Khao Yai National Park in Thailand — my review, how to get there, excursions and what to see

I am sharing a review about my trip to Khao Yai National Park in Thailand and about Khao Yai Park itself. I tried to make a detailed guide for those who want to go to the park and told them: what you need to know about Khao Yai Park, what are the main attractions worth seeing in the park, when is the best time to go and how the seasons differ, what animals can be found in the park and what Khao Yai is known for. The article contains my experience and tips for visiting.

Khao Yai National Park — the main thing you need to know

Khao Yai National Park, located about 200 km northeast of Bangkok, is one of the oldest and most popular national parks in Thailand. It was founded in 1962, and in 2005 the park was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The area of Khao Yai Park is more than 2,168 square kilometers. It is the largest national park in Thailand.

What is Khao Yai Park famous for?

Khao Yai is famous for its diverse flora and fauna, picturesque landscapes, waterfalls and outdoor activities. The park is also known for its caves, mountain trails, and observation decks, which offer stunning views of the surrounding area. I will tell you more about this in the section about the attractions of Khao Yai Park. But is it worth traveling so far from Bangkok or Pattaya if there are caves, waterfalls and hiking trails closer? Why do tourists go to Khao Yai National Park?

One of the reasons why tourists go to Khao Yai is the opportunity to see wildlife. Next, in the review, I will show you the photos that I took on a trip to the national park.

Most people go to Khao Yai Park to see wild elephants. There are about 200 wild elephants in the park. These are really wild animals that move freely around the park, feed themselves and generally do not communicate with people at all if they do not walk along the road. This is not an elephant sanctuary, like, for example, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Chiang Mai. Khao Yai Park is one of the few places where you can meet wild elephants.

The second thing that Khao Yai Park is known for in Thailand is the Heo Suwat Waterfall (or Haew Suwat or Haew Suwat Waterfall). One of the most beautiful waterfalls in the park, famous for the movie “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio. I’ll tell you more about it below.

A wild elephant stopped traffic in the park. Everyone was waiting for him to take a walk and go into the jungle.

When the Heo Suwat Waterfall is full-flowing, it is considered one of the most beautiful in Thailand.

When is the best time to visit Khao Yai Park in Thailand?

The best time to visit Khao Yai Park is the dry season, which lasts from November to April. At this time of the year, the weather is cooler and sunnier, more comfortable for trekking and hiking in the park.

In my experience, in February, March and April waterfalls are dry, without water. During the wet months, it is difficult to move because of the swamp underfoot, and during heavy rains, some of the hiking trails are flooded. But the waterfalls are full-flowing and beautiful.

There are no leeches in the dry season, but the rivers are not full-flowing either.

In the dry months, waterfalls at best look like a thin trickle.

For myself, I came to the conclusion that it is best to go in November-December, when it no longer rains, but there is water in the rivers, and the waterfalls look powerful. The only negative is that there are a lot of leeches at this time.. You need to wear long socks and pants. And tuck your pants into your socks so that the leeches don’t have a chance to get to your skin. By the way, I had the experience of catching a leech in September (the end of the rainy season) even in the jungle in Krabi. So leeches in the jungles of Thailand are not uncommon.

In the dry months of January, February, March, and April, there are practically no leeches in Khao Yai National Park.

Khao Yai Park Tour — my review, photos and impressions

There are guided tours to Khao Yai Park from Bangkok and Pattaya. The park is huge, and different excursions offer to visit different places. Let me tell you what kind of excursions there are and what their differences are, and then I’ll share my review of a trip to Khao Yai from Bangkok in one day.

1. Day trip from Bangkok or Pattaya. During such a trip, tourists visit 3-4 places in the park and a small trekking through the jungle. Waterfalls are usually visited, but there may also be one of the viewing platforms. The probability of seeing elephants is small.
2. Overnight tour for 2-3 days. There are more chances to see wild elephants on such an excursion. The program of the trip includes visiting more attractions of the national park and trekking through the jungle. Observation decks and farms are also visited.

