Rabam Wildlife Tourism Community Enterprise

Villagers in Rabam subdistrict, on the edge of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary — a UNESCO World Heritage forest — run this community enterprise to keep tourism income local rather than routed through outside tour operators. The group’s activities centre on the Thap Salao reservoir (Rabam Dam) at the sanctuary’s edge, and cover boat trips, vehicle tours to the sanctuary’s breeding station, and an overnight treehouse stay.

The core activity is a guided longtail boat trip on the reservoir, run in two windows — 06.00-09.00 or 15.00-17.30 — timed to when animals come down to the water’s edge to drink. Boats take up to three passengers for around 650 baht. A separate car-based tour runs 09.00-16.00 to the Huai Kha Khaeng breeding station, seating up to six for about 1,300 baht — a better option if you want a longer look at the sanctuary’s conservation work rather than just the waterline.

Insider Tip: Book the 06.00 boat slot rather than the afternoon one. Dawn is when deer, wild pigs, and occasionally larger mammals come down to drink before the day heats up, and the water is calmer for photography.

For an overnight stay, the Prai Ngam treehouse runs 16.30-07.00 for two guests, priced at around 1,500 baht including two meals — a simple, community-run alternative to a hotel if you want to be inside the forest rather than driving in for the day.

Watch out: There’s no walk-up ticket counter or online booking — this is a genuinely small village operation, so call ahead to confirm availability and current pricing rather than showing up and expecting a boat waiting.

For the reservoir itself, see Thap Salao Dam, and the Uthai Thani hub has more on reaching Lan Sak district.