Khao Yai or Kaeng Krachen or Both??
Jul 27th, 2013, 02:23 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Khao Yai or Kaeng Krachen or Both??
Has any one been to both of these parks? I am leaning going to Kaeng Krachen but I am not sure if going to going to both would be repetitive with similar birds and wildlife. The travel is in the opposite direction so we would have to go back and forward through Bangkok and I am not sure if it it worth it unless they are really very different. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Jul 27th, 2013, 05:45 PM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been to both but not for serious trekking or for wildlife spotting. IMO Khoa Yai is easier to reach and has more infrastructure or is more built up. If it was me I would only visit one unless you really love nature. Be aware that wildlife are scarce and very hard to spot, apart from birds, any where in Thailand.
IMO the best national park or sanctuary for wildlife spotting and fauna is Thungyai.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/591
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...-Thailand.html
IMO the best national park or sanctuary for wildlife spotting and fauna is Thungyai.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/591
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...-Thailand.html
Jul 27th, 2013, 06:22 PM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We really do love nature and going birdwatching is something we really enjoy. We are not hardcore birders, no lists, but we have spent alot of time in rainforests looking for what ever the jungle has to offer. I am just wondering if the habitat is different and would we see different birds in both parks. Thank you for your input.
Jul 29th, 2013, 10:06 PM
#4
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'd go for Kaeng Krachan. I'm a regular visitor to Huai Kha Khaeng and although it is magnificent there are few tourist facilities there - you can get a guide etc but accommodation in the Sanctuary itself - it is not an NP - is reserved for educational groups. There is some camping but facilities are limited.
When are you going? Parts of Kaeng Krachan are closed in the wet - Aug to Oct - Phanoen Thung and Ban Krang. these are art of a 30 km trail that goes from the park entrance to the top of the mountain - "The Sea of Mists" - This overlooks the forest canopy and is a magnet for birdwatchers - many with lists - who watch for migrating BoP amongst other things. There is a campsite toilets etc and rudimentary catering. It can get very crowded in the cool season as the temp drops low enough for mists and fog, heavy dew and eve frost - so I'm told!
You need to organise transport to the top - no motorbikes last time I was there - but your can drive up to the top - I'd recommend 4WD whatever the season. We saw quite a bit of wildlife last time - deer, smokey langurs, hornbills (although I saw many more of them at Khao Yai), various species of birds - I'm no expert on these - but whilst the "twitchers" were doing their lists a beautiful BoP flew right past our viewpoint - it was missed by just about everyone except myself some ancient birdwatcher so seemed to know what it was....a kite of some kind I think.
Keang Krachan has a large lake formed by a dam this is outside the national park - it is worth taking a boat rip around - there are caves to visit and an island with a temple on it (the caves are in the P so you might get charged extra there - I'm not sure if the fee is 200 or 400 per head.. - Around the lake are many kinds of resort, good camping and the Park HQ. it is usually best to arrange your tickets here - there used to be a notice telling foreigners with Thai documentation they would get the lower (Thai entrance fee) but that has since been removed - or at least I couldn't see it last time I was there - February.) tere are some good eateries too......
it still sticks one's craw a little when parks insist on charging foreigners up to ten times the entrance fee that Thai people pay - it is a very cynical policy in my opinion. they will also try and charge you that fee everyday if you go in and out of the park.
Again both resorts and campsite get full on Thai holidays.
When are you going? Parts of Kaeng Krachan are closed in the wet - Aug to Oct - Phanoen Thung and Ban Krang. these are art of a 30 km trail that goes from the park entrance to the top of the mountain - "The Sea of Mists" - This overlooks the forest canopy and is a magnet for birdwatchers - many with lists - who watch for migrating BoP amongst other things. There is a campsite toilets etc and rudimentary catering. It can get very crowded in the cool season as the temp drops low enough for mists and fog, heavy dew and eve frost - so I'm told!
You need to organise transport to the top - no motorbikes last time I was there - but your can drive up to the top - I'd recommend 4WD whatever the season. We saw quite a bit of wildlife last time - deer, smokey langurs, hornbills (although I saw many more of them at Khao Yai), various species of birds - I'm no expert on these - but whilst the "twitchers" were doing their lists a beautiful BoP flew right past our viewpoint - it was missed by just about everyone except myself some ancient birdwatcher so seemed to know what it was....a kite of some kind I think.
