Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Ubon Ratchatani - Kaeng Tana

The Kaeng Tana cataract is located near the confluence of the Mun and Khong Rivers. It is the last and the largest of a number of natural barrages forcing the water to flow in torrents down through rocky grooves over an elevation of around one meter. 

My first visit to Kaeng Tana was in the middle of the rain season back in 2008, so the water level in the Mun River was so high that the cataract could not be seen. Kaeng Tana is most impressive from late April until June when low water levels cause the grooves to be fully exposed. In the public's best interest, I therefore visited the place again in early May of this year.  
The area behind the natural dam is as wide as three football fields and the grooves or holes (created gradually by water erosion over millions of years) range in size from 5-10 centimeters to as much as two meters in diameters.

Just before Kaeng Tana is the island named Don Tana, which splits the Mun River in two. The small uninhabited island can be reached on foot by means of a suspension bridge.

The Kaeng Tana National Park head quarters is also located there and accommodation with views of the Mun River is available.

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