“All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.”
-Eckhart Tolle
“Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.”
– Alan Watts
“Be still and now that I am God“
– Psalm 46:10
Mae Sa Waterfall
It was about a mile up through the jungle forest to reach the top of Mae Sa waterfall. Set in a series of ten tiers, some more rapids than waterfalls, it was a fun and sometimes difficult hike up to the summit. Ten levels of waterfalls all cascading down through the jungle mountains.
Our guide Nong led the way as we headed ever higher into the mountain thickets. It was clear through the massive rock deposits that this river system was both dynamic and ever changing. In the lower levels we found a stone that had to be tens of tons laying on a tree trunk. Nong informed us that with every season the river bed changes.
The massive torrents of rain that flood the valley in the rainy season, have enough power to occasionally move boulders the size of mobile homes and quite often the size of a Volkswagen. Nong treks up through this river system several times a year, he tells us it seldom looks the same. He almost always finds newly placed boulders and crushed trees. It’s an incredibly dynamic landscape.
A Field Guide
as we climbed higher up the edge of the river basin Nong often stopped to show us bits of the natural world happening around us. At one point he pointed above my head and as I turned I saw a very phallic like object protruding from a tree. It was a bee hive.
It was long, hollow and just kind of floated there with bees coming and going out the opening at the end. I am still trying to determine the species, hopefully I’ll have that answer soon.
After the bees he handed me a leaf. On initial inspection it wasn’t much different than basil, though I knew this couldn’t be the case, it’s smell and texture were way off. He called it tiger smell, and on further investigation I found it to be commonly referred to as Siam plant or weed.
He had me rub it between my fingers to “activate” it, and it turned rather sticky and gelatinous. It had been used for centuries in local medicine to clot blood and instigate healing. I would find through research afterward that the plant indeed was being studied for a wide range of medical uses.
Further up the basin we came to a leaf ant colony. This particular variety used dead leaves which they fastened to tree trunks to create shelters. both elusive and clever, I never saw any activity, even as we attempted to carefully lift the leaves and discover their secrets.
A few spiders and many interesting rock formations and lesser waterfalls later, we found the beginning of the falls. A suspension bridge Indian Jones style and a few lesser trodden trails later and we were headed to a couple of more accessible waterfalls. The trail was part of this waterfalls journey, the next two were simply impressive.
Mae Ya Waterfall
Located in Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai Province, this Waterfall I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a relatively easy walk from the base camp. Maybe a quarter mile, and there was a small market at the entrance. A few barbecued eggs, fish and Chiang Mai sausage, whatever you desire.
As we headed past the gate and towards the waterfall, which I could already hear at this distance, something was very obvious. There were signs and makeshift gates all around to shut the area down during the rainy season. This fall was well over 800 feet from start to finish and I can only imagine what kind of force it builds in flood months.
As we walked towards the falls sand was everywhere. Like a dry beach all around, there were bridges over sand and pathways around sand. A clear indication of what this place looks like in the rainy season. An absolute flood zone.
About halfway to the waterfall I saw a strange sight. At first I thought it was some brave soul selling boggles and trinkets in the middle of the jungle. In fact it was an altar to the forest spirits. Beautiful dresses and silk fabrics filled the massive tree. Opened beverages for the spirits consumption and burning incense, this site was constantly active.
I walked past the altar and on to the waterfall. We crossed a few bamboo bridges and headed out onto the plane that the waterfall sits. The waterfall was very impressive. Massive from top to bottom, it’s hard to put it truly into perspective. We had quite a distance up and a few brave souls were attempting its ascent. I will mark on that image the couple to give this waterfall as much perspective as I can.
Mae Ya just thundered and rolled down the mountain. Beautiful, massive, exotic, it was an impressive sight. I waited to see haw high the brave souls would get, but they never made it higher than they were when we arrived. Mae Ya was relatively secluded and not exactly filled with tourists. Our next waterfall, however, crushed them all but for a price.
Wachirathan Waterfall
Full of tourists, easily accessible, and absolutely breathtaking. That is Wachirathan Waterfall and National Park. You pull in to coffee and souvenir shops, ice cream and popcorn. It’s a sight right out of Stone Mountain.
But Stone Mountain doesn’t a waterfall. Dropping at over 250 feet straight down, it stands as one of the most impressive falls I’ve ever seen. The falls hit at such a fury that the surrounding viewing platforms are almost constantly drenched in spray. When we arrived it was almost breathtaking.
The spray rises up to form a beautiful rainbow just above the river basin below. A truly beautiful sight. It didn’t matter that tourists were everywhere or popcorn was being shoveled just behind me. The Niagara Falls of Thailand, she was easily accessible, convenient and beautiful. The others were beautiful in the journey to them, this waterfall was simply majestic. To stand in awe at natures beauty is divine. For in the beauty of nature one finds the hand of God.
Click Here for a short film of our waterfall explorations
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