Wild elephants 3 hours away from Bangkok - Guide to Khao Yai NP
There are so many reasons to go to Thailand - white beaches, tropical islands, coral reef fishes, Buddhist temples, hill tribes, amazing handicrafts… But wildlife in the jungle? Most people don’t even know that Thailand has wildlife, apart from butterflies and nasty macaques that bite tourists! However, we at Smart Trip Platform know where to go on your next Thai holiday to see gibbons, giant squirrels, porcupines, and even wild elephants!
Just three hours away by bus to the north of Bangkok you can find your perfect jungle getaway in Khao Yai National Park, included on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its fantastic biodiversity. Many travel agencies in Bangkok will try to sell you expensive day trips to the NP, but take our advice - go on your own and spend a night or even two, spending very little, Here is how.
In Bangkok, go to Mo Chit bus station and take any bus that goes to Nakhon Ratchasima (which is further away), but explain that you are actually going to Pak Chong. Thankfully, people at bus stations in Thailand speak English. Alternatively, take a minibus from the Victory Monument (though you’ll need help finding the right one). Caution: some buses stop at the turn-off for Pak Chong, several miles away from town. That’s exactly what happened when we went there; luckily, a Thai gentleman gave us a ride into town in his van full of bamboo.
In Pak Chong, there are nice hostels and a very good night market with delicious food. We advise you to rent a motorbike if you can ride it; otherwise, you will need to ask around the night before if there are any shared minivans going to Khao Yai; of course, there is always the taxi option. If you go by shared minivan (songthaew), it will drop you off at the entrance of the NP, and you will need to hitchhike the 10 km to the campsites (but don’t worry, it’s very easy, you won’t have to wait long for a ride). In general, if you don’t have a motorbike, you will move around the park by hitchhiking - so get used to it!
If you do get a moped, make sure to fill up the tank at the petrol station outside of Pak Chong - inside the park, there are several old ladies selling fuel in bottles, not no gas pump.
Entrance for foreigners costs 400 baht (10 euro), but it is charged each time you enter - another reason to spend the night! You will need to pay 30 extra for your motorbike. Once you get to the Visitor Center, 10 km inside the park, get some maps - helpful staff will explain the location of trailheads and campsites. Oh, and buy some anti-leech socks - leeches can be vicious if it rains! Seriously, don’t repeat our mistake: get the socks!
Our advice would be to get to the park as early as possible in the morning (at 6 am if you can) and do a short circular walk starting from the bridge at the Visitor Center. There you have a good chance seeing gibbons or at least hearing their mournful cries. We’ve also seen a giant squirrel there. However, birds are too high in the trees, so don’t be disappointed if you only hear them - birds are notoriously difficult to see in the jungle.
Once it gets hot, it is time to go to a campsite and make the necessary sleeping arrangements. Ask at the Visitor Center which campsite has an open restaurant (they rotate sometimes). At the campsite, you will get all you need - tent, sleeping bags, mats, pillows, etc.- all quite cheap. And don’t forget to ask if any bungalows are available - sometimes they rent them out for as little as 15 euro during the week. The furthest campsite is supposed to be better for seeing porcupines at night (and there are hundreds of magnificent butterflies behind the shower block).
Once you have arranged your tent and had something to eat, it is time to hit the trails! Around noon, your best bet may be the walk to Haew Suwat waterfall (3 hours return) - we saw a couple of elusive dholes (wild Asian dogs) very near, plus the famous local crocodile (there is just one) - you can come as close to it as you dare! We stopped when we were 3 meters away or so. .
At dusk, make sure to visit Non Pak Chi watchtower - it is on the map and just a short walk from the road. It overlooks a saltlicks, where elephants often come at sunset - together with different kinds of deer and even wild boar. While driving, you may see macaques sitting right on the road! If it’s already dark when you return from the watchtower (pack a flashlight!), then head for the visitor center - there is a store selling hot noodles till late. Buy some snacks for your breakfast!
Get up well before sunrise if you have a motorbike and do a longer trail at dawn - once again, you can see gibbons and even visit the same saltlick coming from the other side. We also saw very beautiful silver pheasant flying out almost from under our feet! For the rest of the day, go to the grasslands to watch some birds (including huge hornbills) or hike to viewpoints over other waterfalls. There is so much to do!
At night, you can join a tour searching for animals in the dark from a quad with huge flashlights. You may see a dear or porcupine, but rarely anything exciting - and you will disturb the animals. So decide for yourself.
The next logical stop after Pak Chong is the magical royal city of Ayutthaya - another World Heritage site. There are direct trains out of Pak Chong, so don’t miss the opportunity to see some ancient temples after you’ve had enough of the jungle!
If you need any additional info on visiting Khao Yai, feel free to ask us. And remember - Smart Trip Platform pre-ICO begins on April 16 - don’t miss our great discounts for early backers! Visit our website http://smarttripplatform.io/ and subscribe to our channels on Telegram (https://t.me/st_platform) and Facebook (facebook.com/STplatform/) to stay up to date!