour groups

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Rain above, the fall below

Jan 125 Roaring Feb 65 Trickling Mar 115 Trickling Apr 85 Silent May 130 Silent Jun 135 Trickling Jul 115 Trickling Aug 100 Rushing Swim Sep 120 Rushing Swim Now Oct 295 Roaring Nov 445 Roaring Dec 265 Roaring

Island rain, mm, above the line This fall's flow below it: strong, good, low; dotted is dry Swim month

January Most dramatic, admire it from the rocks

• Flow: Roaring
• Too strong
• 125 mm over 8 days
• Island crowds high

February A thin line of water, wade in the pools

• Flow: Trickling
• Too low
• 65 mm over 4 days
• Island crowds high

March A thin line of water, wade in the pools

• Flow: Trickling
• Too low
• 115 mm over 5 days
• Island crowds moderate

April Bare rock: come back after the rain

• Flow: Silent
• Too low
• 85 mm over 6 days
• Island crowds moderate

May Bare rock: come back after the rain

• Flow: Silent
• Too low
• 130 mm over 11 days
• Island crowds low

June A thin line of water, wade in the pools

• Flow: Trickling
• Too low
• 135 mm over 10 days
• Island crowds low

July A thin line of water, wade in the pools

• Flow: Trickling
• Too low
• 115 mm over 11 days
• Island crowds moderate

August The swim months: water to swim in

• Flow: Rushing
• Swim OK
• 100 mm over 10 days
• Island crowds moderate

September The swim months: water to swim in

• Flow: Rushing
• Swim OK
• 120 mm over 11 days
• Island crowds low

October Most dramatic, admire it from the rocks

• Flow: Roaring
• Too strong
• 295 mm over 16 days
• Island crowds low

November Most dramatic, admire it from the rocks

• Flow: Roaring
• Too strong
• 445 mm over 16 days
• Island crowds low

December Most dramatic, admire it from the rocks

• Flow: Roaring
• Too strong
• 265 mm over 12 days
• Island crowds high

Na Muang and three other falls

Each card shows a fall's year, with this month marked, so you can see which one fits your day.

• 

  You are here

  Na Muang

  Roaring

  Walk

  5-40 min

  Gate

  60 THB, parking only

  Kind

  Roadside

  Flow rank

  No. 6 of 11
• 

  Khao Yai

  Roaring

  Walk

  5-10 min

  Gate

  20 THB, parking only

  Kind

  Roadside

  Flow rank

  No. 7 of 11
• 

  Tarnim

  Roaring

  Walk

  Not stated

  Gate

  80 THB / 100 THB

  Kind

  Managed park

  Flow rank

  No. 9 of 11
• 

  Wang Sao Thong

  Roaring

  Walk

  15-20 min

  Gate

  30 THB, parking only

  Kind

  Jungle walk

  Flow rank

  No. 11 of 11

The full list and the year of every fall

Practical Tips

Essentials

• Footwear: Sturdy hiking shoes or grippy sandals for Na Muang 2. Flip-flops are fine for Na Muang 1 only.
• Swimwear: Bring it, you’ll want to swim at Na Muang 1
• Water: Carry at least 1 liter, the Na Muang 2 hike is strenuous in tropical heat
• Insect repellent: Mosquitoes are present year-round, worse in wet season
• Camera: Waterproof case recommended for the pool area

Safety

• Ropes on Na Muang 2 trail: They’re installed for a reason, use them on the rock-climbing sections
• Rain: Do NOT attempt Na Muang 2 in rain. The rocks become dangerously slick.
• Flash floods: After heavy rain, wait several hours before visiting either waterfall
• Time: Allow 1-2 hours for both waterfalls; 30 minutes if you only visit Na Muang 1

For families

Na Muang 1 is excellent for families: easy access, safe swimming in the pool (supervise children), interesting rock formations. Na Muang 2 is not suitable for young children due to the steep, rope-assisted trail sections.

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Who Is Na Muang Best For?

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FAQ

How much does it cost to visit Na Muang Waterfalls?

The waterfalls themselves are free. Parking costs 60 THB for cars and 20 THB for motorbikes. You can walk from the main road (~20 minutes) to avoid the parking fee entirely.

Which waterfall in Koh Samui is the best?

Na Muang is the most visited and has the tallest drop (80 m at Na Muang 2) plus an easy swimming pool at Na Muang 1. For quieter alternatives, see Hin Lad, Wang Sao Thong, Khao Yai and Tartain; the waterfalls and hikes guide compares them.

What are the opening hours of Na Muang Waterfall?

Listings give about 09:00 to 17:00 or 18:00 daily, and the falls themselves are natural and not gated. Sources differ, so treat the hours as a guide and aim to finish by 17:00. Go early morning for cooler air and fewer tour groups.

Can you swim at Na Muang Waterfall?

Yes: Na Muang 1 has a large natural pool approximately 5 meters deep, perfect for swimming. Na Muang 2 has a smaller, shallower pool. Avoid swimming during or after heavy rain due to flash flood risk.

How hard is the hike to Na Muang 2?

Moderate to challenging. The 30-40 minute trail involves climbing over boulders, navigating rope-assisted rock faces, and steep jungle sections. Sturdy shoes are essential. Not suitable for young children or those with mobility issues.

What is the best time to visit Na Muang Waterfalls?

December to January offers the best balance: strong water flow from recent monsoon rains with improving trail conditions. Late March to May is the worst time as the waterfalls can dry to a trickle.

How do I get to Na Muang from Chaweng Beach?

Drive south on Route 4169 for about 25-30 minutes. The turnoff is well-signed. By taxi, expect to pay 600-800 THB one way. A rented scooter (150-200 THB/day) is the most flexible and cheapest option.

Is Na Muang Waterfall worth visiting?

Na Muang 1 is worth the stop for anyone on the island: it’s a 5-minute walk to a stunning swimming hole. Na Muang 2 is worth the effort for hikers who want the tallest waterfall on Samui and a genuine jungle adventure. Visit after rain for the most impressive cascades.