Keang Krachan has a large lake formed by a dam this is outside the national park - it is worth taking a boat rip around - there are caves to visit and an island with a temple on it (the caves are in the P so you might get charged extra there - I'm not sure if the fee is 200 or 400 per head.. - Around the lake are many kinds of resort, good camping and the Park HQ. it is usually best to arrange your tickets here - there used to be a notice telling foreigners with Thai documentation they would get the lower (Thai entrance fee) but that has since been removed - or at least I couldn't see it last time I was there - February.) tere are some good eateries too......
it still sticks one's craw a little when parks insist on charging foreigners up to ten times the entrance fee that Thai people pay - it is a very cynical policy in my opinion. they will also try and charge you that fee everyday if you go in and out of the park.
Again both resorts and campsite get full on Thai holidays.
Jul 29th, 2013, 10:39 PM
#5
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Errata etc - Should have read "dusky" not "smokey" langurs
BTW - the view point is about 30 km up from the entrance and the road operates a timed oneway system - up only for so long and then down only.......
Try these sites for info on Kaeng Krachan.....
http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp...?npid=113&lg=2
http://www.westernforest.org/en/areas/kaeng_krachan.htm
(Huai Kha Khaeng is also part of the western forest complex.)
there are some great beaches near Kaeng Krachan too (about 60km). ...and the town of Petchaburi is worth a visit - especially on Sunday morning where they have a great street market - local specialities appear to be sweets (khanom)!
Khao Yai - has two campsites inside and plenty of accommodation around it. A road runs more or less through the park - with Prachinburi at one end and Pak Chong at the other - I think the Pak chong side is a better place to look for accommodation.
there are 2 campsites both with good facilities and casual eateries. you can hire caping stuff and tents - but from witnessing events after a heavy rainfall, I don't think they are waterproof.
THe camps are populated by several large deer - which you are not meant to feed. i saw quite a lot of wildlife around the sites in the early mooring - but one unwelcome sight was the group of Macaques - as a precaution against them you have to lock down everything - they will get into tents, boxes the lot - they even tried to open the cover on my truck - they wouldn't be a problem but for the idiots who insist of hand feeding the animals that come into the camps.
Khao Yai - (http://www.kaoyai.info/eng/) is smaller than Kaeng Krachan and has a lot more visitors especially on week-ends because it is so close to both Bangkok and Korat (Nakon Ratchasima).
both parks have wild elephants - i believe you can go on night safaris to the salt licks and watch them.
Sadly there have been about half a dozen or so elephant deaths at Kaeng Kracha this year - partly through poaching and partly through farmers trying to protect their palm plantations - which shouldn't be there in the first place.
Fees - http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/entrance_fee.asp?lg=2
BTW - the view point is about 30 km up from the entrance and the road operates a timed oneway system - up only for so long and then down only.......
Try these sites for info on Kaeng Krachan.....
http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp...?npid=113&lg=2
http://www.westernforest.org/en/areas/kaeng_krachan.htm
(Huai Kha Khaeng is also part of the western forest complex.)
there are some great beaches near Kaeng Krachan too (about 60km). ...and the town of Petchaburi is worth a visit - especially on Sunday morning where they have a great street market - local specialities appear to be sweets (khanom)!
Khao Yai - has two campsites inside and plenty of accommodation around it. A road runs more or less through the park - with Prachinburi at one end and Pak Chong at the other - I think the Pak chong side is a better place to look for accommodation.
there are 2 campsites both with good facilities and casual eateries. you can hire caping stuff and tents - but from witnessing events after a heavy rainfall, I don't think they are waterproof.
THe camps are populated by several large deer - which you are not meant to feed. i saw quite a lot of wildlife around the sites in the early mooring - but one unwelcome sight was the group of Macaques - as a precaution against them you have to lock down everything - they will get into tents, boxes the lot - they even tried to open the cover on my truck - they wouldn't be a problem but for the idiots who insist of hand feeding the animals that come into the camps.
Khao Yai - (http://www.kaoyai.info/eng/) is smaller than Kaeng Krachan and has a lot more visitors especially on week-ends because it is so close to both Bangkok and Korat (Nakon Ratchasima).
both parks have wild elephants - i believe you can go on night safaris to the salt licks and watch them.
Sadly there have been about half a dozen or so elephant deaths at Kaeng Kracha this year - partly through poaching and partly through farmers trying to protect their palm plantations - which shouldn't be there in the first place.
Fees - http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/entrance_fee.asp?lg=2
