Mae Yom National Park

Mae Yom National Park protects Dong Sak Ngam, a stand of natural teak forest covering more than 20,000 rai in Song district, Phrae — one of the largest surviving areas of wild teak left in the country rather than a commercial plantation. Entry costs 100 THB for foreign adults (50 THB for children), 20 THB for Thai adults (10 THB for children), and the park is open daily 08:30-16:00.

The park’s best-known feature is Kaeng Suea Ten, a roughly 2km run of rocky rapids on the Yom River directly in front of the headquarters — the visual centrepiece most people come to photograph, and a popular spot for riverside camping. The name matters beyond scenery: a long-proposed Kaeng Suea Ten Dam would flood a large section of this teak forest and the Sa-iap subdistrict communities around it, and it’s been the subject of organised local opposition for more than three decades. The dam remains unbuilt, which is precisely why the teak forest and rapids are still here to visit. Officials working the park have recorded 37 mammal species, 135 bird species, and 28 reptile species across the protected area, though sightings on a short visit are down to luck rather than a guarantee.

Insider Tip: Pha Ing Mok viewpoint delivers a sea-of-mist view over the teak canopy at dawn, roughly 6-8am, best between late rainy season and January — check with park staff on the access road condition before driving up in the dark.

Trails through the mixed deciduous and teak forest are shaded and generally easy walking rather than technical hiking, with the Yom River itself offering cooler stretches for a swim during the hot season. The forest floor and riverbank support local subsistence use — Sa-iap villagers still gather bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, and mushrooms here under community forest agreements — so this is inhabited working landscape as much as protected wilderness. Basic camping is available near the headquarters for those extending the visit overnight.

Watch out: This is a genuine national park under Department of National Parks rules — no pets are allowed inside, and rangers do enforce it.

Combine the visit with Phae Mueang Phi, Phrae’s eroded sandstone canyon, or Wiang Kosai National Park for a second waterfall-and-forest stop, and use Phrae town as your base for the drive out.