Bua Tong Waterfalls, also lovingly referred to as “The Sticky Waterfalls”, has been one of the highlights of Chiang Mai for me. Initially I was skeptical about making the trip an hour and a half north of the city just to spend an hour or two at a waterfall that didn’t even include a hike. Luckily, I have persuasive friends who insisted it would be worth it, and I am very happy that they did!
From Chiang Mai, we hired a songthaew to take us to the falls. It was a bit pricey (1000 baht) but we expected that (it’s far outside the city and the driver has to wait there and drive you back). We got really lucky with an amazing songthaew driver named Yo who let us sit in the front of his truck, control the radio, and even stopped to pick us up complimentary water bottles. (Thai people are the best!)
Once we arrived at the falls we headed down a long flight of stairs to the bottom floor of the falls. It was tranquil and far enough outside of the city that it wasn’t crawling with tourists, even in the peak, early afternoon hours that we were there. The waterfalls are pretty, but the real reason people drive so far to see them is because of the limestone deposits that make the rocks “sticky”. Where you would expect the stone of the falls to be rounded and slippery from years of water flow, they actually feel like grippy sandpaper that the soles of your feet can cling to. Using ropes as needed, visitors climb the Bua Tong Waterfalls, taking a break at each of the three levels to sit back and enjoy the scenery.
SNAKESSSSS 
Pretty 
Pretty again 
I look like a real hard-core backpacker in this photo. 
Looking down at the falls. 
The viewpoint. 
One of the levels of the falls 
Climb right over 
It looks slippery doesn’t it? 
So tranquil. 
I’m standing in the middle of a waterfall! 
The sacred pool. Yes, that is how bright the color looked in real life. 
I don’t really like this photo of me but my friends thought it was cool. 
This is the photo I picked for my instagram. 
The “slippery route” up the falls. 
Me not falling off the waterfall. 
Looking up from the bottom wondering how I’m going to climb this. 
Casey, Iikem, and I on the falls!
Pro tip: At the top level of the falls, there is a set of stairs across the lot that lead to a sacred pond. I included a picture of the pond above and it is definitely worth checking out.