These days, it wouldn't be a surprise if a 24-hour convenience store, or even a community mall, pops up in your neighbourhood. But what if it's a waterfall, a big natural waterfall? That would be a different story.
In October, I was amazed when I heard the news about people flocking to Namtok Hin Lat, a newly-discovered waterfall in Tha Yang district of Phetchaburi province. To me Tha Yang is a familiar place. It is the hometown of my mother and I have visited it countless times since my childhood. How could I not know all these years that Tha Yang has a waterfall?
I asked a cousin in Phetchaburi if she had ever been to Namtok Hin Lat. It turned out that she too had never heard of it until it recently appeared in the media. But her brother had been there a few days before so she sent me a number of the photographs that he took during his visit.
Unlike what I had expected, the waterfall shown in those pictures was not a tiny one. It is large and long, flowing down almost a 100m of rocky slope. There is also a section that swimmers can use as a slider. I was told that the fall is active only in the monsoon season, when there are rains for several days in a row. At other times of the year, it's just a dry, lifeless rocky outcrop. That explains why Namtok Hin Lat had remained a secret, even to Tha Yang people, for so long.
Some of my cousin's photos also showed the access road. That area of the forest was so rough and obviously off-limits for normal cars. My relative went on a 4WD pickup to the point where even the truck could go no further. From there, like other visitors, he had to walk for about a kilometre to reach the waterfall. But I had another idea.
Yes, if a 4x4 can get there, so can a mountain bike. As a matter of fact, with a much smaller size, a bike could take me even further, perhaps all the way to the waterfall.
Still, it was not until several weeks later that I could arrange time to take a trip to Namtok Hin Lat. By then, the rain had been absent for quite a while and the mysterious waterfall once again disappeared.
But I didn't mind that. My aim was not to swim but to bike. To me, getting there is most of the fun. The timing was also good for me. No rain means the dirt road was dry. That would allow me to avoid the hard work of washing mud off my bike and clothing after the ride.
The access road is unpaved and good for biking from the points it splits off the main road. However, with limited time, I started riding from the foot of the hill instead. Most of the way, it's a mellow climb in a narrow forested valley, at the bottom of which runs a stream that comes from the drying Hin Lat Waterfall further uphill.
As you can see in the accompanying pictures, although the road is just a few kilometres long and the total elevation gain is only 300m or so, the trail is pretty challenging. There are a few short yet steep slopes with loose surface to test your climbing, or bike-walking, prowess. There are also parts with rocky and sandy surfaces that require a bit of skill to clear. It's a fun place for mountain biking. And I do plan to ride there again next year, in the rainy season. It would be nice to have a picture of my mud-covered bike at Namtok Hin Lat when the fall is at its peak.
Well, see you here again next Thursday. Until then, if you have questions, news or biking insights you wish to share, please feel free to send an email to pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th or go to Freewheel Bangkok community page on Facebook.
Pongpet Mekloy is the Bangkok Post's travel editor and a mountain bike freak.
Hin Lat Waterfall, Tha Yang, Phetchaburi
GPS co-ordinates (beginning of the access road): 12º45'59.84" N 99º47'53.10" E
Trail condition: Unpaved road with technical sections.
Distance: From the main road (No.4002) to the foot of the hill, it's about 3km. Uphill from there onto the waterfall, it's 2.6km.
Getting there: From Tha Yang, which is less than 20km south of Phetchaburi downtown, shift off Highway 4 (Phetkasem) and drive through Tha Yang town toward Chang Hua Man Project to the south (just pull over and ask the locals whenever you need directions). Once you are in tambon Khao Krapuk, from Road 3175, you'll see a group of hills beyond the farmland on the left-hand side. The waterfall is in those hills but on another side. As you reach Ban Tha Mai Ruak, the road becomes No.4002. Follow it southward until you see Soi 5 (Huai Hin Ploeng) on your left. That's the access road. It leads you to the hills and the waterfall.
Parking: You can leave your car at any of the villagers' houses you find (of course, ask for permission first) and ride from there. But if your vehicle is 4x4 and you have somebody to drive it, there's space for parking closer to the fall.
Food & drinks: There's no shop whatsoever along the access road. Pack some goodies.
What your family can enjoy while waiting: At this time of year, nothing. But during the period when the waterfall is active, it would be fun for them to visit the natural site.
Accommodation: A few small resorts are available in Tha Yang. But in the nearby beach resort of Cha-am, you will find plenty.
