Khao Yai National Park from Bangkok: waterfalls and wild elephants

Updated on October 5, 2026

Khao Yai National Park, about 200 km north-east of Bangkok, is Thailand's oldest national park (1962) and part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. It offers rainforest, grasslands, waterfalls and wildlife that can be seen from the road: Asian elephants, gibbons, hornbills, macaques and sambar deer. It is the best nature escape less than three hours from the capital, whether you do it as a day trip by car or on an organised tour, or stay overnight in the park or in Pak Chong. Entry costs 400 baht per adult and 200 baht per child for foreigners at the Pak Chong and Noen Hom gates, according to the park's official website.

Highlights

Haew Suwat Waterfall

The best known in the park, about twenty metres high: it appears in the film The Beach. A staircase leads down to the pool from the car park; the water is at its best during and just after the rainy season. Swimming is forbidden. Access hours for the waterfall are shorter than those of the park: arrive before the late afternoon.

The wild elephants

Khao Yai is home to one of the largest wild elephant populations in the country. You sometimes meet them on the road or in the grasslands, especially at dusk. Stay in the car, turn off the engine, do not honk, never get out and do not approach: wild elephants are unpredictable. Rangers may close roads when an animal is reported.

Trails and observation towers

The visitor centre offers several marked trails of varying difficulty; the wildlife observation towers are used to watch for gibbons, hornbills and deer at dawn or dusk. Guided walks with a park guide give a better chance of seeing animals. Wear closed shoes and long socks for the leeches, which are numerous in the wet season.

Haew Narok and the Khao Khiao viewpoint

The taller, more powerful Haew Narok waterfall drops in several tiers into a forested canyon; the Khao Khiao viewpoint, further south, looks over the hills at sunrise or sunset. Ask at the visitor centre about the state of roads and trails before setting off.

The evening bats

At dusk, outside the park, millions of bats leave a cave near Pak Chong in a long ribbon visible in the sky. The show depends on the season and the weather: ask your accommodation or your guide.

Infos pratiques

Tips

The ticket is valid for one day only; a car pays an extra 30 baht at the gate. Payment is made at the ticket window or via the National Parks Department's QueQ app. The visitor centre gives information from 8:30 to 16:30 (official phone number: 086-092-6529). Avoid weekends and Thai public holidays, when the park is packed with visitors from Bangkok. The park roads are narrow and winding: drive slowly, as animals cross them. If you sleep in Pak Chong or in the park, book ahead; the ticket is then valid for several days depending on the accommodation. Prices and hours checked in October 2026: confirm with the park. For another green getaway idea, see Nature trips from Bangkok.

How to get there

Khao Yai National Park, Pak Chong and Nong Nam Daeng districts (provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok and Prachinburi), about 200 km from Bangkok. By car, allow 2h30 to 3h via Highway 1 then Highway 2 to Pak Chong, then Route 2090 to the Pak Chong entrance. By public transport, the bus or train to Pak Chong takes about 3 to 4 hours, then you continue by songthaew or taxi for some thirty kilometres to the entrance. Without a car, an organised tour from Bangkok takes care of all the logistics. Hiring a car with driver lets you roam freely inside the park. See also our tips on day trips from Bangkok.