Khao Yai attractions not to miss, inside and outside the park
Everything to know before entering Khao Yai National Park, plus the best places outside it that need no hiking.
Khao Yai National Park covers about 2,168 square kilometres across four provinces: Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok. It is home to wild elephants, gibbons, hornbills and much more.
Khao Yai National Park facts
| Founded | 1962, Thailand’s first national park |
|---|---|
| World Heritage | Part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, inscribed by UNESCO in 2005 |
| Opening hours | 6 am to 6 pm daily |
| Entrance fee | Foreign visitors: adults 400 baht, children 200 baht · Thai visitors: adults 40 baht, children 20 baht (vehicles charged separately) |
| Entrances | Pak Chong side (north) and Prachinburi side (south) |
Fees and hours can change. Check with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation before you travel.
Inside the national park
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Haew Suwat Waterfall
A roughly 20-metre fall made famous by the film The Beach (2000). The walk from the car park is short and paved; flow is strongest late in the rainy season.
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Haew Narok Waterfall
A multi-tier fall of about 150 metres on the southern side of the park. Expect a walk and steep stairs; sections can close for safety after heavy rain.
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Pha Diao Dai Viewpoint
A short forest trail on the road up to Khao Khiao that ends at an open cliff with long views over the hill forest. On cool-season mornings a sea of mist often fills the valleys.
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Nong Phak Chi Wildlife Tower
A tall hide overlooking grassland and a pond, a short walk from the road. Deer, hornbills and sometimes wild elephants are likeliest at dawn and dusk; keep quiet and bring binoculars.
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Night wildlife spotting
The park runs spotlight drives along its roads after dark. Book at the visitor centre in the afternoon; times and fees vary by season, and sightings are never guaranteed.
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Outside the park
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Khao Yai wine country
Khao Yai is Thailand’s best-known wine region. PB Valley was founded in 1989 and harvested its first vintage in 1998; GranMonte is family-owned. Both offer vineyard tours, tastings and restaurants.
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Farm Chokchai
A large dairy farm with guided agritourism tours several times a day, showing how cows are raised and milk is processed. Great with children, with a steakhouse and ice-cream shop on site.
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Palio Khao Yai
An Italian-style shopping village on Thanarat Road with shops, cafés and restaurants along cobbled lanes, an easy afternoon stop if you stay around Mu Si.
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Visiting the park safely
- If you meet wild elephants on the road, stop well back, switch off high beams, do not honk, stay in the car and wait for them to pass.
- Do not feed monkeys or other animals, and keep food bags inside the car.
- Keep to the park’s speed limits; animals often cross at dawn and dusk.
- Go on longer trails with a ranger or licensed guide.
- In the rainy season wear leech socks and check trail closure notices first.
Map of Khao Yai
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