Wangi Falls

• Swim in the plunge pool and float across to the base of the falls.
• Spread out on the shady lawn with a picnic, or use one of the limited gas barbecues.
• Grab hot or cold food and coffee at the cafe, which has outdoor undercover seating.
• Walk the Wangi Falls walk, 1.6 km return, about 1 hour. It leaves from the plunge pool, threads through monsoon forest to a viewing platform at the base of the falls, then climbs stairs to the escarpment for a top-down perspective of the water.

Facilities are unusually good for the park: public toilets, showers, free Wi-Fi, coffee and food, information signs, a phone, a firepit, gas barbecues and caravan access, plus an emergency call device near the carpark. Water on site must be boiled before drinking, so bring your own if you would rather not. Disabled access is provided on the paved approach to the pool, and the campground has accessible toilets and change tables.

If you want to stay, this is a category A campground with more facilities than other sites in the park, drive-in access for all vehicle types including caravans, showers, and a campground host on site during the peak May to September period. Camping must be booked and paid for online before you arrive. A park pass applies for visitors to Litchfield, so sort that out before you drive in.

Popularity is the main trade-off. Expect company at the pool, and at busy times the cafe can have a long wait for hot food, so order early or bring your own lunch. The water becomes deep quickly at the entry steps, which suits confident swimmers more than small children paddling. Swimming above the falls is not allowed, and going beyond the guided path is dangerous. Swimming access can also depend on conditions on the day, so read the signs on site and follow ranger advice before you get in.

What sets it apart from the park's other stops is how little effort it takes to reach the water, and how much sits around it. The pool is a short, paved walk from the carpark, with a handrail and a few steps down into the water, which gets deep quickly. Beside the carpark there is a large grassed picnic area with tables, so a swim can easily turn into a couple of hours of lazing, eating and going back in again.