15 Waterfall Rafting and Tubing in Thailand Worth the Detour

1.Elephant Sanctuary, Waterfall & Bamboo Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9,160 reviews · 9 hours · from $60Our pick

Travel from Chiang Mai to Pon Elephant Thailand for a guided day with rescued elephants. Feed bananas, walk through the forest, prepare elephant food, and bathe with them in the river. Add a waterfall swim, Thai lunch, and a gentle bamboo raft ride. Guides such as Nop, Paul, Yaya, and Sunny are often praised for their care and humor.

“Amazing!! Paul was our tour guide and was so helpful all day and explained the lay out of the day. So informative and a lovely guide and sanctuary, included photos which were then sent to us. Would highly recommend!”

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2.Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary, Bamboo Rafting and Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 870 reviews · from $58Top rated

Spend about eight hours outside Chiang Mai with a guide such as Paul, Fluke, or Mr. Poppy. Climb Bua Tong’s grippy limestone waterfall, visit New Elephant Home, then raft through forested hills. The elephant program avoids riding and focuses on care, observation, feeding, and time near the animals.

“Awesome experience. Really enjoyed it. Everything was on time and Fluke was an awesome tour guide. Very knowledgeable and helpful throughout. Highly recommend!”

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3.Khaolak: Bamboo Rafting, Waterfalls, and Turtle Conservation

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 622 reviews · 3 hours · from $48

Travel from Khao Lak by air-conditioned van for a calm 50-minute bamboo raft ride, wildlife spotting, a visit to the Sea Turtle Conservation Center, and a swim at Ton Pling Waterfall. Guides such as Winnie, Dee Dee, Kob, and Shane add local detail and help with photos. Bring water shoes, sunscreen, and dry clothes.

“Excellent morning with the waterfall, then the bamboo rafting and finishing off at the turtles”

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6.4 in 1 Elephants Long Neck Rafting and Sticky Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 126 reviews · from $88

Spend about 10 hours touring Mae Taeng with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. Climb Sticky Waterfall, feed and bathe elephants at an ethical sanctuary, visit a Karen Long Neck Village, then choose white-water or bamboo rafting. Guides may include Yoong and Mr K. Lunch, water, fees, and local insurance are included.

“This was easily the best tour I have taken in more than 10 years travelling through South East Asia. Absolutely fantastic guide (Mr K), a small group and really fun activities. The elephant sanctuary was great and the elephants treated very well. The rafting was a blast, as was the Sticky Waterfall. I would highly recommend this tour, especially with Mr. K. 🙂”

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7.Trekking to Waterfall Adventure Tubing 45 mins. (Only Khao lak)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 111 reviews · from $88

Start at 8:30 a.m. with a 4x4 ride into Khao Lak forest, a jungle walk, coffee at Hinlad Waterfall, and 45 minutes of river tubing. Guides such as Susan, Luna, Lunar, and Oil have led parts of this outing. Expect a small group, wet clothes, and moderate physical activity.

“Tubing was really fun. Would definitely recommend. Luna made the tour/15 minutes trek really informative and interesting”

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8.Chiang Mai ATV & White Water Rafting & Trekking to Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 84 reviews · 1 day

Spend a full day outside Chiang Mai combining a 2-hour jungle hike to a waterfall, 5 kilometers of white-water rafting, and a 1-hour ride on a 200cc ATV. English-speaking guides such as Tata and Tony lead the trip, with lunch, equipment, insurance, and hotel transfer included.

“The tour was well put together and Tony was very friendly. Even though I was the only one of the group who registered for the ATV ride they made that possible and I had very good time!”

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9.Bamboo Rafting, Waterfall, lunch, Elephant, and Turtle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 77 reviews · 7h 30m · from $96

From Khuekkhak, you’ll raft down Kiang Koo Creek, visit the Sea Turtle Conservation Center, eat Thai food by the coast, bathe and feed elephants at a no-riding camp, and swim at Lampi Waterfall. An English-speaking guide such as Peter, Mong, Parry, or Toto leads the day, with hotel pickup, park fees, drinks, and lunch included.

