Kaeng Krachan National Park
- Ayush Madan
- 2天前
- 讀畢需時 5 分鐘
By Ayush Madan
Every year, thousands of wildlife enthusiasts and photographers travel from all over the world to visit Kaeng Krachan National Park — Thailand’s largest nature sanctuary. At this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can encounter some truly rare and remarkable species, like Sun bears, Asian elephants, Asiatic-brush-tailed porcupines, the Great hornbill, Oriental whip snakes, and even the legendary King cobra. After visiting this park three times, I can confidently say it is my favorite national park, and a must visit for anyone in Thailand.
The Sea of Mist: Phanoen Thung Campsite
On November 16, 2023, I made my first visit to Kaeng Krachan National Park. It was a field trip with my Practical Terrestrial Ecology class led by Dr. Wayne Philips. Together, at 5:45 AM, our class set off on what would become an adventure of a lifetime. After driving southwest for three hours, we arrived at the Ban Krang campsite. From here, we split into two groups and rented 4x4s to take us up the rest of the way. The journey from here was rocky and steep, with river crossings along the way. If you plan on driving yourself, make sure to have a vehicle with high clearance.
After another hour up the mountain, we finally arrived at Phanoen Thung. The air was crisp and cold, unlike anything I had experienced before in Thailand. We all rented tents, mattresses, and pillows and set up camp. Make sure your tent is waterproof. Following a break, we hiked up to the highest point on the mountain.
Here, in the mornings between November to February — the only time Phanoen Thung is open — you will see a sea of mist covering the trees below you with only the mountains peaking through. In the evenings, we would all come here to admire the sunset, and try to count all the different mountains we could see in the distance.
The meals I ate here were true Thai comfort food. Classics like kaphao-moo sab and khai chiew or for lunch, hearty curries for dinner, and a steaming bowl of khao tom (rice porridge) with eggs for breakfast. Many westerners associate camping with cold sandwiches and protein bars, but in Thailand, you can camp and still eat like a king.
Everyday, we went on seven to eight kilometer hikes, up steep, muddy, and leech infested hills. Along the walks we stopped to admire the scenery, and the various flora and fauna we came across. But truthfully we didn’t have to go far to see the wildlife. The campsite — with its aforementioned dining options — made it a popular spot for hungry tourists and animals alike. We saw families of dusky leaf monkeys, yellow-throated Martens, Asiatic-brush-tailed porcupines, and a sun bear all without leaving the campsite.
The Dense Jungle: Ban Krang Campsite
I have camped at the Ban Krang twice now: once in March 2024, and again this year in late October. Being closer to sea level comes with its pros and cons. The obvious one is the lack of cool weather, as while it does get chilly during winter, Phanoen Thung can be outright freezing at night — something Thai tourists especially search for. However, the major perk of being at this campsite is the ease with which you can explore other parts of Kaeng Krachan without having to descend all the way down the mountain. Moreover, this campsite is teeming with from snakes, porcupines, and monkeys, ensuring you will certainly come across wildlife.
The first time was once again with Dr. Wayne Philips’ class, where we followed the usual template of long nature hikes and lots of downtime in the evening. I spent most of it obsessively playing Cabo with the German exchange students. However, it was the second time, about three weeks ago when I truly appreciated Ban Krang.
Traveling with my partner Alisa, who is a nature lover, is always a joy and this time we had a mission: see a snake in the wild and test our handling skills. On the morning of October 27th, we were on a hike with a park ranger. The ranger told us since it rained hard the night before, the morning would be a perfect time to catch a snake basking in the sun. We went through six different river crossings, and all the way through the trail, but we found no snakes. We started to lose hope as we found ourselves back on the road. Then, out of nowhere, the two of us stopped in our tracks. It’s something you could easily walk past — something the ranger did as a matter of fact. But there was no doubt about it. It was an oriental whip snake, curled and propped up on its tail, with its tongue sticking out as it basked in the shining sun. My partner and I carefully picked up the snake to examine it. These snakes are harmless to humans, but we were still careful to not get bit. After a minute, the snake started to change color, and exposing a black and white pattern underneath the green — a defensive strategy snakes use to startle predators. Slowly and gently, we placed the snake back on the forest floor, and watched it slither back into the jungle.
While this reptile was definitely a highlight that was worth the trip on its own, we saw many other interesting animals like the Wolf spider, countless different butterflies and moths, and even gibbons.
As you leave the campsite, you will find many mom and pop shops and casual restaurants to dine at. Furthermore, the Kaeng Krachan Dam is another area worth exploring, with several islands scattered across the lake. We went to one that was easily accessible via a rope bridge, following two dogs across who became our tour guides. There isn’t much here in terms of wildlife, but it was still a thrilling experience to walk across the bridge to an unmanned island.
All in all, Kaeng Krachan is the perfect place for a nature getaway. Even if you don’t want to camp, there are a plethora of hotels and AirBnb’s that you can stay at after your hike. On our last night, this is exactly what we did, staying at Baan Farm Rak, a cute boutique hotel 40 minutes away from Ban Krang. This was a great way to end the journey comfortably before getting back to our busy lives in the city. As a Bangkokian, I love seeing my city continuing to grow in influence and size. But as someone who often needs a reset, I can see myself coming back here many more times, seeking the quiet embrace of Kaeng Krachan.
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