BKK to Khao Yai National Park
Mar 31, 2024, 9:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Posts: 1,543
BKK to Khao Yai National Park
What's the best way to get from BKK or DMK to Khao Yai National Park and/or the most affordable way? I'll by flying from Singapore back to Thailand so I can pick either airport. Also, where can I stay overnight in or near Khao Yai? My budget is USD $150/nt or less. Finally, is it worth it to hike in Khao Yai and can you swim beneath a waterfall there?
This is the Hiking Portion of my trip. My other thought is to head to Chiang Mai afterwards and do some hiking there. Would love recommendations.
This is the Hiking Portion of my trip. My other thought is to head to Chiang Mai afterwards and do some hiking there. Would love recommendations.
Mar 31, 2024, 10:13 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Posts: 1,543
UPDATE: Just booked my flight from SIN to DMK, so I'll need to depart from DMK. I'm considering a trip to Ayutthaya before Khao Yai, but I may be All Templed Out after visiting Angkor Wat for 3 days, Tiger Cave Temple in Krabi, and the main temples in BKK. What do y'all think? Should I head directly for Khao Yai?
When I'm finished in Khao Yai I may want to go hiking around Chiang Mai. Sorry if I already mentioned that. Or not. Is Chiang Mai not to be missed?
When I'm finished in Khao Yai I may want to go hiking around Chiang Mai. Sorry if I already mentioned that. Or not. Is Chiang Mai not to be missed?
Mar 31, 2024, 2:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,459
a nice accomodation in Khao Yai is the Movenpick Khao Yai. I would only go by car to Khao Yai, so rental car might be an option.
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
Mar 31, 2024, 10:22 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,013
a nice accomodation in Khao Yai is the Movenpick Khao Yai. I would only go by car to Khao Yai, so rental car might be an option.
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
Agree on Chiang Mai at this time of year, and on only going to Khao Yai by car.
Apr 1, 2024, 1:14 am
#6
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,459
Apr 1, 2024, 6:58 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: Thai Airways
Posts: 378
What's the best way to get from BKK or DMK to Khao Yai National Park and/or the most affordable way? I'll by flying from Singapore back to Thailand so I can pick either airport. Also, where can I stay overnight in or near Khao Yai? My budget is USD $150/nt or less. Finally, is it worth it to hike in Khao Yai and can you swim beneath a waterfall there? YES AND YES BUT HIRE A GUIDE.
This is the Hiking Portion of my trip. My other thought is to head to Chiang Mai afterwards and do some hiking there. Would love recommendations.
This is the Hiking Portion of my trip. My other thought is to head to Chiang Mai afterwards and do some hiking there. Would love recommendations.
Apr 2, 2024, 3:12 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Posts: 1,543
a nice accomodation in Khao Yai is the Movenpick Khao Yai. I would only go by car to Khao Yai, so rental car might be an option.
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
To Chiang Mai I would not go during April as there is still too much air pollution (burning season)
If you have done Angkor Wat and some other temples, I would not go to Ayutthaya
Excellent, I'll skip Ayutthaya then. Does Chiang Rai have the same pollution problems as Chiang Mai? Any suggestions on how to spend my last 5 nights in Thailand, including Khao Yai? How many nights should I devote to it? I'll have spent 2 nights in BKK on arrival, then 5 nights in Krabi (that was my Beach / Island Adventure segment).
I'm not much of a City guy outside of outstanding cities like Rome, Paris, London, etc. So I'm not sure I want to be stuck in BKK for the remainder of my trip.
Apr 2, 2024, 7:36 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,013
Thanks BinSabai. I tried driving abroad once, in Ireland, wrong side of the road for me. Since then I've sworn off ever driving in a foreign country again. I don't have an International Driver's License anyhow so I'll need other transport options to Khao Yai. I see in Thailand driving is on the left, so that's absolutely out of the question for me personally. I hate driving even at home where I live.
