Elephant Waterfall (also called Lieng Rowoa) is in Nam Ban, Lam Dong, about 25km southwest of Da Lat over the Ta Nung pass — roughly a 45-minute drive. It's a powerful cascade around 30 metres tall in a farmed highland valley, and one of the largest falls in the province.
Best in the dry season (Jan–Apr). The path down is steep and slippery — proper shoes matter. Linh An Pagoda sits right beside it.
Getting there from Da Lat
From the centre of Da Lat, head along Ba Thang Hai, then Hoang Van Thu Street toward the Van Thanh flower village, and drop down the Ta Nung pass. A few kilometres past Ta Nung you reach Nam Ban town, where a sign on the right points to the falls, just before a bridge over the river. The whole drive takes about 45 minutes.
A motorbike is the classic way — it's a genuinely lovely ride through pine forest and coffee country. Groups often hire a private car with a driver instead. One local caution worth repeating: the DT725 road is best driven in daylight and with care on the passes.
(Ta Nung pass)
each way
height
season
What it's actually like
Elephant Falls is raw, not manicured. The water comes off the Cam Ly stream and drops hard into a pool ringed by huge boulders — the rocks at the base, smoothed into rounded grey shapes, are what gave the falls its name. In the K'Ho people's telling, the herd turned to stone here out of grief for a love that ended before it began.
The way down is a short but genuinely rough scramble: steps cut into volcanic rock, moss, and a blue handrail bolted into the stone. It only takes a few minutes, but the spray keeps everything wet and slick — this is not a walk for flip-flops. Come in the wet months of July and August and the falls roar impressively, but the path can be dangerous. Clear dry-season mornings are the sweet spot.
Right next door
Linh An Pagoda faces the falls and is worth the few minutes it takes to look around. In Nam Ban town itself there's a silk workshop, coffee farms, and a handful of small cafes serving local Lam Dong arabica — better coffee than the tourist setting would lead you to expect.
Quick practical notes
- Time needed: a half-day trip from Da Lat is enough for the falls alone.
- Footwear: closed shoes with grip. The descent is slippery year-round.
- Season: dry months (Jan–Apr) for the safest path; wet months for the most powerful flow.
- Nearby: Linh An Pagoda, silk workshop, coffee farms, small local cafes.
Here's what almost no guide will tell you. The waterfall takes half a day. But some people who make the drive out over the Ta Nung pass notice something on the way — the light, the coffee hills, the way the valley breathes — and find themselves wondering less about the falls and more about the town around them.
Nam Ban isn't a tourist place. It's a quiet highland town at 800–1000 metres, the same cool climate as Da Lat, where a small number of people from Saigon, France, Korea, Japan have quietly chosen to slow down and stay. If the valley catches you the way it catches some, the honest place to start is not a brochure but a plain account of what living here is really like.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Elephant Waterfall?
In Nam Ban, Nam Ban Lam Ha commune, Lam Dong province, in Vietnam's Central Highlands — about 25km southwest of Da Lat via the Ta Nung pass, roughly a 45-minute drive. It's also called Lieng Rowoa.
How do you get there from Da Lat?
Take Ba Thang Hai then Hoang Van Thu Street toward Van Thanh flower village, cross the Ta Nung pass, and continue about 25km to Nam Ban town. The falls are signposted on the right. Motorbike or private car, about 45 minutes.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, if you like raw, unspoiled nature. At about 30 metres it's one of Lam Dong's largest falls. The path down is steep and slippery, so wear proper shoes. Dry season (Jan–Apr) is best; July–August is peak rain and can be dangerous.
What else is near Elephant Waterfall?
Linh An Pagoda sits right beside the falls. Nam Ban town has a silk workshop, coffee farms, and small cafes with good local arabica. Most treat it as a half-day trip, but the town and valley reward slowing down.