Getting there
Khao Yai is located in Isaan in north-eastern Thailand. Pak Chong is the town from which most travellers access the park, and it can be reached by bus or train from Bangkok. Either of these should take about five hours.
How I did it: I was taking the train from Ayutthaya, which took three hours and cost 263 THB for 2nd class. Bear in mind that trains are often delayed, and sometimes remain in stations along the track for a very long time – buses tend to be a little bit better run. However, the scenery is much, much, nicer from the rails than the road, and stations are often beautifully decorated, hence why I decided to take the literal scenic route.
Khao Yai Tours (plus where to eat)
Taking a tour into Khao Yai is definitely the easiest way to explore the park, and these offer a good chance of spotting all the park’s highlights. Most operators (Greenleaf Guesthouse and Tours and Bobby’s Jungle Tours are the most popular) are based in Pak Chong and will start and end trips there, though some will be able to arrange overnighters in the park itself.
I was staying with Greenleaf Guesthouse and Tours who organise trips into the national park and around (indeed, they place much more emphasis on this than their accommodation). The half-day tour costs 500 THB, and the full day one costs 1,500 THB but you can combine the two and it will cost 1,800 THB (£42). Greenleaf have basic but decent rooms for 300 THB and a nice little dining area with WiFi, but no hot water or air-conditioning. If you want these, Greenleaf can arrange to pick you up from one of the many resorts around the park. The eating area is made up of wooden tables next to Greenleaf’s kitchen, and there’s also a stand doing noodle soup right next door that will bring you your dish even if you’re in Greenleaf’s eating area! There is also a 7/11 down the road which can do most snacks and utilities, and has an ATM.
Greenleaf also offer pickup and drop-off service to the bus and train station. Some travellers moved on after the full-day tour, but I’d recommend staying for at least one more night as it allows you to properly reflect on your day – plus, it really isn’t that expensive!
There are also numerous companies offering day trips from Bangkok which strikes me as insane, given that it takes three hours to get there alone. This will also involve hiking and looking for wildlife, along with a stop at a fruit market. This will cost around £60, while a round trip from Bangkok by bus, two nights in Greenleaf, a couple of dinners and the half and full-day tours added together should cost £80. There’s a reason for my bias here.
Visiting Khao Yai independently
Of course, taking a tour isn’t the one and only option. With a network of campsites and roads crisscrossing the park, Khao Yai is quite well geared-up for independent travel.
Getting around without your own vehicle can be tricky as there is no shuttle service, but there are plenty of visitors riding around so hitchhiking is a possibility. Most people will be quite happy to give you a lift. Otherwise, you can rent a car or scooter in Bangkok and Pak Chong, although give a wide berth to any animals that are crossing, especially elephants!
As regards campsites, there are two main ones, both of which can rent out equipment if you don’t have your own. The benefit of staying in the park is that not only can you see wildlife on your doorstep (I had banded broadbills and porcupines when I was staying), but you can also spend as long as you like at a particular attraction or go on a night safari with the rangers.
What wildlife might I see?
The area around the main visitor centre is excellent for wildlife, as these animals will be used to humans and the ground is more open. There are monitor lizards in the stream, deer on the lawns and black giant squirrels in the trees. Driving around will almost certainly take you close to macaques who like to hang around by the roadside. Gibbons will always be heard before they are seen and fortunately the trees in Khao Yai are not too high, allowing for good views of them. Hornbills often like to hang around fig trees, including one near a bend about ten minutes from the northern gate. Elephants will sometimes cross over the road near cars, but otherwise a visit to one of the park’s watchtowers may prove more successful. They also move around a lot at night, so a night safari is another good bet.
Predators such as bears and dholes will take more luck to see, although we heard that the group which came before us had seen a bear crossing the road, and we found claw marks on trees. Khao Yai is also an excellent place for birdlife, which can be seen through specialised birdwatching tours, and reptiles, which will probably be pointed out to you on any jungle walk. Our guides spotted a snake while we were rolling along, and pulled over to show it to us!
And lastly, there are tigers in the park but after I asked about this my guide told me that only one group from Greenleaf had seen one, and it was ten years ago. There are also rangers who have gone their entire lives without seeing one. But, if you feel like Lady Luck is with you, be prepared to do a lot of waiting and observing in watchtowers, and don’t expect any good photos.
