Thung Salaeng Luang National Park

Thung Salaeng Luang National Park is located about 60 kilometers from the park headquarters on the Phitsanulok side. It is under the responsibility of National Park Unit S_L. 8 (Nong Maena), Nong Maena Subdistrict, Khao Kho District, Phetchabun Province. The main attractions of Thung Salaeng Luang National Park on the Phetchabun side include pine forests and savanna grasslands, which feature beautiful scenery and flowers, especially from the end of the rainy season to winter. It is suitable for trekking, camping, and mountain biking.

Interesting places within the park include:

Thung Salaeng Luang is a savanna grassland interspersed with two-leaved pine forests. In front of the National Park Unit headquarters, it appears as a vast open area with an area of approximately 10 square kilometers. Along the path passing through mixed deciduous forests, you can see wild animals coming out to feed by the roadside, and there are many flowering plants.

Thung Nang Phaya is located about 14 kilometers south of the Nong Maena National Park Unit headquarters. It is a grassland surrounded by two-leaved pine forests mixed with dry dipterocarp forests and deciduous dipterocarp forests. Beautiful wild orchids like Dendrobium scabrilingue and Dendrobium anosmum can be found on the pine branches, which bloom in the summer. The pine forest area has camping grounds. During the late rainy season to early winter, mist drifts gently over the entire area.

Sala Dusita Viewpoint is a beautiful spot for watching the sun, about 4 kilometers from the Nong Maena National Park Unit. Only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed. To witness the first light of dawn, it is recommended to arrive before 06:00 AM.

Kaeng Wang Nam Yen is located about 7 kilometers from the Nong Maena National Park Unit headquarters, via the same route as Thung Non Son, with a further 500-meter detour. Along the walking trail, the forest gradually changes from grasslands to deciduous dipterocarp forests mixed with pine and mixed deciduous forests. Kaeng Wang Nam Yen is a large rocky rapid extending for several hundred meters. Between each rapid are large deep pools, which are places where freshwater jellyfish have been discovered, and butterflies can be observed, such as the rare Papilio elea and certain Skippers. Furthermore, many bird species are likely to be found in the forests along the stream.

Thung Non Son is a savanna grassland interspersed with pine forests, located in the heart of the park on the summit of Khok Son. In the late rainy season to early winter, various flowers bloom, such as Dusita flowers, Dendrobium signatum, globeflowers, Nerium indicum, and Nepenthes. Thung Non Son is about 32 kilometers from the National Park Unit headquarters. It can be reached by local transport from the unit for about 17 kilometers, followed by a 15-kilometer trek. It is suitable for trekking and camping, requiring a total trip duration of 3 days and 2 nights.

Activities in the park include a Night Safari on the Nong Maena side, Khao Kho District. There are car tours to observe the lifestyle and feeding habits of wild animals. Interested tourists can inquire at the Visitor Center.

Entrance Fees: Thai citizens: Adults 40 Baht, Children 20 Baht. Foreigners: Adults 400 Baht, Children 200 Baht.

Accommodation and Facilities: The park offers houses, camping sites, and a welfare shop.

For inquiries: Thung Salaeng Luang National Park Tel. 08 8756 4940, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Tel. 0 2562 0760, Website www.dnp.go.th