Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park

Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park are iconic limestone hills seen east of Petchkasem Road when driving from Bangkok to Hua Hin, where the road branches off towards Hua Hin. The main attractions of Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park are a number of caves, viewpoints, and challenging uphill trails that lead to these spots. The visitor center area is a great place to host a picnic. The highest point in the park is about 370m above sea level, the two highest mountains are Khao Chaolai and Khao Chomprasart. Unfortunately, the park's main cave along the visitor center area called Mayom Cave has been closed to visitors.

The caves are home to at least five different species of bats, some quite rare. A recently described species of gecko called the Cha-Am leaf gecko (Dixonius pawangkhananti) is only known to be found in this small park. There are Indochinese chamois (Capricornis maritimus) in the park, although sightings of them are quite rare. Compared to some of the top bird-watching spots nearby like Kaeng Krachan National Park and Laem Pak Bia, bird-watching opportunities in Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest are pretty rare, but most of the birds common in the area are. can be found around.

Admission to the park is free for both locals and foreigners. The park's entrance and visitor center are located on the northeast side of the park. The side roads leading to the park entrance were formerly poor dirt roads, but today they are paved.

There are no restaurants nearby but there is a small shop selling noodles and drinks. Camping is possible next to the visitor center area, but camping accessories are not available to rent.

Unfortunately, the entrance of the park is only signposted in Thai, you should go into the instructions in a navigation tool to get there. Don't try to enter the park from the south end as there is a cement factory in that area, the roads around the factory are dirt roads completely unsuitable for regular cars.

Getting to the forest park is an adventure in itself as the road is rough and relatively unpaved. From Phetkasem Road, at the 197km landmark, follow a small local road leading to Wat Pa Sutthikun and continue for 1km. Along the way, you will see a series of limestone quarries leading up the mountain.

An important factor to be considered when visiting this national park is that the roads are not good so proper transportation is required. Plan to arrive early morning or late afternoon, as it can get very hot by midday, and bring bottled water to avoid dehydration.

Khao Nang Phanthurat . National Park

Location: Cha-Am, Phetkasem Road (197 km. Post Office)

How to get there: From Hua Hin, take Phetkasem Road towards Bangkok. Take the overpass, then turn right at the entrance of Jalaprathan Cement Co., Ltd.