At Namtok Phlio in Chanthaburi, a beautiful waterfall carries a deeply personal story connected to King Chulalongkorn and Queen Sunandha Kumariratana.
Namtok Phlio — Where Nature Carries a Royal Memory
Arriving at Namtok Phlio feels different from approaching an ordinary tourist waterfall. The road gradually gives way to dense forest, cooler air, and the sound of flowing water. At first, it seems like a peaceful escape into nature, but the deeper I walked into the park, the more I realized that this landscape carries another story.
Namtok Phlio is not remembered only for its clear pools, forest, and waterfall. It is also closely connected with the royal history of King Chulalongkorn and Queen Sunandha Kumariratana. Among the trees and flowing water, monuments remain as quiet reminders of love, loss, and memory.
That contrast was what stayed with me most. People come here to enjoy the water and the forest, yet only a short walk away stands a story of the Siamese royal family that has remained part of this landscape for more than a century.
A Royal Place of Memory
Namtok Phlio became closely associated with King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, who visited Chanthaburi several times during his reign. The cool forest, clear water, and natural pools made the area a place of rest, but over time it also became connected with memories of the royal family.
That history gives the waterfall a different atmosphere. Visitors may first notice the fish, the shaded forest, and the sound of rushing water, but nearby monuments quietly remind us that this was also a place touched by personal loss and royal remembrance.
For me, that was what made Namtok Phlio more than a beautiful natural stop. The landscape was peaceful, yet the history behind it added a sense of sadness and dignity. Nature continued exactly as before — water flowing over rock, trees growing beside the stream — while human memory remained preserved in stone nearby.
Seeing Queen Sunandha’s portrait makes the history feel more personal. She is no longer only a name in Siamese royal history, but a young woman whose memory still lingers at Namtok Phlio.
The Tragic Death of Queen Sunandha
On May 31, 1880, Queen Sunandha Kumariratana was travelling by royal boat toward Bang Pa-In Palace with her young daughter, Princess Kannabhorn Bejaratana.
During the journey, the royal boat became involved in an accident and overturned. The queen and her daughter were trapped in the water. Boatmen attempted to rescue them and attendants tried to revive them, but both died. The queen was also pregnanThe memory of Queen Sunandha Kumariratana is inseparable from the sadness that surrounds this place. In 1880, while traveling by royal boat, she and her young daughter were involved in a tragic accident on the Chao Phraya River.
The incident became one of the most remembered tragedies of the Siamese royal family. At the time, strict court customs and fear of violating royal protocol are often cited as part of the circumstances surrounding the failed rescue, although later accounts differ in how responsibility is described.
For King Chulalongkorn, the loss was deeply personal. He later had memorials built in places associated with Queen Sunandha, including at Namtok Phlio, where the peaceful forest and flowing water became linked with remembrance.
Standing here today, it is difficult not to feel the contrast. The waterfall is full of movement and life, yet the monument nearby preserves the memory of a life that ended suddenly and tragically.t at the time.
King Chulalongkorn was devastated by the loss of his wife, his young daughter, and their unborn child. His grief later became closely connected with Namtok Phlio, a place the royal family had visited and loved.
To understand Queen Sunandha’s place within the Siamese royal family, the family tree below shows her direct ancestral connections to the early Chakri dynasty.
The Memorial Pyramid
Near Namtok Phlio stands a small stone pyramid known as the Along Korn Chedi. King Chulalongkorn ordered it to be built in memory of Queen Sunandha Kumariratana after her tragic death.
The monument is striking because its form feels different from the Buddhist chedis more commonly seen in Thailand. Its simple geometric shape stands quietly among the trees, creating a strong contrast with the flowing water and dense forest around it.
For me, this was one of the most meaningful parts of the visit. The monument is not grand or overwhelming, yet its purpose is deeply personal. It turns the surrounding landscape into a place of remembrance, where royal history is preserved not in a palace, but beside a waterfall.
Even today, the pyramid remains one of the clearest reminders that Namtok Phlio is more than a natural attraction. It is also a memorial landscape shaped by love, loss, and memory.
A Waterfall Filled with Life
Namtok Phlio is also memorable for the life surrounding the water. The clear pools are home to large schools of freshwater fish, and visitors often stop along the stream to watch them gather beneath the surface. Their constant movement gives the waterfall a very different character from a quiet forest pool.
The path follows the shaded stream through dense greenery, with small bridges and resting areas appearing along the way. Even when many people are visiting, the sound of water and the surrounding forest help the area retain a calm atmosphere.
What I enjoyed most was the contrast between the historical monuments and the living landscape around them. The memorials preserve stories from the past, while the water, fish, trees, and visitors keep the place very much alive in the present.
This balance between memory and everyday life is what makes Namtok Phlio special. It is not simply a waterfall with a historical monument beside it; both parts belong to the same landscape and give the visit its meaning.
Why This Place Matters
Namtok Phlio is easy to enjoy simply as a beautiful waterfall, but its deeper value comes from the way nature and memory exist together in the same place.
The forest, clear water, and fish create a lively and peaceful landscape. At the same time, the memorials connected to King Chulalongkorn and Queen Sunandha give the area a historical weight that visitors might not expect when they first arrive.
For me, this combination is what makes Namtok Phlio memorable. It is a place where people come to relax, swim, walk through the forest, and spend time with family, yet the same landscape also carries a story of love, loss, and remembrance from Siam’s royal history.
That is why Namtok Phlio deserves to be experienced slowly. The waterfall is beautiful, but the story behind it gives the place its lasting meaning.
Visitor Information
Namtok Phlio National Park is located in Chanthaburi Province and can be visited as a day trip from Chanthaburi town or as part of a longer journey through eastern Thailand.
The best time to visit is usually in the morning, when the air is cooler and the walking paths are more comfortable. During the rainy season, the waterfall can be stronger and the forest especially green, but visitors should take extra care on wet paths and around fast-moving water.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, drinking water, and light rain protection if the weather looks uncertain. Swimming conditions can change depending on water level and park regulations, so always follow local signs and staff instructions.
Because Namtok Phlio is both a natural attraction and a place of historical importance, visitors should also take time to see the royal memorial structures rather than treating the park only as a swimming stop.
For current visitor information, opening hours, and park regulations, check the official Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation information for Namtok Phlio National Park.
Location
Namtok Phlio National Park is located in Laem Sing District, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand.
The park is easily reached by road from Chanthaburi city, and parking is available near the entrance. From there, visitors can walk along a shaded forest path to the waterfall and royal memorial monuments.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVK8MgkxHRUodqSQ7
Related stories
Chanthaboon Waterfront Community
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception