Huatuptan-Huasamran WildLife Refuges

The Huai Thap Than-Huai Samran Wildlife Sanctuary protects roughly 501 sq km of dry dipterocarp forest across four Surin districts — Kap Choeng, Sangkha, Phanom Dong Rak, and Buachet — running close to the Cambodian border in the province’s south. It’s free to enter, open daily 08:30-16:30, and reached via Kap Choeng, about 58 km (an hour’s drive) from Surin town.

Teak and other dipterocarp species dominate the forest canopy, with dense bamboo stands filling the understory and seasonal lotus ponds forming shallow wetlands during the rains. Eight named peaks rise within the sanctuary, the highest being Phanom Anlong Sawai. Hornbills and barbets are the wildlife most visitors actually encounter — their calls carry well through the open dry forest, and early morning is the best window to hear and occasionally spot them. The sanctuary is also one of the last strongholds for the Siamese fireback, a vulnerable pheasant species found only in mainland Southeast Asia. Rangers report elephant and gaur activity in the more remote forest blocks, but sightings by casual visitors are rare — this is a working conservation area, not a game park with guaranteed encounters.

Watch out: There’s no visitor centre, marked nature trail, or ranger station set up for casual drop-ins. Roads through the sanctuary are forest tracks rather than paved access roads, and a guide arranged locally makes the difference between a scenic drive and an actual wildlife walk.

The forest here feels genuinely undeveloped compared to Thailand’s more visited national parks — no queues, no gift shops, just dry forest stretching toward the Cambodian hills. That’s the appeal and the limitation in the same breath: solitude, but also a real chance of seeing very little beyond birdlife on a short visit.

Insider Tip: Cool season (November-February) brings the most comfortable walking temperatures and the best chance of animal activity, since dry-season water sources concentrate wildlife around the remaining pools.

Reaching the sanctuary means private transport from Surin town or a tour arranged through a local operator — there’s no public bus into the forest tracks themselves. Bring plenty of water, insect repellent, and sturdy shoes; shade is inconsistent and the forest floor is uneven in places. For a fuller day around this corner of Surin, combine the visit with Phanom Sawai Forest Park or the Prasat Ta Muen Thom Archaeological Site, another Cambodia-border site with its own distinct Khmer ruins.