How to Get to the Sticky Waterfall from Chiang Mai
Getting to the Sticky Waterfall from Chiang Mai: Highway 1001, a half-day van or songthaew, Grab, a private car or a scooter, with prices and pickup points.
The Sticky Waterfall is about 53 km north of Chiang Mai: you take Highway 1001, the road to Phrao, turn right at about km 49 and drive about 3 km to the park, roughly an hour each way. The easy way is a half-day transfer, a van or a red songthaew that takes you there, waits about two hours and brings you back. A private car with a driver suits a small group. A Grab gets you there, but arrange the ride back before you go. On a scooter it is a straightforward ride on a main road, with curves at the end.
The route
The national parks department gives the route as Highway 1001, the Chiang Mai - Mae Jo - Phrao road, from the city to km 49 near a forestry village, then right onto a paved road for about 3 km to the park office: about 53 km in all. Its alternative, by Highway 107 towards Fang and across past the Mae Ngat dam, is about 65 km. The transfers below put the drive at about an hour each way.
The ways to go, compared
| How | From | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day van with hotel pickup (First Smile) | Central Chiang Mai hotels; a McDonald’s on Tha Phae or Maya mall if you stay further out | Air-conditioned van, about two hours at the falls, insurance | From $14 in current promotion (usually $15) |
| Half-day van (Journey D Travel) | The Three Kings Monument in the old city | The round trip; the driver waits | From $15 in current promotion (usually $29) |
| Shared red songthaew with a market stop (Discova Thailand) | Discova’s shop on Wiang Kaew Road, near Chang Phueak Gate | 90 minutes to two hours at the falls, local snacks | From $19 |
| Red songthaew via the Chet Si spring (WanderSiam) | Burger King at Tha Phae Gate | The spring and the falls; a private option with hotel pickup | From $22 |
| Songthaew with hotel pickup (Northern All Star) | Central Chiang Mai hotels | Free time at the falls, insurance | From $28 |
| Private car for up to three (Freedom Tour and Taxi) | Your accommodation | An English-speaking driver, about two hours at the falls | From $98 per car |
Listing prices: GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026. Per person unless marked per car.
None of the half days includes a guide or food: they are the ride, and you climb on your own. If you want someone on the rock with you, the climbing guide lists the trips with a guide.
Grab or a taxi
A Grab car from the old city takes the same road. The catch is the return: you will be some 50 km out, at a forest park, so agree the way back before you set off, either by asking the driver to wait or by booking the car for the round trip.
A red songthaew
Chiang Mai’s red songthaews are covered pickup trucks with two benches in the back. Around town they work as shared taxis; for a trip to the falls you either hire one for the round trip or join one of the songthaew half days above, which put a group in one truck with a driver who waits. The ride is open to the air: bring a layer in the cool season.
A scooter
The route is easy to follow: Highway 1001 all the way to the km 49 turn, then the paved park road. The last stretch climbs into the hills with curves, so take it slowly, and leave time to dry off before the ride back. Wear a helmet and carry the licence your insurance asks for.
Where the transfers pick up
| Pickup point | Used by |
|---|---|
| Your hotel in central Chiang Mai | First Smile, Northern All Star, Freedom Tour and Taxi |
| The Three Kings Monument, old city | Journey D Travel |
| Near Chang Phueak Gate, Wiang Kaew Road | Discova Thailand |
| Burger King at Tha Phae Gate | WanderSiam |
Sticky Waterfall Half Day by Van from the Three Kings Monument
Journey D Travel: a van from the Three Kings Monument, the driver waits while you climb, and back.
Check dates →Sticky Waterfall and Chet Si Spring by Songthaew
WanderSiam: a songthaew from Tha Phae Gate, the Chet Si spring, then the falls.
See the songthaew trip →Sticky Waterfall Half Day by Private Car, Up to Three
Freedom Tour and Taxi: a private car and driver for up to three, about two hours at the falls.
See the private car →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
More Trips with Open Dates
More Chiang Mai Day Trips with Open Dates
Waterfall trips, temples and day tours from Chiang Mai with live availability. Times and cancellation terms are on each listing.
The Ride There and Back, Sorted
Journey D Travel's half day by van from the Three Kings Monument: the round trip, with the driver waiting while you climb.
See dates