“Really enjoyed trip especially bamboo rafting & spending time with elephants bathing & feeding them memories I will never forget ❤ . Turtles lovely too seeing them cared for hopefully to be released back into sea would of liked guide to of spoken more on the rehabilitation programme . Stop off at beach lunch amazing food & view also loved seeing pigs& piglets running around too . Last stop waterfall beautiful you can swim or just walk around and take in view. If travelling from phuket be prepared for 2 hour + journey to get there but definitely recommend doing it .”

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10.ATV, White Water Raft, & Sticky Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 76 reviews · 1 day

Start with Sticky Waterfall, then ride a 200cc ATV for an hour and raft 5 kilometers on the Maetang River. Your English-speaking guide, safety equipment, Thai lunch, drinking water, and city-area transfers are included. The day suits active visitors aged 15 to 70 who can ride and handle a manual vehicle.

“Brilliant day and such lovely and welcoming guide. Well worth it for a full day with 3 activities and he accommodated our big group of 19 people!”

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11.Sticky Waterfall and Rafting Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 61 reviews · 1 day · from $83

Travel from Chiang Mai with an English-speaking guide such as Joe or Mr K for white-water rafting, bamboo rafting, lunch, and Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall. You will tackle a 4-kilometer, level 3 to 4 rafting route, float calmly along the Mae Taeng River, and climb grippy limestone rocks. Expect to get wet, and bring a towel and dry clothes.

“Mr K was amazing. He took us on water rafting which was a perfect preparation for the bamboo boats which was the most relaxing thing while seeing the elephants while we went past. sticky waterfall was beautiful and Mr K made the whole day amazing. Thank you mr K you’re the best .”

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12.Whitewater Rafting and Waterfall Trekking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 58 reviews · 10 hours · from $112

Spend 10 hours with 8Adventures on a Chiang Mai day trip combining a three-hour jungle trek and a 10-kilometer rafting run. Guides such as Sack, Tin, and Sam bring local plant knowledge, river skills, and good humor. Swim at a 10-meter waterfall, then tackle class III and IV rapids in Mae Taeng District.

“The whole day was an amazing experience from start to finish! We started off with the white water rafting, Sam my captain along with the other staff made sure it was safe and very enjoyable! We then had a really tasty lunch followed by our trekking tour with Tin to see the waterfall. It was so refreshing to be able to go underneath the waterfall, the trek was also enjoyable with lots of nice photo opportunities. Overall would highly recommend!”

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13.Chiang Mai Half-Day Adventure: River Tubing & Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 47 reviews · from $62

You’ll leave Chiang Mai for a guided Mae Taeng River tubing trip, passing Elephant Nature Park and local wildlife before swimming at Saa Gee Waterfall. Guides such as Bang and Captain Jack handle safety, photos, and local insight. Choose a half-day return or add an overnight cabin stay and optional ethical elephant feeding.

“This excursion was our favourite. Everything was great. It will be a memory we hold dear to our hearts forever. Can’t recommend this adventure enough:) It was a 10/10!”

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14.7 Hour Sticky Waterfall and Double Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $84

You spend about seven hours beyond Chiang Mai’s city streets, combining the climbable Sticky Waterfall with 40 to 50 minutes of Class 3 to 4 rafting and a peaceful 50-minute bamboo trip. Guide Joe is named in the tour details and can help with photos and practical needs. Lunch, transport, water, fees, and local insurance are included.

“Really good organisation, the guide was really nice as well to explain the program, some history during the travel to the location etc”

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15.Secret Waterfall and Bamboo Rafting from Chiang Mai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $32Best value

Leave central Chiang Mai for Mae Wang, where you can swim beneath a scenic waterfall, enjoy tea and snacks beside the water, then float 45 minutes down the Wang River on a bamboo raft. Guides such as M, May, Pik, Em, Pai, and Win have earned praise for friendly care. Lunch, transport, safety gear, and insurance are included.

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