Si Phang-nga National Park

Si Phang-nga National Park protects 153,800 rai of evergreen rainforest across the Khao Nom Sao Range in Phang Nga’s Khura Buri and Takua Pa districts. Entry costs 100 THB for foreigners, 20 THB for Thai nationals, and the park gate is open daily from 08:00 to 16:30.

The forest here is intact moist evergreen — tall dipterocarps, stands of Hopea odorata, wild orchids including lady’s slipper varieties, and dense palm understorey — and the park’s official species list includes Malayan tapir, Sumatran serow, banteng, and tiger, though sightings of the larger mammals are rare for visitors. Birdwatchers rate it among Thailand’s best sites for the Malayan banded pitta, most visible from late January to early May, alongside six resident hornbill species including the distinctive helmeted hornbill. Four marked trails — Flycatcher, Steep, Pitta, and Waterfall — cover the accessible parts of the reserve, ranging from easy walks to sweaty, humid climbs in the hot season.

Tam Nang Waterfall is the park’s centrepiece, a 60-metre fall into a pool locals swim in alongside the resident fish; Ton Sai Waterfall is a shorter, gentler walk through forest, better suited to a quick stop than a half-day hike. The park sees a long rainy season — heaviest May to December — which keeps the forest lush but also means trails can be slick and waterfalls at their fullest and most photogenic in the wetter months, at the cost of humidity and leeches.

Insider Tip: Visit the Pitta Trail in the early morning, before 9am, when the forest is quietest and the birds are most active — afternoon heat pushes most species into cover.

Watch out: The trails are genuinely humid rainforest walking, not paved paths — sturdy shoes, insect repellent, and water are essential, and the Waterfall Trail can be slippery after rain.

The park sits on Highway 4 between Phang Nga town and Ranong, making it a feasible stop for anyone driving the Andaman coast road rather than a dedicated day trip from Phang Nga town itself. It pairs naturally with a broader look at the province’s landscape — the limestone karsts of Ao Phang Nga National Park further south cover very different terrain, while the murals of Phang Nga’s street art make an easy add-on in town.