Thailand’s largest national park is also one of Phetchaburi’s most frequented tourist attractions. And rightly so, as its natural beauty is indeed a sight to behold.
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The park was established in 1981, becoming the 28th area in the Kingdom to be put under such protection. A four-hour drive from Bangkok, it’s a convenient destination for family vacations and school field trips. There are plenty of scenic camp grounds in, and hiking routes, through the granite and limestone mountains, the magnificent views they offer of dense morning fogs blanketing deep valleys often find their way onto postcards. Covering an area of 46.5km2 the artificial reservoir formed by the construction of Kaeng Krachan Dam is an excellent place to hire a boat to go sightseeing or fishing.
With its extensive forest cover (2,915km2) the park can support a marvellous diversity of flora and fauna, making it a favourite among nature lovers and aficionados of the great outdoors.
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Kaeng Krachan is home to over 400 types of bird including the yellow-vented pigeon, white-bellied pigeon, grey peacock-pheasant and several types of hornbill. The rare ratchet-tailed treepie, a species in the Corvidae family, is found nowhere else in Thailand.
Boasting no less than nine levels, Thornthip is one of several beautiful waterfalls to be found deep in the forest. To reach it you follow a steep, 4km-long trail accessed from kilometre marker 36 on Namtok Thornthip Road.
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One drawback - and this can be a major obstacle to independent hikers not equipped with a map or orientation skills - is the dearth of signs pointing the way to the various attractions. However, one can always hire a park ranger to guide one through unfamiliar territory.
One of my all-time favourite things to do here is to ascend majestic Khao Panoen Thung to view the so-called “sea of fog”, the dense banks of morning mist which roll in during the cooler months of the year (from December to March), completely obscuring the valleys below. It’s well worth your while to get up before the crack of dawn to experience this spectacular phenomenon. A word of warning, though: The rocky terrain leading up to the lookout point necessitates the use of a sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicle plus an experienced chauffeur to negotiate the track.
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Later, one can trek to the peak, 1,207m above sea level, to enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain ranges which runs north-south forming a natural divide between Thailand and Burma. From here one can also see a beautiful teak house built for members of the royal family.
At this elevation it’s cool all year round, making the upland areas a popular spot for both trekking and camping. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife; the bigger animals in residence include barking deer, gaurs, elephants and gibbons. We didn’t spot any of those on our last excursion so we had be satisfied with sightings of a few exotic-looking birds plus a wild boar going about his business.
Also worth checking out is Tham Hua Chang, a spectacular cave with some impressive rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites. Be prepared for a bit of physical exertion, though, because to get there you have to clamber up a steep trail through clumps of dense vegetation.
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To reach the heart of the forest you’ll need to take one of the tracks which branch off the main access road, which runs for 36km from park headquarters.
If you don’t feel like roughing it out under canvas, there are lots of bungalows here which can be rented for overnight or longer stays, plus a decent selection of restaurants, and shops selling groceries and other essentials.
*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *