Khao Yai

A jungle national park 3 hours northeast of Bangkok with wild elephants, hornbills and waterfalls, surrounded by an Italian-style village, ranches and wineries – a favourite weekend getaway for Thais.

Khao Yai lies on the southwestern edge of the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand, about 180 km from Bangkok. At its heart is Khao Yai National Park, Thailand's first national park, established in 1962 (about 2,168 km², spanning Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces), which was inscribed as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2005 as part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex. A visit has two parts. Inside the park are tropical monsoon forest, grasslands and waterfalls, home to wild Asian elephants, white-handed gibbons, hornbills and sambar deer, and night safari trucks go in search of wildlife. Outside the park's northern gate, along Route 2090 from Pak Chong to Khao Yai, stretches a weekend resort belt for Thailand's middle class, packed with the Italian-style village Primo Piazza, the European-style shopping village Palio, Farm Chokchai, wineries such as PB Valley, and countless trendy cafés and resort hotels. Getting there: driving from Bangkok takes about 2.5–3 hours and is the easiest option; alternatively, take a bus from Bangkok's Mo Chit bus terminal or a train from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Pak Chong (about 3–4 hours), then hire a songthaew or rent a car into the park. There is no public transport inside the park, so you'll need to drive, hire a vehicle or join a day tour. Allow 2 days: one in the park (waterfalls, viewpoints and a night safari) and one for the nearby ranches, wineries and the Big Buddha. Climate: November–February is cool and dry and the best season, though weekends and Thai public holidays bring heavy crowds and traffic; in the rainy season (June–October) the waterfalls are at their most spectacular, but trails are slippery and leeches are common. Good to know: park admission for foreigners is 400 baht for adults and 200 baht for children (vehicle fees extra; check park notices). Wild elephants often wander onto the roads – keep your distance, stay in your car and don't honk; don't feed the monkeys. China and Thailand have a mutual visa exemption (stays of up to 30 days per entry); check official sources before you travel.

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