Wang Thong between the Khek River and waterfalls

The Khek River, also called the Wang Thong River, flows for about 38 kilometers through Wang Nok Aen and carries water year-round. It is a distinctive geographic reference point for Wang Thong. The river landscape, waterfalls and rafting offer different perspectives on the destination.

Rafting on the Khek River

The rafting route on the Khek begins in the area of Ban Sap Phrai Wan in Kaeng Sopha Subdistrict and continues to the area above Kaeng Song Waterfall. This makes it possible to identify the route by specific place names: its starting area and the destination area above the waterfall. If rafting is part of your plans, these geographic reference points can help you find your way when planning your trip.

Waterfalls and their locations

Kaeng Song Waterfall is in Ban Kaeng Song, Moo 9, Kaeng Sopha Subdistrict, Wang Thong District, Phitsanulok Province. The Poi Waterfall has a different relationship with the river: it blocks the flow of the Khek River, is almost 200 meters wide and about 10 meters high. The approximate height and width give an impression of the waterfall’s dimensions.

Sakunothayan Waterfall and Sakunothayan Arboretum are in Moo 2 of Ban Wang Nok Aen, Wang Nok Aen Subdistrict, on Highway 12 between Phitsanulok and Lom Sak. The arboretum is also on the right bank of the Khek River. Its location is therefore connected to a specific landscape feature, while the highway marks the wider connection between the two cities.

Other named waterfall sites offer different points of interest: Tham Phra Waterfall is a natural waterfall with a source in the mountains. Lan Nam Khek Waterfall is considered an important waterfall and is in Moo 3, Ban Huai Phlu, Kaeng Sopha Subdistrict. The place names help distinguish these destinations rather than treating all the waterfalls as a single excursion spot.

Culture and local history

Sakunothayan Arboretum was originally established as Wang Nok Aen Forest Park and renamed Sakunothayan in 1958. Its history adds a clear historical context to its location by the Khek: the current name followed its earlier designation as a forest park.

Ban Kaeng Song is an OTOP community tourism site in Moo 9, Kaeng Sopha Subdistrict. In Dinthong, another subdistrict of Wang Thong, Wat Kok Mai Daeng is an attraction with a distinctive religious practice: visitors walk beneath a Guanyin statue and a large reclining Buddha to make merit. Community tourism and religious tradition thus represent different sides of the destination.

Location references for planning your trip

Wang Nok Aen is served by an intercity bus on the Phitsanulok–Nakhon Thai–Chat Trakan–Lom Sak–Chum Phae–Khon Kaen–Udon Thani route. Check the route before your trip. The location of Sakunothayan Waterfall and the arboretum on Highway 12, and the bus service through Wang Nok Aen, are two specific reference points that can be considered separately when planning.

There is also a dated local reference for Phai Si Thong Waterfall: on November 13, 2025, Wang Nok Aen local government officials repaired and improved the area and installed signs. The aim was to promote the waterfall as a beautiful and safe natural attraction for residents and tourists.

The named destinations are in Kaeng Sopha, Wang Nok Aen and Dinthong subdistricts. When choosing a hotel in Wang Thong, you can first note which places are important to your trip and then choose accommodation based on its specific location.

Phitsanulok as a wider destination

Within the wider destination of Phitsanulok, Thung Salaeng Luang National Park extends across parts of Wang Thong District; it is Thailand’s third national park. In the park, grassland changes color with the seasons, and trekking is one of the outdoor activities. These regional features complement the local river and waterfall sites without presenting them as features of the entire district.

Discover more destinations: Chat Trakan District, Wat Bot District, Nakhon Thai District.

Go to the wider travel overview: Phitsanulok.