Pom Pee Viewpoint

Pom Pee Viewpoint sits inside Khao Laem National Park, on Highway 323 about 2 km from the park headquarters, on the road between Thong Pha Phum and Sangkhlaburi. It’s a common mix-up: this is not the viewpoint over the Mon wooden bridge — that landmark is a separate spot in Sangkhlaburi town itself, further up the road. What you actually get here is a view over the Vajiralongkorn (Khao Laem) Dam reservoir, ringed by the park’s forested hills.

The centrepiece is the submerged forest — dead tree trunks left standing where the valley was flooded when the dam was built, breaking the water’s surface in patterns that shift with the reservoir’s level through the year. In the cool season, mist often settles over the water at dawn, and the surrounding hills turn hazy blue in the distance. It’s a quieter, more atmospheric view than a dramatic one: the appeal is in the stillness of the reservoir and the stark shapes of the stumps rather than any single showpiece landmark.

Pom Pee is popular for camping and sunset-watching rather than sunrise — the light works differently here than at an east-facing cliff. Reaching the viewpoint itself involves a short climb from the roadside, and the top has minimal shade, so plan around the cooler parts of the day.

Insider Tip: Late afternoon light picks out the tree stumps against the water far better than midday sun, which flattens the contrast — aim to arrive an hour or two before sunset.

Watch out: Shade at the top is limited and the climb involves stairs — bring water and sun protection, and don’t expect to combine this stop with the Mon Bridge in the same short visit; they’re separate sites a drive apart.

Reaching Sangkhlaburi requires a drive from Kanchanaburi town — figure at least three hours. Combine Pom Pee with the rest of Khao Laem National Park itself, or push on to the Three Pagodas Pass at the Myanmar border if you’re making a full day of the far west of the province.