Rating: 3.6/5 (9 votes)

Opening Days: Daily

Opening Hours: 06:00–18:00

 

Thap Lan National Park stretches across Prachin Buri and Nakhon Ratchasima, forming one of Thailand’s largest protected landscapes. Covering more than 2,240 square kilometers (about 1,400,000 rai), it safeguards the country’s last natural talipot palm (lan) forest, together with mixed deciduous and evergreen habitats, rugged hills, and life-giving streams. Officially established as a national park in December 1981, Thap Lan is part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, recognized by UNESCO for its outstanding biodiversity and ecological value.

 

The park’s signature landscape lies right by the headquarters: a living museum of talipot palms with fan-shaped leaves and towering trunks. A talipot may take around twenty years to flower; when it finally does, it pours its energy into a massive bloom and then dies, leaving space for the next generation. Sightings of the flowering phase between April and June are rare and unforgettable. Around the grove, a leisure garden offers shaded benches and a central pond for a slow, easy wander.

 

Beyond the palm grove, the terrain folds and rises into a mix of mountains, high plateaus, and small valleys. Vegetation ranges from dipterocarp woodlands to evergreen forest. Wildlife still finds refuge here: gaur and sambar in the deeper tracts, Asian elephants on the move, black bears in fruiting seasons, and an extensive bird list that rewards patient watchers, especially near forest edges, streams, and dam shorelines.

 

For travelers mapping a day out, Thap Lan Waterfall—also called “Wang Ngokkok”—sits about 7 km from Ban Thap Lan, followed by a 1-km walk. With a 20-meter drop, it is most photogenic in the rainy months when the flow is steady. In the dry season, the falls can be thin or silent, leaving room for rock textures and quiet forest sounds.

 

Close to the park’s central area, the Thap Lan Reservoir wraps itself around foothills, giving calm reflections in the morning and a cooling breeze by late afternoon. Families often combine it with a stop at Chom Tawan Beach—a gentle sandy stretch on the Lam Plai Mat dam shore (near Soeng Sang), popular for paddling, scenic boat trips, or a group rafting experience.

 

Several other cascades round out a rainy-season circuit. Bo Thong Waterfall (near Na Di) is at its best from July to September. Huai Khamphu flows down broad steps, forming natural paddling spots below a small weir. On the park’s western side, Huai Yai Waterfall pours 50 meters across a curtain about 30 meters wide; water runs year-round, though there’s no plunge pool for swimming. In Wang Nam Khiao district, Suan Hom, Huai Khmin, and Huai Yai Tai offer cliff-drop views and a hillside campsite looking across the forested basin.

 

Sunset chasers point their compass to Pha Kep Tawan, a ridge-edge panorama with far horizons and warm light. On clear days you’ll see the sky fall into the reservoir mosaic and the park’s dark-green ridges. It’s also a popular place for light conservation activities, such as seed shooting events that help re-green nearby slopes.

 

To the south-west, Lam Mun Bon Dam (in Khon Buri) holds back the headwaters of the Mun River. From the crest road, the view opens wide; below the dam, Hat Chom Thong has been fixed up as a relaxed beach-like area where visitors picnic, wade, and board simple rafts for a slow float close to the reeds and birdlife. Meanwhile, the Lam Praeng sector remains a favorite for soft wildlife watching and birding—quiet mornings, long lenses, and the patience to sit still.

 

Overnight options are simple by design. Park bungalows are available in limited numbers, and several campsites let you pitch your own tent or rent one on the spot. Facilities at the main visitor center include basic shops, restrooms, and interpretive displays. If you’re planning on weekends or holidays, book early and arrive before dusk—light fades fast on the forest roads.

 

Getting there. From Bangkok, the usual approach is Highway 304 (Kabin Buri–Nakhon Ratchasima), about 197 km in total, or roughly 3–4 hours by car depending on traffic and weather. By bus, travel Bangkok–Kabin Buri first, then transfer to the Kabin Buri–Korat line for about 32 km to reach the park office near the main road. Within the park, distances between waterfalls and viewpoints are not short; allow buffer time and check local advice before committing to back-road routes in the wet season.

 

Conservation is the park’s heartbeat. Like many protected areas, Thap Lan faces periodic dry-season fires and long-standing land encroachment pressure. Park rangers, local communities, and partner agencies coordinate patrols, reforestation, and outreach programs. Visitors help more than they realize: stay on marked trails, carry out all trash, keep campfires where permitted, and give wildlife respectful space. The forest keeps its rhythm when we keep ours gentle.

 

 

 

The park is open year-round, but waterfalls and greenery are at their best in the rainy season (July–October).

 

It is Thailand’s last natural talipot grove. Individual palms flower only once—usually after ~20 years—and then die, making the blooming window rare to witness.

 

Thap Lan Waterfall, Pha Kep Tawan viewpoint, Huai Yai Waterfall, Chom Tawan Beach, and Lam Mun Bon Dam are perennial favorites.

 

Yes. Campsites are available; you can rent a tent or bring your own. Book ahead on weekends and holidays.

 

Take a bus from Bangkok to Kabin Buri, then transfer to the Kabin Buri–Korat line and get off near the park office by Highway 304.

 

Yes. Entrance fees follow Department of National Parks rates, with categories by age and nationality.

 

Nature walks, birdwatching, camping, scenic boat or raft trips, and sunset viewing at Pha Kep Tawan.

 

Contact the park headquarters at 0 3721 0340 or visit the Department of National Parks website at www.dnp.go.th.