Established in 1959, the large Thung Salaeng Luang National Park is one of Thailand’s oldest national parks.
It is located in Phitsanulok Province, between Nakhon Sawan and Phitsanulok, and has a vast forest with altitudes of between about 300 and 1,200 meters across limestone hills.
Although beautiful and serene today, Thung Salaeng Luang National Park hides a bloody past. From the 1960s to the 1980s the park was used as an infiltration route by the Peoples Liberation Army of Thailand and was sealed off by the army as they tried to eradicate the communists. In addition, the proximity of Highway 12 has made for easy access to both poachers and illegal loggers.
Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, however, has a wide variety of both animal and birdlife, including elephants, although many of the larger animals have been hunted to extinction. The main natural highlight is the meadows, which occasionally become carpeted with wild flowers. The meadow of Thung Salaeng Luang itself is situated quite deep in the park and best reached by four-wheel drive.
There is also a very nice waterfall, Namtok Kaeng Sopha, sometimes fancifully nicknamed ‘Thailand’s Niagara Falls’, which is easily reached from Highway 12. Accommodation is available in the form of bungalows and dormitories and there are a number of camp grounds, although you will need to bring your own tent.
Getting There
Buses take 2 hours along the Phitsanulok-Lomsak route, though this is another place where it’s much more enjoyable if you have rented transport. Flights from Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok take 40 minutes, while buses from Bangkok take 6 hours.
Need to Know
- What is it? A sizable national park east of Phitsanulok.
- Opening hours: 06:00-18:00.
- Entrance fee: adults 200B, children 100B.
- Address: Headquarters is at kilometer 80 on Highway 12.
- Where: 80km east of Phitsanulok on Highway 12.