One of Thailand’s larger national parks at 1,225 square kilometres but also one of its least visited, remote Pha Daeng lies in the very far north of Chiang Mai province abutting the Burmese border.
To the east, the park includes the southern slopes of Doi Ang Khang and to the west stretches almost as far as Wiang Haeng. It incorporates parts of Chiang Dao District and this is where the visitor’s centre and park headquarters are situated.
We love a good jungle waterfall. Photo: Mark Ord
The park as a whole is largely rugged mountains reaching up to 1,800 metres and includes dry dipterocarp forest; mixed deciduous, pine and montane evergreen. The wide range of habitats results in a large number of bird species while Asian black bears; banteng, muntjac, serow and Chinese gorals are thought, or rumoured, to live within the park’s confines. The park also includes the watersheds of the Ping, Fang and Taeng Rivers with the Ping slicing through the centre of Pha Daeng. The main park entrance is set up around one of Pha Daeng’s more accessible features—Sri Sangwan Waterfall.
This is a well-organised and laid out park with its headquarters building, ticket office and visitor’s centre all conveniently located around a small carpark from where a short trail to the waterfall begins. There’s also a two and a half kilometre forest trail loop with noted points of interest beginning and ending here too. In addition, there’s a fern house and herb garden, English-language pamphlets and maps, and the little visitor centre has bilingual information. Good on them—and bear in mind very few people actually visit this park, other than a few picnicking locals who come over at weekends to visit the ... please log in to read the rest of this story.
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By
Mark Ord.
Last updated on 12th May, 2018.
How to get there
The main park entrance is clearly marked in English and lies just a few hundred metres off the main road, Route 1178. It's around 15 kilometres from Arunothai or 30 kilometres from Chiang Dao.
Location map for Pha Daeng National Park
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