Mae Wong National Park

Mae Wong National Park protects close to 900 square kilometres of forest in Kamphaeng Phet’s Pang Sila Thong district, bordering Khlong Lan National Park and the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in neighbouring Uthai Thani. Entry costs 200 THB for foreign adults (100 THB for children) and 40 THB for Thai adults (20 THB for children); the park is open daily 08:00–18:00.

A 2011 DNP camera-trap survey recorded nine individual tigers roaming the park, alongside elephants, gaur, and banteng — real numbers, though sightings of any of them are rare and mostly the preserve of researchers rather than day visitors. More reliably seen are the park’s birds: over 340 species have been logged, including several hornbill species that work the forest canopy along the Khlong Lan–Umphang road. Between kilometres 81 and 115 of that road, a string of roadside viewpoints look out over the forest without requiring a hike.

The main draw for most visitors is Chong Yen, a highland campsite and viewpoint roughly 28 kilometres from park headquarters, sitting above 1,400 metres. Its Thai name translates to “Cold Pass” — mornings here run noticeably cooler than the lowland park entrance, and mist regularly fills the valley below the viewpoint at sunrise. Rangers maintain waterholes near the campsite specifically to draw wildlife into view, a trick that rewards birders willing to sit quietly for an hour or two. For a longer trip, a five-day trek reaches the 1,964-metre Mo Ko Chu summit, but this and most of the park’s waterfalls require a guide and a multi-day commitment rather than a day visit.

Camping is allowed at Chong Yen — bring your own tent or rent one on site — and simple bungalows start from around 1,500 THB a night; book ahead through the park office, since online DNP booking has been unreliable. There’s no public transport into the park itself: the nearest bus stop is Khlong Lan’s Talat Khlong Lan market, from where a taxi covers the rest of the way. Park headquarters sits about 16.5 kilometres from Khlong Lan town, the nearest place with hotels, restaurants, and a market — most visitors base themselves there rather than inside the park. The office itself sits off Highway 1117 (the Khlong Lan–Umphang route), roughly a two-hour drive from Kamphaeng Phet town.

Insider Tip: Pack a warm layer even in the hot season — Chong Yen’s elevation makes early mornings genuinely cold, unlike almost anywhere else in Kamphaeng Phet province.

Watch out: Thai national parks ban pets outright — don’t plan on bringing a dog even for the Chong Yen campsite.