Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 858

An easy escape into nature, Khao Yai National Park ; 08 6092 6529; adult/child 400/200B, car
50B) is a Unesco World Heritage Site that incorporates one of the largest intact monsoon
forests in mainland Asia. Abundant wildlife - including some 200 elephants and one of
Thailand's largest hornbill populations - lives among the park's varied terrain. The park
has many kilometres of trekking trails and some superb waterfalls (which are at their most
majestic after the monsoon rains in October).

Sleeping & Eating
The primary base for foreign tourists visiting the park is the town of Pak Chong, where
hotels and guesthouses arrange park tours. You can also visit the park independently
without your own transport.
Restaurants line Th Thanarat, the main conduit to the park, and the park itself has res-
taurants at all busy locations, with most closing around 6pm.

Greenleaf Guesthouse
( 0 4436 5073; www.greenleaftour.com ; Th Thanarat, Km 7.5; r 200-300B; ) Step past the
slightly chaotic common areas and you'll be surprised by the good-value rooms (with
cold-water private bathrooms) at the back of this long-running family-owned place.

GUESTHOUSE $

Park Lodging
( 0 2562 0760; www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve ; tents 150-400B, r & bungalows 800-3500B, 30% discount
Mon-Thu) The Department of National Parks provides a range of clean, simple lodgings
scattered through the park, starting at 800B for two people. Camping is 150B per person
with tents and bedding included.

CAMPING GROUND

Getting There & Away

To reach Khao Yai you need to connect to Pak Chong, which is on the highway between
Bangkok (108B to 150B, 2½ hours) and Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat; 60B to 80B, one
hour). There are also minivans to/from Bangkok's Victory Monument (180B, 2½ hours,
hourly from 8am to 8pm). Pak Chong is also on the train line, but trains are slower than
the bus, especially if coming from Bangkok.
Sŏrngtă aou travel the 30km from Pak Chong to the park's northern gate (40B, 45
minutes, frequently from 6am to 5pm). It's another 14km to the visitor centre and Thai