Chang Pheuk Mountain

Khao Chang Phueak is the highest peak of Thong Pha Phum National Park in western Kanchanaburi, rising to about 1,249 metres near the Myanmar border. The trail to the summit runs through a mix of sparse forest and open grassland, with the exposed Kom Meed (“razor”) ridge — a narrow, knife-edge stretch — as its most memorable and vertigo-inducing section. From the top you get a 360-degree view over the surrounding hills.

This is a serious hike, not a viewpoint you can drive to: the route is about 8 km each way and takes roughly six hours on foot from Ban I Tong, with an overnight camp at or near the summit. The national park caps numbers at 60 people per day and requires you to arrange a park guide (around 900 baht) and, if needed, a porter (around 900 baht) in advance. The park rents tents and sleeping gear; there is no electricity, shop or other facility at the top.

The mountain is only open for the climb during the cool season, roughly October to February, when the weather is clear and the grassland turns golden — outside that window it is closed. Cool mornings, mist and the chance of a sea of cloud are the draw, so pack warm layers despite the tropical setting.

Entry is 200 baht for foreign adults (40 baht for Thais). Thong Pha Phum National Park is about 175 km from Mueang Kanchanaburi via Highway 323, with the trailhead at Ban I Tong beyond the park headquarters near Pilok. Bring a hat, long sleeves, sunglasses, a torch and sturdy shoes, and book ahead through the park (0 3453 2114), as the daily cap fills up on cool-season weekends.