Visiting Khao Yai National Park in Thailand, the complete guide

Khao Yai National Park is a must-see for all nature lovers on a trip to Thailand, it is one of the largest parks and the most renowned in the country.

See also: Closure dates of national parks in Thailand for 2024 and 2025

Description

Located less than 3 hours' drive from Bangkok (200 km), Khao Yai National Park subjugates visitors with its beauty and rich flora and fauna.

The park covers an area of 2,168 km² and straddles four provinces: Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Prachinburi, and Nakhon Nayok.

It is home to the largest monsoon forest on the Asian continent and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and ASEAN National Heritage.

Khao Yai park has more than 2000 species of plants and as the park culminates at 1351m altitude, we can distinguish different species according to elevation: rainforests, mixed, evergreen, deciduous.

The highest peak is Khao Rom (1 351 m), there are also many waterfalls including the famous Haew Narok and Haew Suwat waterfalls which were used for the filming of the movie « The Beach » with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Heo Suwat Waterfall (or Haew Suwat)

The wildlife of Khao Yai

Mammals

The park is home to nearly 70 species of mammals, including 250 wild elephants, leopards, deer, bears, tigers, wild boars, macaque monkeys,gibbons and rare species of bats in the caves.

Macaque (Macaca leonina)

Malayan Porcupine

wild elephants

Barking Deer

The danger of wild elephants

Encountering wild elephants can be a magnificent experience, but it can also be dangerous. Here's a video offering some tips in case of a encounter with these pachyderms:

Afterwards, it's like with packs of dogs. If they don't sense fear, there shouldn't be any danger, as shown in the video below (2 days in the jungle).

Birds

There are approximately 300 species of birds, including different types of hornbills, red-headed trogons, and spotted barbets.

Bicorn Hornbill

Spotted Barbet

Red-headed Trogon

Insects, reptiles and others…

There are also, of course, many species of spiders, ants, worms, as well as snakes, monitor lizards, and crocodiles in the forests, with which it is not recommended to take selfies!

See:
A French woman bitten by a Crocodile while trying to take a selfie

Macracantha arcuata spider

Trimeresurus vogeli viper

monitor lizard (Varanus salvator komaini)

Practical Information

The park entrance costs 400 bahts for an adult and 200 bahts for a child between 3 and 14 years old.

You can then stay in the park as long as you want and will have to pay again only if you leave.

Do not come in sandals, plan closed hiking shoes and long pants to protect yourself from snakes, but especially from leeches.

See also: Dangerous animals to know in Thailand

The park entrance and reception

The first thing you will see after entering the park from the north is an altar dedicated to Chao Por Khao Yai (the sacred spirit of Khao Yai).

You can light incense and kneel like Thai visitors to ask the spirit to protect you, so as not to be devoured by a tiger, a crocodile or crushed by an elephant 😉 .

The visitor center is located 15 kilometers south of the north gate,

English-speaking staff offer maps as well as information on guides, accommodation and hikes.

You will also find bicycles for rent, a dining area, a gift shop and a museum.

Vous pouvez effectuer de nombreuses balades par vous-même, mais il est conseillé de prendre un guide pour les longs parcours et aussi pour voir plus d’animaux, cela coûte en général 500 baht pour la journée.

Find a hotel in Khao Yai

Access to Khao Yai National Park

You can get an idea of the cost of transportation or book your tickets with our partner 12go.asia :

The small town of Pak Chong to the north serves as the gateway to Khao Yai National Park, and is easily accessible from the capital.

The southern gate of the park appears closer to Bangkok, but as there is no direct highway, fewer accommodation options and the park headquarters is very far from the south entrance, most people use Pak Chong as a starting point to visit Khao Yai Park.

Many travel agencies and hotels offer the journey from Bangkok, but you can go there on your own means:

By minibus

Minibuses leave directly to Pak Chong from Victory Monument station in Bangkok, there are departures every two hours and the cost is 180 baht.

The best way to get there is to go to the BTS Victory Monument metro station which is just next door.

By bus

Buses leave approximately every half hour from Mo-Chit North Terminal in Bangkok (around 180 baht).

Pak Chong is on the way to Nakhon Ratchassima (Korat), which is the main route to the Isan region, so you are sure to catch a bus easily, just make sure it stops at Pak Chong.

Getting from Pak Chong to Khao Yai

In Pak Chong, songthaews pass every half hour along Thanarad Road to the entrance of the park.

You can also easily rent motorbikes in Pak Chong, for a price between 300 and 500 baht.

By train

Trains leave Hualampong station in Bangkok 4 times a day, but the journey takes 4 to 5 hours, so it's probably not the best way to get there.

Other photos of Khao Yai

Landscape of Khao Yai

Elephants

Asian Elephant at Khao Yai

Dipterocarp in Khao Yai

Giant Oriental Squirrel

Female sambar deer

Video on Khao Yai

Alexandre and Solenne, French nationals, spent two days in the Khao Yai jungle:

Maps of Khao Yai

Accommodation map

Maps of walks and possible treks

Map of Pak Chong

See also: 5 national parks to discover in Thailand

Source: khaoyaiguide.com; Haeo Suwat Waterfall: Chris huh; landscape: Eigenes Werk; dipterocarp: Blaise Droz; Asian elephant: Eigenes Werk; female Sambar deer: Blaise Droz; photographer on the cliff: Paxzcasso; wild elephants: Mammalwatcher; elephants from behind: Khunkay; monitor lizard (Varanus salvator komaini): Lip Kee; Red-headed Trogon: JJ Harrison; macaque (Macaca leonina): JJ Harrison; Bicorn Hornbill: Chris huh; Barking deer: Rushenb; Speckled barb: Rushenb; Giant oriental squirrel: JJ Harrison; Malayan porcupine: Rushenb; Trimeresurus vogeli viper: Rushenb