Viewpoint, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Viewpoint, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Viewpoint, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand


Taken on: 20th May, 2012. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See travelfishery's page of Flickr

Read more about Khao Yai National Park

In Thai, khao yai means "big mountain", and indeed Khao Yai is one of Thailand's largest, most popular, and grandest national parks.

Also Thailand's first officially protected national park (it was established in 1962) and both a ASEAN Heritage Park and a UNESCO natural heritage site, Khao Yai spans some 2,168 square kilometres spread over parts of Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces.

The park's vast territory is home to some of Thailand's last remaining wild tigers, leopards, gibbons, exotic snakes and elephants. It is also a very popular destination with bird watchers as it hosts over 300 species of birds.

As its name would suggest, the park is relatively high up in the mountains with its highest peak -- Khao Rom -- reaching over 1,350 metres. The park has five vegetation zones from grassy plains to evergreen rainforest, and it can get quite cool in the higher altitudes.

Perhaps Khao Yai's biggest ... Read our complete Khao Yai National Park travel guide

More images

Passing traffic, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Elevated walkway, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Butterflies, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Haew Narok waterfall, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Monkeys, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Walking pathway, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Tiger Deer, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Trees along a trail, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Orchids, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Waterfall, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Elephants, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Grassland, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Campsite by the water, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand Deer cooling off, Khao Yai National Park, Thailand