Chulabhon Forest Park (Dun Lamphan No-Hunting Area)

Chulabhon Forest Park — officially the Dun Lamphan Non-Hunting Area — protects 343 rai (about 55 hectares) of freshwater swamp forest in Na Chueak district, Maha Sarakham, fed by natural springs that keep the ground wet year-round. It’s free to enter, open daily 08:30-16:30, and small enough to see properly in a couple of hours.

The park’s real claim to fame isn’t the scenery — it’s the Poo Thun Kramom, a small orange-and-purple freshwater crab found nowhere else in the world. The species was named in honour of Princess Chulabhorn, which is where the park’s popular name comes from. A 1.8-kilometre marked trail runs through the 206-rai core conservation zone, past the peat-swamp habitat where the crabs live alongside white squirrels, monitor lizards and a modest range of resident and migratory birds. This is a non-hunting area rather than a strict wildlife sanctuary, so there’s no permit process — you can walk in and follow the trail without booking ahead.

It’s a quiet park by design: swamp forest rather than dramatic hills, no viewpoints or waterfalls to draw crowds, and few other visitors on a weekday. That’s the appeal for anyone who wants a short, easy walk through an unusual habitat rather than a full day’s hike. Facilities are minimal — a small staff area near the entrance, little else — so this is a stop, not a base for the day.

The reserve was set aside as a protected area in 1996 specifically to safeguard this freshwater swamp habitat, one of only a handful left in the country’s north-east. Being classed a non-hunting area rather than a wildlife sanctuary reflects that priority — the designation exists to stop hunting and habitat clearance in a small, ecologically distinct pocket of forest, not to lock down access the way a strict sanctuary would. Maha Sarakham University has been involved in developing the site as a study and learning resource, and university and local groups periodically run habitat-monitoring and education activities here, though none require advance registration for casual visitors.

Insider Tip: Look for the crabs near the spring-fed pools along the trail rather than on open ground — they’re shy and easiest to spot in early morning or after light rain. If reservoirs and wetlands interest you, Bueng Bon elsewhere in Maha Sarakham makes an easy pairing.