File this under: “You have to see it to believe it.” Nam Tok Bua Tong, a.k.a. The Sticky Waterfalls, topped my personal list of things to do in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
We hired a driver and his songthaew for ฿1,000 (divided by six of us, so that’s ฿200 per person). He took us to the Namtok Bua Thong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park, where the Sticky Waterfalls are located. FYI: No entrance fee!
He waited for us for a few hours and then drove us back to our hostel, which is about an hour away.
I read so much about it pre-trip, but nothing prepared me for the unbelievable experience of climbing an actual waterfall, barefoot, without slipping. Talk about my Spiderman fantasies partially coming true! But of course, that didn’t mean we hopped around without a care in the world. We still needed the help of ropes, man-made railings, and sometimes getting down on all fours to navigate certain parts of the falls.
But for the most part, it was just my bare feet standing and gripping on the stones as I made my way up the falls, making me go through a suspension of disbelief. Did I just enter another planet where the rules of nature don’t apply?
So what makes The Sticky Waterfalls… sticky? You can Google or read the little landmark sign next to the falls. Either way, you’ll find out that calcium carbonate precipitates out from the spring water in Nam Tok Bua Tong and sticks to the surface of the limestones, giving it a natural grippy effect.
Watch my vlog to see what it’s like and how I became part of The Sticky Group, whom I met while staying in The Common Hostel.
I hope this story *sticks* in your mind. [cue cymbals]