Khao Nan National Park

Khao Nan National Park protects about 410 square kilometres (256,121 rai) of karst peaks and rainforest in Tha Sala district, Nakhon Si Thammarat — one of the larger protected blocks left in the south. Entry runs 200 THB for foreign adults and 100 THB for children, against 40 THB and 20 THB for Thai nationals, and the gate at Namtok Sunantha opens daily 08:30-16:30.

Namtok Sunantha, a multi-tiered waterfall right at park headquarters, doubles as the easiest introduction to the park. Two more falls sit deeper in the trail network — Khlong Kan and Khlong Yot Nam — reached on marked hiking routes rather than roadside pull-offs. Hong Cave is the park’s other headline stop, worked into the same trekking-waterfall-viewpoint-cave circuit the park office promotes; bring your own torch and check current trail access at the ranger station before setting out, since conditions can change with the weather. Khao Nan peak itself is the serious objective: a steep, multi-hour ascent through shifting forest zones, from lowland dipterocarp forest to cloud-line vegetation near the summit, rewarding fit trekkers with a wide view over the province’s mountain spine.

Insider Tip: Ask at the ranger station before heading for Khlong Kan or Khlong Yot Nam — trail markers thin out past Sunantha, and rangers can tell you same-day which routes are passable after rain.

Cloud regularly hangs over the upper ridgelines, especially through the cool season (November-February), which is also when hiking conditions are driest and most comfortable. Trails run wet and slick through the June-October rains, though the waterfalls run fullest then. Wildlife recorded across the park includes macaques, langurs, and a long list of forest birds — sightings on a short visit come down to luck rather than a guarantee.

Watch out: There’s no public transport to the park. Highway 401 gets you to Tha Sala district, but you’ll need your own car or a chartered ride for the final approach roads to the waterfall and trailheads.

Basic camping is available near headquarters with equipment rental, but there’s no hotel-style lodging on site — book tents through the Department of National Parks ahead of a weekend visit. Bring water, insect repellent, and proper hiking shoes; phone signal drops off past the waterfall car park.