Every rainy season, a small community of nature lovers gathers at Phu Ruea National Park in Loei for a journey that has gradually become a much-loved annual tradition.

They do not come only to reach a waterfall. They come to enter the forest slowly, to understand its rhythms and to experience how alive it becomes when the rain returns.

The adventure follows the Huai Phai Waterfall trail, a 2.5-kilometre route each way. Participants register in advance, attend an introductory session about the forest and arrive at the park on their scheduled date. Many choose to stay overnight, turning the hike into a complete nature escape.

On clear evenings, the experience begins beneath a sky filled with stars. During the rainy season, stargazing is never guaranteed. Clouds may drift across the mountains without warning, but this uncertainty is part of the journey. The waterfall, however, will always be waiting.

Before sunrise, hikers may travel to the summit of Phu Ruea to watch the first light move across the forested mountains. Mist rises in many forms—sometimes as a delicate veil, sometimes as a sea of clouds, and sometimes as a white curtain surrounding the entire landscape.

After sunrise, everyone gathers at the visitor centre. Health and blood-pressure checks are conducted before the walk, while food and drinking water are distributed. Park rangers explain the route, safety procedures and the natural features that visitors may encounter along the way.

The trail begins gently through pine forest and along a narrow road before changing into an earthy path through dry evergreen woodland and bamboo groves.

Ferns unfold beside the trail. Small white mushrooms appear across fallen logs. Butterflies, dragonflies and grasshoppers move through the undergrowth, each playing its own role in the forest ecosystem. Above the trees, birds accompany the hikers with calls that seem to follow every step.

For the first two kilometres, the walk feels surprisingly effortless. Perhaps it is the fresh mountain air, or perhaps it is the quiet pleasure of forest bathing—walking without rushing, breathing deeply and allowing the landscape to take over.

Then a sign appears:

Huai Phai Waterfall — 500 metres

From here, the character of the trail changes completely.

The ground begins to descend sharply into a hidden valley. The way down is exciting, though every hiker knows the climb back will demand far more energy.

At the bottom, a stream opens into a rocky basin, where clear white water falls from a cliff approximately 20 metres high.

This is Huai Phai Waterfall, one of the largest waterfalls within Phu Ruea National Park.

At the beginning of the rainy season, the water may not yet cover the entire rock face, but the lighter flow reveals another side of its beauty. Visitors can carefully walk across fallen logs and stand on large rocks for photographs—something that is no longer permitted when heavy rains cause the water level to rise.

After visiting the waterfall, the group moves upstream to rest beside the flowing water. Lunch is unpacked, coffee is poured and tired feet are cooled in the stream.

Some travellers swim within the designated areas while park officers keep watch nearby. Others remain on land, discovering small wildflowers growing between rocks along the riverbank.

For almost two hours, the forest becomes a natural dining room, swimming pool and place of quiet restoration.

Then everything is packed away, including every piece of rubbish, and the group begins the return journey.

As expected, the first 500 metres uphill are the hardest. The peaceful descent has become a demanding climb, and the forest suddenly tests every pair of legs. Yet with each step, the sense of achievement grows stronger.

This journey is part of the Hiking School Project organised by Phu Ruea National Park. It is designed not only as an outdoor activity, but as a learning experience—one that builds knowledge, awareness and respect for the natural world.

By the end of the trail, everyone carries home the same understanding:

We must protect the forests and the water, not simply because nature is beautiful, but because nature continues to protect and sustain us.

Travel gently. Learn from the forest. Leave only footprints.

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Editor in Chief : Nampetch Siramanon
Editor: Pacific Leisure (Thailand)
Content Creator : Mr. Saroj Na Ayutthaya