Khao Yai is one of the most picturesque regions that the beautiful Thailand has to offer, and the best news is that it’s only located a short 3 hours’ drive away from Bangkok.
This idyllic town has many exciting attractions for a fantastic holiday – from vineyards with mountain views and fun farms, to adventurous locales like cowboy-themed parks and Khao Yai’s famed National Park.
Everyone’s talking about Khao Yai and if you’re thinking of heading down to see it for yourself – here’s all you need to know. We have all your questions about Khao Yai, finally answered!
From how to get there and how many days to stay there, to convenient itinerary options and even day-trips… We have you covered. Read on for more!
PS: If you’re thinking of booking KLOOK’s Khao Yai Custom Tour from BKK(from SGD $163.7 per day), use our promo code “TRIPCANVASTH” and get 8% OFF (up to S$15 discount)!
Personally, we would recommend getting a private car charter with driver, especially if you’re not comfortable driving on foreign roads. This will also enable everyone in your travel party to fully enjoy themselves without having to worry about the routes or driving.
(FYI, Pak Chong is a district in Khao Yai where most of the attractions are located! This is generally where travellers will stay.)
PS: If you’re thinking of hiring a licensed driver with insurance along with a private car charter, we strongly recommend Klook for their competitive pricing and convenient services.
You can also enjoy 8% OFF any KLOOK bookings by using our promo code “TRIPCANVASTH”! (capped at a max discount of S$15)
Tip #2: What’s the best way to get around Khao Yai?
As taxis are not easily available in Khao Yai, and there’s little to no public transport around. The best way to travel around Khao Yai is to again – either rent a car (from SGD $163.7 per day), or hire a private chartered car with driver from Klook (from SGD $42 per day). We’ve tried driving on road-trips ourselves, and have also used Klook’s custom tour to get us around.
Frankly, we preferred Klook’s private chartered car with driver – they made our roadtrip much more comfortable and convenient. We didn’t have to worry about driving, and it was great to have a local driver around to help with directions and suggesting new places to visit.
(Do note that the driver might not be proficient in English, but they do have sufficient language skills to communicate fairly with us.)
Tip #3: Can I do a day-trip from Bangkok to Khao Yai? How many places can I visit in 1 day?
Photos via bosurinseng, brilliantbest, totjisele
Sure, a day-trip is possible since it’s not far from Bangkok.
Depending on what you’re interested in doing, we recommend choosing at least 3-4 of your favourite attractions to visit for your day-trip. (Although, if you do have the time for it, why settle for a day trip?! :P)
Whether you’re planning a day-trip or your itinerary for a few days, the general rule of (travel) thumb is to plan at least 3-4 attractions to visit in a day.
Unless you spend more than half a day at 1 place (like Khao Yai National Park for example), you should be able to visit at least 3-4 attractions in a day.
And if you’re looking for a day-trip from Bangkok covering the main attractions in Khao Yai… Here’s 2 great ones!
Tip #5: What are must-visit attractions I shouldn’t miss in Khao Yai?
If you ask us about the must-visit attractions that we’ve personally enjoyed, that friends have enjoyed, as well as according to the feedback from our dear readers… These are 7 must-visit attractions.
Photos via _ccphx, bkk_jko, machkiinzdonuttPhotos via puanpuans, shirleytoh, ivyyysw, felixbu1
Tip #7: What are places I should consider eating at?
Photos via thomasong17, sa_jumnianpolPhotos via non_stepp, blackery_nuvo
Ban Mai Chay Nam Museum & Restaurant (one-of-a-kind restaurant+play area)
Chocolate Factory & Restaurant (incredible chocolate you can’t miss)
Dairy Home Farm Shop (funky farm restaurant/shop that lets you dine in a treehouse)
Midwinter Green (feel like you’re royalty eating in your medieval castle)
PS: Find 15 of the most unique cafes and restaurants in Khao Yai here!
Tip #8: What’s the recommended Khao Yai itinerary I can check out?
Once you decide what you’d like to do in Khao Yai, or how many days you’d like to spend there, you don’t have to worry much about the itinerary. We’ve pretty much done the work for you!
Photos via maybeitsmeivelyn, Markmaruwut, blackery_nuvo, ethannby, mr.thep_travel, vaninas
Here are 2 perfect itinerary options for you to consider:
PS: Here’s a flexible/customisable 1-5 day Khao Yai tour with driver (from SGD $163.7 per day) that can cater to the days you’d like to spend travelling to Khao Yai:
Tip #9: How many days should I spend in Khao Yai and why?
It really depends on what you’d like to do. Are you more interested in sightseeing and relaxing, or shopping?
1. If you can’t miss out on shopping, but want to enjoy some sightseeing – get the best of both worlds by combining a 7D6N trip to Khao Yai with Bangkok. We recommend spending 3D2N in Khao Yai, and depending on your leave, choose between 2-4 days in Bangkok.
2. If you’re more interested in sightseeing, and are up for something a little more adventurous, then consider a 3D2N trip to Khao Yai.
If you’re not that keen on spending so much of your precious travel time in Khao Yai but would still love to experience what it has to offer – then consider a day-trip!
Here’s a flexible/customisable 1-5 day Khao Yai tour with driver (from SGD $163.7 per day) that can cater to the days you’d like to spend travelling to Khao Yai:
Looking for a day-trip from Bangkok covering main attractions in Khao Yai?
Alternatively, you can also find other favourite attractions here
Tip #10: When’s the best time to visit, and what’s the temperature like during different seasons?
The best time to visit is during the winter season between November to February. This is when you’ll really get to enjoy the cold weather at Khao Yai.
If you can’t take the heat, then you need to know that the hottest period in Khao Yai is between March to June. (We were there in April 2017, and within 30-minutes of being outside – our friend got a migraine from the heat. Not even kidding!)
Otherwise, the rest of the time is good to go, just that you won’t get to enjoy the cold winter weather.
That’s all for our top 10 tips for everyone keen on travelling to Khao Yai. You’re armed with all the need-to-know knowledge, and can start prepping for this long awaited adventure!
Have fun, you deserve it!
If you thought that this was useful to you, please leave us a comment below to let us know. And if you have further questions about Khao Yai, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below – we’ll be sure to get back to you too!
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PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us
With a boheme outlook on life, Dawn loves exploring and immersing herself in all sorts of weird and wonderful adventures. Coupled with a persevering fondness for sharing all her quirky finds, Dawn has a passion for documenting her adventures through her photos and writing. When not busy working away on her MacBook, you will find Dawn going on more adventures, or simply cuddling up to her darling cat, Nyx.
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