Khao Yai National Park
Where to lay your head
Where to lay your head
Below we’ve covered all of the accommodation zones and campgrounds found inside Khao Yai National Park along with several options outside the park, on or near Thanarat Road, which are suitable for travellers who don’t have a vehicle and can’t speak Thai. We’ve also highlighted a few spots in Pak Chong, and one gorgeous boutique resort over in Muak Lek. These are only a handful of the overwhelming number of places to stay in the Khao Yai region.
Few travellers stay to the south of the park, but if coming from this direction you could check out Palm Garden Lodge, located around 15 kilometres southeast of the park’s southern gate on Route 33 in the village of Ban Kon Kwang, western Prachinburi province. The owners offer park tours and motorbike rental along with rooms in the 400 to 1,200 baht range.
Self-sufficient nature lovers may want to spend a night or five camping or staying in a park-maintained cabin.
Campgrounds set in scenic spots and fan-cooled cabins and lodges in a wide range of sizes are available for those who want to spend multiple days inside Khao Yai National Park. Finding the right spot and making a reservation can be frustrating, so read on for the lowdown. The largest and most popular campground is Lam Takong, located around three kilometres southeast of the visitor centre and... Read our full review of National Park accommodation.
As the main access route into the park from the north, Thanarat Road and surrounds has blown up with big and small resorts catering to all budgets. Our selections focus mainly on places where you’ll find rooms, tours, English-speaking staff and/or pick up in Pak Chong, all from a single phone call or email.
The Watermill Resort occupies an oxbow in a narrow river where guests can swim, jump off rope swings, row a boat or lounge on numerous terraces and hammocks set near an actual working watermill. Throw in a swimming pool, a highly flexible set of rooms and notably helpful staff, and you’ve got an outstanding midrange option between Pak Chong and the national park. Painted pastel colours and... Read our full review of Watermill Resort.
A long-running and popular choice for a package including room and tour, Greenleaf does a fine job of helping budget travellers enjoy Khao Yai on the cheap. Located right along Thanarat about halfway between the park’s northern gate and Pak Chong, Greenleaf greets you with a simple roofed eatery that looks more like part of a ramshackle house -- blink and you’ll miss it. Stroll out back... Read our full review of Greenleaf Guesthouse and Tours.
Our favourite of the upscale options found along Thanarat, Hotel Des Artists sports a classy French-colonial design along with a pair of swimming pools and mountain views. The cheaper rooms occupy the main two-storey building with a broad sloping roof, glossy wood floors, tall turquoise doors and olive-green louvred shutters. Though the building was built fairly recently, designers did such a... Read our full review of Hotel des Artists.
The young and spirited English-speaking owner of the newish Sankhao Yai is poised to make a name for her mini resort as a solid, full-service budget option within steps of the park’s northern gate. Nine clean concrete bungalows in bright primary colours are set up in a row, each with one firm queen or two twin beds, air-con, fridge, small TV, table and large hot-water wet bathroom. Most... Read our full review of Sankhao Yai.
Another long-standing tour and accommodation outfit on Thanarat, Khao Yai Garden Lodge offers a wider selection of tours and accommodation than you’ll find at nearby Greenleaf. Fronted by a tour info centre and large open-sided restaurant serving Thai and Western fare, the Garden Lodge extends quite far behind with rooms available in several different concrete buildings. The best are found... Read our full review of Khao Yai Garden Lodge.
Though not the most charming town, Pak Chong has a solid spread of markets and restaurants that make it a reasonably comfortable base. In any case it’s the area’s main transport hub, so you may find yourself in need of a bed here for a night. If staying here you’ll be 25 kilometres north of the park’s northern gate. We’ve listed a few downtown options; travellers with vehicles will find several more scenic spots up Highway 2243 to the north of town.
At Home Hostel quickly became a go-to backpacker option after opening in late 2015 -- and for good reason. It’s an excellent in-town alternative if you don’t like the idea of being stuck out on Thanarat Road or in the national park. The two-storey polished concrete and brick building with key-card security doors is located down a side lane across the main road from the night market and... Read our full review of At Home Hostel.
German/Thai-owned Bobby’s Apartment and Jungle Tours, like Greenleaf and Khao Yai Garden Lodge, is a reliable option for tours, rooms and meals from a single source. Available mainly for travellers who are booking a tour with Bobby’s, 10 small concrete bungalows -- we’re not sure why they’re called “apartments” -- are spread around a gravel driveway with an on-site restaurant,... Read our full review of Bobby’s Apartment and Jungle Tours.
Located a 10-minute walk west of the night market and Bangkok bus stops, The Goodville Cottage serves up immaculate rooms backed by the Lam Takong River. Flashpackers who want to stay near the restaurants and services in Pak Chong should look no further. Opened in 2015 by a spirited man who speaks a little English, The Goodville has two different room types in a pair of buildings facing a small... Read our full review of The Goodville Cottage.
If you arrive late or are otherwise in need of an easy-to-find budget room in the centre of town, the Pak Chong Hotel is a satisfactory option for a night. By “satisfactory” we mean completely uninspiring but clean and with 24-hour reception, free WiFi, a lift, car park and location that puts you next to the Bangkok bus stops and directly across the road from the night market and Khao Yai... Read our full review of Pak Chong Hotel.
Straddling the eastern border of Saraburi province, the small town of Muak Lek anchors a district where Thailand’s best wines are produced. It also boasts the haunting Chet Sao Noi Waterfall and is only 30 kilometres northwest of the national park’s northern gate. We’ve singled out a beautiful resort, but if you like the area you’ll also find some cheaper Thai-style resorts dotting the countryside. A private vehicle is essential if staying up this way.
If you’re looking to splash out on a gorgeous boutique resort and you have a vehicle, Ndon Streamside Thai Villas is a fantastic choice in the Khao Yai area. The 40-room resort covers a deceptively large area with numerous terraces, two medium-size swimming pools, semi-private daybeds and hanging chairs all reaching over the narrow river that marks the border between Saraburi and Nakhon... Read our full review of Ndol Streamside Thai Villas.
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