Thailand’s Hidden Green Secret– Khao Yai National Park.

by Merin Waite

Merin has lived and traveled South East Asia for over a decade. He has worked as a journalist and educational consultant in Japan, Thailand and Singapore.

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As a tourist destination Thailand possesses a Hidden Green Secret - Khao Yai National Park. With stunning natural beauty, the country has gone to considerable pains to protect this important area. The most accessible park, and very much designed with Homo sapiens in mind, is Khoa Yai is only some 200 km from Bangkok.

the landscape increases in beauty as you approach the park

To get to Khao Yai you must drive towards Nakorn Rachasima ( Korat ) from Bangkok and turn right at Pak Chong. I once lived in this Thai provincial town and took every opportunity to travel into the stunning natural surroundings of the park to escape the rather dusty roads of the urban sprawl. As you leave Pakchong the road becomes pleasanter and pleasanter, small limestone hills appear on either side, some with caves where colonies of bats emerge at night in great, spiralling columns. Soon signs for resorts dot the road and if you choose to stay outside the park you will have no trouble finding accommodation. After some 20 kilometres or so the entrance to the park appears and it becomes only too clear how much toll human habitation of the area has taken.

stunning natural beauty has required considerable pains to protect

The park is truly like entering a different world. Immediately you notice the drop in temperature and the sounds of life: birds, insects and the constant rustle of leaves. Snaking up the road to the parks headquarters there are some stops on the way which give you a feel for the park and if you are lucky you will see monkeys sitting in the middle of the road or swinging in the trees. There are several signs warning of various large animals – tiger, gaur, elephant – but I have never encountered these creatures on the road and I have walked in the jungle many times without harm so I feel confident in recommending getting out of your car whenever the urge takes you.

road signs warn to protect wildlife

There is a small fee to enter the park and if you drive a vehicle it will also be subject to a charge. Driving your own car or being driven is the easiest way in which to travel into the park as public transport is not frequent. Once in the park bicycles can be hired and this can make for a very healthy way to travel around. Another option is trekking through the jungle to some of the attractions. It all depends on the time you have available.

The park headquarters themselves have undergone considerable improvement over the last few years and now are very well organised indeed. There is an informative display in a large hall telling visitors about the park’s history, geography and biodiversity. In it are two tigers, once the scourge of a local village, before being killed by hunters to protect their human victims. I was informed by the ranger who worked for the park that these were probably the only tigers I would see as numbers had fallen drastically over the years and now the population was not really sustainable. Interestingly he also told me wild dogs were now the main carnivores in the park – packs of which roam the wilderness hunting down the Sambar deer and other, smaller, prey. Near the information centre is a place to arrange accommodation. All sorts are available from tents and sleeping bags for a few dollars to rooms from 25 dollars or so. None of it is Hilton Standard but why come to a National Park for luxury? Food is also available, small stalls provide traditional Thai favourites in a wonderful open air setting overlooking a small creek. It is a great improvement on what was there ten years ago – though one can’t help but worry a little about the impact it might have on what must be a fairly fragile environment.

the park headquarters displays much useful information

In the past I have spent many days wondering around the park’ interior and it is exciting and fun. There are many wonderful day-walks entirely removed from any human habitation whatsoever –but some are not for the fainthearted. In fact I was ‘attacked’ by a group of twenty or so gibbons when I inadvertently entered their territory. They started throwing fruit at me! It is therefore best to do these walks with a qualified guide available from the Information Centre.

Haew Suwat waterfall is one of the main attractions in the park so you are unlikely to have it to yourself – many Thais will also be enjoying its undoubted beauty dressed appropriately for the occasion: high-heeled shoes and tight jeans!

If you require a bit more peace and solitude walk down to Haew Sai falls. There is an optimistic sign pointing the way as a path sort of leads along the top of the river and turns right down to a lovely little waterfall with a great pool for swimming. I strongly advise against jumping in from the top of the ‘falls – I used to until one day swimming down in the pool below I came across a jagged rock about two feet below the surface, I still occasionally have nightmares about it. If you follow the river further you will eventually get to Haew Pratun falls – more majestic they are worth the trek if you have the time. If you don’t have the energy just sit by the riverside and observe the butterflies. The variety and flight is mesmerizing, a sure sign that the forest is in good condition as different kinds of butterflies need different kinds of plants to flourish. Another creature that always thrills me is the dragonfly – again a great number flit amongst the stones by the rivers edge.

If you get tired of waterfalls you should head up to Pha Diew Die View Point. This is a healthy cycle ride of twelve kilometres or so. It is also possible to go by car. Follow the signposts down a path and suddenly you are standing at the edge of a precipitous drop and looking onto a vast valley of green trees the very tips of some at your feet. Again you will probably not be alone here but if you crave a moment of solitude to reflect on the beauty of the place follow the escarpment along to other rocks that jut out onto the valley. In Thailand there are no fences or barriers so use your common sense and enjoy the freedom to experience this remarkable place. I remember once sitting here gazing out over the valley when two huge hornbills flew up from the lower slopes. The sound of their wings and the shape of there large bills seemed to hark back to an ancient time and in my imagination I was back in the era of the dinosaurs.

No one can guarantee that you see wildlife but I have frequently seen gibbon, hornbills, barking deer, sambar deer, monkeys and countless birds whose names I do not know. I have never seen a tiger or an elephant but of the latter there is plenty of evidence in the form of dung and half eaten trees. A popular activity which is organised by park rangers is spotlighting, that is looking for nocturnal animals from the back of a pick up truck using a powerful torch. It is an interesting way to spend an evening and I think the animals have become accustomed to the nightly hordes who are driven around close to the parks headquarters. For the serious observer of wildlife it is advisable to speak to one of the rangers as they will be able to guide you to where the animals are currently residing. Sadly, some poaching still takes place. Once at Haew Suwat Falls the restaurant owners had adopted a baby sun bear because its mother had been shot for her paws – considered a delicacy in some circles. The baby was alarmingly human – even reaching longingly with its front paws for cartons of milk and playfully nudging its human ‘parents’.

Khoa Yai is a wonderful destination for lovers of nature. You may simply wish to spend a day to enjoy lunch in beautiful surroundings, or a week trekking, cycling, swimming and exploring the other waterfalls and lesser known areas of the 2000 square kilometres of wilderness. It is easily accessible and well staffed. You don’t even have to take camping equipment but can rent it along with your bicycle. For the weary souls who inhabit Bangkok it is a godsend, and for those international visitors to Thailand it is a revelation.