Kaeng Krachan National Park - Jewel of the Tenasserim

The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex has a total area of437,300 hectares and includes portions of Nong Ya Plong, and Kaeng Krachan districts in Phetchaburi Province and of Hua Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

The forest complex covers three national parks and one wildlife sanctuary. These are Kaeng Krachan National Park (291,500 hectares), located just four hours away from Bangkok;  Kui Buri National Park (96,900 hectares);  Maenam Phachi Wildlife Sanctuary (48,900 hectares); and Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Pra Chan National Park.

Dry dipterocarp, mixed deciduous, and evergreen forests cover 80 percent of the Park.

Continental species such as oaks, chestnuts, and maples are also found here. Some of the valuable trees include makhamong (Afzelia), takhian (Hopea), chanthana (Tarena), yang (Dipterocarpus), taback (Lagerstroemia), pradu (Pterocarpus), and kritsana (Aquilaria).

Larger mammals include elephants, gaur, sambar deer, banteng, serow,bears, Indo-Chinese tigers, leopards, and Fea’s muntjac, Malayan tapir, white-handed gibbon, dusky and banded langurs, Asian wild dog, otter, and wild boar.  Rare bird species include the ratchet-tailed treepie, which was last seen in 1991 and has not been recorded anywhere else in Thailand.

Popular destinations include the Hanuman Plain or Khao Pakarang; Panoen Thung Mountain (1,207 meters above sea level), the park’s second highest peak; Kaeng Krachan Dam and Reservoir; and various waterfalls.  Popular activities include hiking, camping, elephant watching, and bird watching.