Thi Lo Su is Thai for “loud waterfall”, with ‘Su’ being the word that stands for “loud”. It is also spelled in different forms: Thee Lor Sue, The Lor Sue, Thee Lor Sue, or Te-law-zue. In Karen language, which is spoken by a minority in Thailand, ‘Thi Lo Su’ means “giant” or “black waterfall”. It comes from the stream, up in the mountain called ‘Huai Klotho’, before plunging to the Umphang Forest, through large limestone rocks. Its various levels also give tourists various pools to swim in and the cave behind the waterfall is another opportunity for adventure.
Upon entering the sanctuary, the walkway starts with a surrounding of grasslands and then slowly transforms into looming trees. There, the entrance gate can be seen, and upon paying the entrance fee, a concrete and stone pathway leads visitors to their destination. At the end of the path is a viewing platform that has the best angle for taking photos.
There are three main waterfall landings or levels, so each ascent will be worth the effort. The first level has small pools of water for bathing with four falls over it. Swimming is prohibited at the second level as the water is deeper, and the waterfall above is narrower and higher. The third level is overlooking the second level, and there are sedimentary rocks under the water to sit and walk on. Some tourists cross the span of the waterfall and back.