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Thailand encompasses an array of national parks and wonderful landscapes that go from the mountainous north right down to the myriad islands in the Thai Gulf and Andaman region. There are 79 national parks in all, covering all areas of the country and although fees for foreigners are steep, most people are blown away by the beauty.
1. Khao Yai National Park
One of Thailand's very best, Khao Yai National Park is massive and resides to the northeast of Bangkok. It is the country's oldest national park and comes with 500kms of hiking trails, huge waterfalls, pristine forest and around 300 species of birds alone. Elephants and tigers are among the big animals here.
2. Khao Sok National Park
Khao Sok National Park is one of Thailand's most visited. Despite its remote nature it is wholly accessible by bus on the slow road between Surat Thani and Phuket. Khao Sok has a whacking great lake in the middle, stretching for over 50kms across, which supports vast numbers of fish and ecosystems. There are deep caves connected to the lake that are viewable outside of the wet season.
Elsewhere in the park is some good trekking from the headquarters and a pretty gorge to swim in. Keep an eye out for wildlife if you go for an extended trek. You are unlikely going to see tigers, yet there are all sorts of wonderful creatures to spot. A number of well done guesthouse operations are at the park entrance.
3. Phang Nga Bay National Park
Phang Nga Bay National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the world for lovers of water and islands. It has a stark karst land and seascape, which features hue pillars poking up out of the ground and water. There are caves, traditional villages and lush foliage galore here and it is only 100kms from Phuket Town. The kayaking in Phang Nga Bay National Park is particularly good.
4. Ang Thong National Marine Park
Ang Thong is a dreamy archipelago between Koh Samui and Surat Thani. It is rarely visited on the order of Thailand's main parks due to the general inaccessibility. Tours from Samui are popular and often incorporate kayaking around the many bays. You can trek to the top of some of the islands and also camp out near the park headquarters.
5. Erawan National Park
Kanchanaburi's most famous park features the stunning Erawan Falls, a huge cascade of water over seven tiers down 1,500m. Visitors can swim in the pools as well as walk up the trail which skirts the falls. The rest of the park has good walking and a collection of caves, including Phrathat Cave. This park gets really busy during holidays.
6. Erawan National Park
Kanchanaburi's most famous park features the stunning Erawan Falls, a huge cascade of water over seven tiers down 1,500m. Visitors can swim in the pools as well as walk up the trail which skirts the falls. The rest of the park has good walking and a collection of caves, including Phrathat Cave. This park gets really busy during holidays.
7. Doi Inthanon National Park
Thailand's highest national park reaches a point of over 2,560m above sea level. The mountain itself is fairly unremarkable on its peak, however, as you can only go so far due to the research station there. On the drive up the mountain are the King and Queen's stupas, while on the flanks are huge waterfalls and a degree of accommodation.
Lesser Visited Thai National Parks
8. Mu Koh Surin
Often referred to as simply Surin National Park, this northern park straddles the Thai/Burma border down on the Andaman Sea. Most of the park's territory covers the sea where there are five main islands, including North Island, South Island and three smaller ones. The snorkeling here is superb.
9. Tarutao
This largely unseen area of Thailand resides right down in the south and up against Malay territory. It encompasses dozens of islands in Satun province and includes the busiest island, Koh Lipe. You can also stay on Koh Tarutao and Koh Adang. The snorkeling, amazing sunsets and quietness are the big deal here.
10. Ko Samet
Although Koh Samet is a high profile place that sees a huge number of tourists, most come here for the beaches and not for its marine park status. It sits down in Rayong province, not far south of rowdy Pattaya, and is accessible by ferry only. Koh Samet is only a few kilometers long but is pretty rugged. It sports amazing coral and beaches that are incredibly white and the driest climate in the country.
Park Fees
Most parks charge fees to enter and sometimes as much as 400 baht for the higher profile ones. It may not sound much, but considering most Thais only earn 200 baht a day and also only have to pay 20 baht to get in, it is.
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