Does it make sense to go to Khao Yai for 1 day? Yes, if you arrived in Bangkok in November-December-January. If you are traveling in Thailand during the dry months, then most likely the waterfalls will be thin and you will not see all the beauty. In this case, it is better to go for 2-3 days with an overnight stay to see elephants and different parts of the national park.

Is it worth going to the national park with an overnight stay? Of course! Most of the animals can be seen early in the morning. During the day, when it’s hot, the jungle sleeps.

My review of the Khao Yai tour — wild elephants, jungles and untouched nature

I went on the Khao Yai National Park Tour day trip from Bangkok (here is the link to it). The tour price already included entrance tickets to the park (400 THB), a minivan from BTS National Stadium and water. I paid for lunch and drinks at bus stops on my own. The guide spoke in English and told interesting things. I was lucky to see a wild elephant on the way back. Without him, most likely, such vivid emotions from the trip would not have remained. Below are the photos of Khao Yai Park that I took during the tour. In 1 day, I managed to see 3 waterfalls, including Heo Suwat, and do 2 haikas, and walked a total of 6 km along the trails in the jungle of the park.

A wild elephant is quite dangerous. It is not uncommon for wild elephants to overturn cars or even buses.

Tip: the excursion to Khao Yai National Park is designed for 1 full day. It’s quite exhausting, so it’s better to plan the next day on weekends.

The main attractions of Khao Yai Park — what to see

Khao Yai National Park is very large. Its territory is located in two provinces. In addition to wildlife and elephant animals in the national park, there are wineries (for example, PB Valley Vineyard), farms, an Italian village was built, a chocolate factory and much more. On a whim, I have about 50 points saved in Khao Yai! Of course, you won’t have time to watch all this in one day or at a time, but there are many reasons to return. This list is far from complete.

1. Haew Suwat Waterfall (here): One of the most beautiful waterfalls in the park and in Thailand, famous for the movie “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio. Nearby there is a small cave and a rock, which tourists prop up with sticks. What the Heo Suvat waterfall looks like in the dry season is in the photo. Is it worth going for this? Is worth. It’s stunningly beautiful near the waterfall, I didn’t expect it to be like this.

2. Haew Narok Waterfall (here): A beautiful waterfall in the jungle. There is a path leading from the parking lot to it. The round trip is a little less than 2km, but with a descent and ascent of steep stairs.
3. Sarika Waterfall (Sarika Waterfall, here).
4. Pha Trom Jai Observation Deck (Pha Trom Jai or Pha Trom Jai Cliff, here): observation deck on a cliff at an altitude of 1290 m above sea level. Stunning views of the valley and mountains.
5. Pha Diao Dai Observation Deck (Pha Diao Dai Viewpoint, here): an observation deck on a cliff with the Pha Diao Dai Nature Trail for haik and a beautiful view of the valley and mountains. The trail is not long, 446m, it can take 30-40 minutes.
6. The observation deck at the 30th kilometer (Khao Yai’s 30th km Viewpoint, here) is an observation deck with a stone “You are in Khao Yai National Park”.
7. Orchid Waterfall Trail (here) is a 2.3 km long jungle trail to Pha Kluai Mai Waterfall. There is no waterfall in the dry season, but it is interesting to walk through the jungle. The trail is simple, but you can meet wild animals.
8. Pha Nong Cave: A large cave with interesting stalactites and stalagmites.
9. Pakyong Village: A traditional Thai village where you can get to know the culture and way of life of the locals.
10. Artificial lake Sai Sorn (here).

Depending on the season, you can see fields of flowers in Khao Yai, such as the sunflowers fields.

Regarding waterfalls, I would like to emphasize once again that if you expect to see their power, it is better to go in November-December. In January, February, March, April and May, some waterfalls dry up altogether. In the photo, Heo Narok Waterfall and Orchid Waterfall:

This is what the Heo Narok Waterfall looks like in February.

It’s not a pile of rocks, it’s an Orchid waterfall.

Flora and fauna — which of the animals can be seen in Khao Yai Park besides wild elephants?

