Hat Chom Tawan

Hat Chom Tawan is a freshwater sand beach on the shore of the Lam Plai Mat reservoir, inside a satellite unit of Thap Lan National Park in Soeng Sang district — not, as some listings suggest, part of Khao Yai. Thap Lan and Khao Yai share the same UNESCO-listed Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai forest complex but are separate parks with separate entrances, and this beach falls under Thap Lan’s Unit 2 management.

The draw here is straightforward: a stretch of pale sand meeting still reservoir water, backed by forested hills that catch the light at both ends of the day. Sunrise is the more popular slot — arrive in the dark and you’ll get mist rising off the water as the sky turns orange, with the surrounding hills as a backdrop rather than a viewing platform above them. Sunset works too, and locals treat this as a place to fish and relax rather than strictly a photographer’s dawn spot. Between October and November, flocks of migratory water ducks pass through and settle on the reservoir, drawing a different crowd of visitors with binoculars rather than tripods.

Basic infrastructure keeps this from feeling remote: a few inexpensive shops and food stalls sit near the beach, and longtail boats operate on the reservoir for anyone who wants to get out on the water rather than just look at it from shore. Camping is free if you bring your own tent, which is the main reason overnight visitors come — there’s no resort or bungalow setup, just a stretch of shoreline where people pitch tents for the night. Watch out: there’s little shade on the open sand, so the mid-morning-to-afternoon window gets hot fast; this is a dawn-and-dusk destination more than an all-day beach hangout.

Entry involves a small per-person fee, reported at around 30 THB, collected locally rather than through Thap Lan’s main visitor centre near Wang Nam Khiao — that main gate charges a higher, differentiated rate for foreign visitors, but no separate foreigner price has been confirmed specifically for this satellite access point. Bring cash either way, since this isn’t a site with card payment.

Insider Tip: Combine the early sunrise here with a same-morning stop at Thap Lan’s other Soeng Sang-side attractions rather than driving back to Wang Nam Khiao — the park’s units are spread out, and backtracking eats the whole morning.

Hat Chom Tawan sits within the wider Thap Lan National Park, Thailand’s second-largest national park, and makes a natural stop if you’re already exploring Korat’s share of the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai forest complex rather than concentrating a trip solely around Khao Yai’s more famous gate.