Things to do in Khao Yai National Park
Attractions and distractions
Attractions and distractions
Use the quick links below to jump to a particular section of our sights and activities coverage for Khao Yai National Park.
Khao Yai National Park rewards travellers who come prepared. On the flip side, it can be extremely frustrating for those who show up expecting easy public transport and a go-to strip of guesthouses and tour offices like you’ll find down in Khao Sok. Read on to get a logistical leg up on “Big Mountain” before you arrive. ... Read more about How to do Khao Yai National Park .
From single-day budget hiking trips to wildlife photography tours and multi-day private excursions that take you deep into the wilds, the Khao Yai area’s many tour companies will probably have what you’re looking for. Though many travellers hit Khao Yai independently, those who want the best chance of spotting wildlife should splash out for a local trail guide. ... Read more about Khao Yai tours .
Thundering over a 150-metre-high cliff draped in jungle, Haew Narok is by far Khao Yai’s largest waterfall. We even rank it among the most impressive in Thailand, at least during the rainy months, but it does take some effort and prior planning to reach. ... Read more about Haew Narok Waterfall .
Thanks to a scene in the film version of The Beach in which Leonardo Dicaprio’s character has no choice but to leap over a cliff, Haew Suwat is probably the best known of Khao Yai’s many waterfalls. Virtually every day tour makes a stop here. Haew Suwat boasts breathtaking streams of water freefalling over a roughly 20-metre-high ledge into a circular pool. Broad branches reach over the ... Read more about Haew Suwat Waterfall .
Arguably the most breathtaking of Khao Yai’s many viewpoints, Pha Diao Dai consists of several flat boulders where you can gaze over Khao Yai’s wild interior forest. ... Read more about Pha Diao Dai Viewpoint .
The national park maintains half a dozen hiking trails accessible from the visitor centre, campgrounds and the vicinity of Haew Suwat Waterfall. Budget travellers after more challenging mountain climbs and deep-jungle treks may be disappointed, but those seeking a solid day or two of hiking to waterfalls and wildlife observation towers can get by without a local trail guide. Beginning at a ... Read more about Other waterfalls and hiking trails .
As Thailand’s largest contiguous forest, the Dong Phaya Yen-Khao Yai forest complex is home to some 800 species of fauna, including more than 20 endangered and critically endangered species. While the chances of seeing a king cobra, Asiatic black bear, tiger or clouded leopard are extremely rare, quite a few visitors spot gibbons, badgers, wild boar, box turtles, tree frogs, green tree ... Read more about Wildlife observing .
While you won’t find many good places to swim inside the national park, the Ban Tha Chang Spring provides a refreshing dip within a 10-minute drive of the northern gate. Part of the Lam Takong River, the spring boasts crystalline light-blue water with human-made waterfalls pouring into a few different pools. Some are shallow enough for young kids while others reach a depth of around two ... Read more about Ban Tha Chang Spring .
Travellers looking for some culture splashed into their nature experience should factor in a visit to the Khao Yai Art Museum, exhibiting a compelling collection of works by some of Thailand’s top modern artists. Covering a hilltop at the end of a dirt road, the museum includes several buildings that are notable for their architectural value. Before coming inside you’ll see a few large ... Read more about Khao Yai Art Museum .
It’s not quite up there with Tuscany, Bordeaux or Napa, but Thailand’s Khao Yai wine region (or “Asoke Valley”) offers some refined varietals from a handful of vineyards peppered among family farms, country roads, green hills and fields of sunflowers. If you enjoy wine tasting, farm stands and country drives, the Khao Yai farm and wine trail makes for an enjoyable excursion beyond the ... Read more about The Khao Yai farm and wine trail .
Flowing to the north of Muak Lek in a far-flung corner of the Khao Yai region, Chet Sao Noi Waterfall usually gets overlooked by travellers. It's not Thailand’s tallest, widest, or most popular waterfall, but with a haunting backstory and scenery that's right out of a fantasy novel, there’s something mesmerising about Chet Sao ... Read more about Chet Sao Noi Waterfall .
Did you know that there's a lot more to see and do in the Khao Yai region besides Khao Yai National Park? While the wine trail to the north of the park is one great option, you'll also find loads of scenic farms and views on a drive from the park’s northern gate to the eastern Wang Nam Khiao ... Read more about A drive from Khao Yai to Wang Nam Khiao .
One of many large reservoirs in Thailand that were created by dams built in the mid to late 20th century, Lam Takong is a mountain-rimmed body of water named after the river that feeds it. Forested mountains surround the long and fairly narrow lake, part of a protected area with very little development. While there are no lake tours or kayak rental as far as we know, visitors can enjoy the ... Read more about Lam Takong Lake .
