Kaeng Krachan National Park Tourist Attractions

The main area to start your exploration of the park is definitely Ban Krang. Animal encounters and bird-watching opportunities abound there. The important thing to note is that Ban Krang is accessible from November till July only!

Headquarters and Kaeng Krachan Reservoir

The headquarters in Baan Keang Krachan are actually located outside the park and no entrance ticket is required to visit. It is a good point for two purposes: to arrange your transportation to Ban Krang area if you don’t have your own car and to choose a place to stop for the night if you arrive late.

Otherwise the only real attraction around is the artificial reservoir created when a dam on Petchaburi River was constructed in 1965. Located just a couple of km from the headquarters, it will keep you occupied for the afternoon if you decide to stop here. Hire a longboat for THB600 (40 minutes) and enjoy a relaxing sunset.

If bird-watching is within your scope of interest, then arrange visiting the park in March or April, when several species of migratory birds show up at the reservoir.

Ban Krang

Ban Krang is by far the best place to spend your time in the park, especially now when the road to Phanoen Thung is not accessible. The village is located deep inside the forest and all the surrounding area is the natural habitat of a lot of wildlife. With a bit of luck it is not unusual to spot elephants, gibbons, monitor lizard, golden jackals, gaurs, wild boar and even Asiatic bears.

A few hundred meters from the campsite, a saltlick station attracts two elephants that regularly visit it every few days at sunset – make sure you enjoy the spectacle from a safe distance.

More saltlicks can be found on the road to Ban Krang from Sam Yot checkpoint. Keep an eye on the signs while driving there and if you’re lucky, then more elephants and gaurs will be there.

Leopards have been spotted within few km east and west of Ban Krang, but their activity in the area has decreased in last few years.

If the campsite is quiet enough, expect civet cats and a jackal to come and visit the restaurant area at dinnertime. These animals are smart, and learn quickly where they can find food.

Ban Krang is also one of the best places in Thailand for bird-watching, and several observation points within a walking distance from the campsite will give you the chance for spotting hordes of different (and often very rare) species.

Two km prior to arriving to Ban Krang, a 500 meter long trail branches off the road to take you to the Elephant Head Cave (Hua Chang), which takes its name from a rock that should remind you an elephant’s head (well, if you have a vivid imagination actually...). There are 4 chambers to visit, and even if it’s usually possible to do it independently, we would still recommend to hire a guide who will come handy to watch out for possible snakes and vipers.

A challenging 3,5 km trail requires the assistance of a park ranger (THB400). The trail will take you to more interesting Khao Pakarang Caves. They are actually two caves close to each other with bats and snakes living inside, and multiple deep chambers that can be visited. Expect to spend an entire afternoon under earth.

Please remember that this part of the park is closed every year from August till the end of October.

Pala–U Waterfalls

While Ban Krang would be without doubt our first choice if we had to pick one of the two areas of the park to visit, Pala–U waterfalls located at the southern entrance of the park is still a good place if you’re based in Hua Hin and have only one day for our visit. Another reason to check the falls is if you are visiting the park from August to October, when everything else is not accessible.

These beautiful waterfalls consist of 16 tiers. There is an easy trail heading up. You do not need a guide for the first 5 tiers. After that, the climbing becomes a lot more challenging and only experienced hikers should venture past that point.

What makes a visit to Pala–U interesting and worth it is the exceptional elephants’ presence along the 4 km road that leads from the park entrance to the car park near the waterfalls. If you’re lucky to encounter them, stay in your car and keep a safe distance.