There are about 200 elephants in the park, but they are also home to more than 70 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, and many species of reptiles and insects. Among the most interesting animals are:

• Tigers: Although tigers are rare, their presence in the park is confirmed by camera traps.
• Bears: The park is home to Himalayan bears and Malay sponge bears.
• Gibbons: In Khao Yai, you can find two types of gibbons — white-handed and dark.
• Deer: The park is home to various species of deer, such as zambaras and muntjaks.
• Birds: There are many species of birds in the park, such as toucans, eagles, pheasants and others. The park is famous as a birdwatching destination.
• Crocodiles Crocodiles have been spotted in the river that runs through the park.
• Snakes.

I was lucky not to encounter any tigers, crocodiles, or snakes.

What is guaranteed to be seen in the park? Elephant shit. No kidding. There is a lot of it, it is everywhere — on the trails, on the road. Elephants definitely live here. I was “lucky” to meet a huge wild buffalo while hiking — gaur (Gaur or Bos gaurus or Indian Bison), which is listed in the Red Book. This is the biggest of the real bulls. Gaur was lying on the path and wasn’t going anywhere. I can’t say that I was happy to meet you at that moment. It is difficult to predict how a wild animal will behave.

There are piles of elephant shit in the park at every turn. But it’s not so easy to meet a wild elephant.

The wild gaur was just lying on the trail. Look at his horns — gaura is called the tiger killer

There are a lot of lizards of different species. They rustle in the bushes, sit on tree stumps and branches, bask in the sun.

These two lizards seem to have painted lips.

Have you seen a lizard?

The guide told how in his youth he caught and fried such lizards for lunch.

Butterflies are a separate delight. I have seen so many butterflies only in Taman Negara (Malaysia).

The rope here is not for butterflies, but they have chosen it.

A real jungle. Lianas, walking trees, wild orchids, thorny plants, fungi and lichens, and much more. To experience the spirit of the wild is priceless. Here are more photos from my trip to Khao Yai Park from Bangkok:

Wild orchid on a tree

Maybe the leaves look small in the photo, but they are so big that they will fit instead of an umbrella.

During the rainy season, these stones are under water.

A portal made of two trees

Have you ever seen the skeleton of a leaf?

The tree was clearly going somewhere.

How to get to Khao Yai Park?

Khao Yai Park can be reached by bus or taxi from Bangkok. Buses depart from Bangkok North Bus Terminal (Mo Chit). The trip takes about 3 hours.

It is most convenient to get to the park from Pattaya and Bangkok by rented car. There are different options:

• Rent a car with a driver in Bangkok — a convenient way to get to Khao Yai. The driver takes you to different places in the park, waits until you return, or waits by agreement at the other end of the trail if the trekking trail is not circular. The terms and prices are on this page.
• Rent a car on your own and drive on your own — for those who have international rights and who are not afraid of left-hand traffic in Thailand and adore wildlife. The most flexible and convenient way, especially if you are going to the park for an overnight stay. There are several camping spots in the park, if glamping (for those who like comfort). I have described in detail about car rental in Thailand in a separate article. You can check the prices in Thai rentals on Localrent →
• Guided tour from Bangkok or Pattaya for 1, 2 or 3 days. Look for excursions on the Klook website in advance and see the schedule. For example, the day trip I took to the national Park from Bangkok (here is the link to it) is conducted only twice a week. Plus, the schedule changes depending on the season. Here is the link to the Kluk website. To see all the options for trips to the national park, enter “Khao Yai National Park“.

Tips before the trip

• Maps and navigation: If you are going to walk on trails, then take a map and talk to the park rangers. Download it in advance Maps.me there are most of the trails in the park.
• Dress comfortably: even for a 1-day trip to the park, it’s best to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
• Take water and food with you: There is a cafe in the park, but if you go on a long hike, it is better to take a snack and water with you.
• Use repellents: There are a lot of mosquitoes and other insects in the park, so I advise you to use repellents.
• Follow the rules of the park: Do not litter, do not make bonfires in the wrong places and do not feed animals, especially monkeys, which are very numerous along the roads of the park.

Источник: life-thai.com