A Journey Through Thailand’s Spectacular National Parks

Thailand’s oldest national park, Khao Yai is part of a vast UNESCO-protected forest that stretches to the border with Cambodia.

Hiking paths run through a landscape that encompasses limestone mountains, waterfalls and five distinct types of forest, each habitat for equally diverse wildlife. On guided walks and expert-led drives, you’ll visit during the day and after dark for the best chance of spotting Asian elephants and other wildlife.

Look for white-handed and pileated gibbons and four species of hornbill. Scour the ground for fighting giant stag beetles, found only here. And listen for the distinctive, coarse cry of muntjac, also known as barking deer.

The park also provides crucial habitat for endangered Indochinese tigers. Though rarely spotted, you can learn about conservation efforts from experts on the ground.

Kui Buri National Park is considered among Thailand’s best places to see Asian elephants in the wild. Up to 300 of the majestic mammals roam this vast, mountainous park. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to observe them in their natural habitat, with guided drives taking you to spots where they’re frequently seen foraging bamboo, pineapples and forest plants.

The park, in southwestern Thailand, blends evergreen forests, open grasslands and the hills of the Tenasserim Mountain Range. It’s also known for its population of gaurs – native wild cattle also known as Indian bison – Malayan tapirs, golden jackals and elusive leopards and tigers.

Kui Buri also has more than 250 reported species of birds. Scour trunks and branches for brown fish owls, red-bearded bee-eaters and spectacled spiderhunters – each as fascinating as their names suggest.

It’s hard to know where to look in Khao Sok National Park, in southern Thailand. Limestone mountains rise steeply over swathes of evergreen rainforest – believed to be the world’s oldest. Smaller, tree-clad karst formations pierce the surface of Cheow Larn Lake, whose water can appear emerald or deep turquoise depending on the light. The overall effect is almost overwhelmingly beautiful. 

The park’s biodiverse landscapes provide habitat to equally fantastical fauna and flora, too. With options for jungle trekking and night safaris, you’ll have ample opportunities to see elephants, tapirs, great hornbills and gibbons. Rare resident animals include Malayan sun bears and lesser mouse deer, thought to be the smallest hoofed animal. 

Plantlife here includes carnivorous pitcher plants (occasionally known to consume small mammals) and hundreds of orchid species. And you might see – and smell – rafflesias, the world’s largest flowers. Their potent scent has earned them the nickname ‘stinking corpse lilies’.