Excellent, I'll skip Ayutthaya then. Does Chiang Rai have the same pollution problems as Chiang Mai? Any suggestions on how to spend my last 5 nights in Thailand, including Khao Yai? How many nights should I devote to it? I'll have spent 2 nights in BKK on arrival, then 5 nights in Krabi (that was my Beach / Island Adventure segment).
I'm not much of a City guy outside of outstanding cities like Rome, Paris, London, etc. So I'm not sure I want to be stuck in BKK for the remainder of my trip.
Excellent, I'll skip Ayutthaya then. Does Chiang Rai have the same pollution problems as Chiang Mai? Any suggestions on how to spend my last 5 nights in Thailand, including Khao Yai? How many nights should I devote to it? I'll have spent 2 nights in BKK on arrival, then 5 nights in Krabi (that was my Beach / Island Adventure segment).
I'm not much of a City guy outside of outstanding cities like Rome, Paris, London, etc. So I'm not sure I want to be stuck in BKK for the remainder of my trip.
One suggestion would be to go to Kanchanaburi - nature, history (albeit a tragic piece of it), etc. You can take a train there from Bangkok to avoid having to drive too.
Apr 3, 2024, 3:05 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: BKK
Programs: TG ROP Platinum, M&M Senator, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 8,459
Bangkok is also an outstanding city like Rome, Paris, London...
if you have never spent some time in Bangkok, do it and you will not regret....at least 2-3 days
stay at a hotel close to the river and go by boat to Ratanakosin, where the most important temple are, to Wat Arun and to China Town....
if you have never spent some time in Bangkok, do it and you will not regret....at least 2-3 days
stay at a hotel close to the river and go by boat to Ratanakosin, where the most important temple are, to Wat Arun and to China Town....
Apr 3, 2024, 3:34 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 4,013
Bangkok is also an outstanding city like Rome, Paris, London...
if you have never spent some time in Bangkok, do it and you will not regret....at least 2-3 days
stay at a hotel close to the river and go by boat to Ratanakosin, where the most important temple are, to Wat Arun and to China Town....
if you have never spent some time in Bangkok, do it and you will not regret....at least 2-3 days
stay at a hotel close to the river and go by boat to Ratanakosin, where the most important temple are, to Wat Arun and to China Town....
Apr 3, 2024, 8:56 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Posts: 1,543
Nice. Got any hotel suggestions? And do you, or does anyone, know of a good high waterfall I can swim beneath in Thailand? I once swam beneath a really tall waterfall in northern Costa Rica. It was a locals hang-out and I was taken there by a travel writer friend of mine. Super experience. I hear many places with high waterfalls won't let you swim beneath them due to the liability from potential falling stones.
Apr 3, 2024, 3:19 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: RDU/BKK
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 288
Nice. Got any hotel suggestions? And do you, or does anyone, know of a good high waterfall I can swim beneath in Thailand? I once swam beneath a really tall waterfall in northern Costa Rica. It was a locals hang-out and I was taken there by a travel writer friend of mine. Super experience. I hear many places with high waterfalls won't let you swim beneath them due to the liability from potential falling stones.
Erawan National Park close-ish to the western border with Burma is the famous place where people go to swim in waterfalls I think. The word about it is very much out though. Also along the border with Burma, but much further north compared to Erawan, is Thi Lo Su waterfall which is I believe the tallest waterfall in Thailand. I believe they made entry-requirements much more strict recently and you might now have to be part of some excursion group.
Apr 6, 2024, 2:10 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Posts: 1,543
Thanks again for the replies. My trip was getting too costly, so I'm trying to book with mostly IHG properties. Had good luck so far in Krabi and Singapore. Anyone stayed at the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort / know anything about it? For my dates I'm seeing rates of 24K IHG pts/nt:
https://khaoyai.intercontinental.com/
I see it's a Bill Bensley-designed property. Saw a special on him eons ago on the CBS' Sunday Morning show and found it inspiring. I'd totally forgotten about him until today.
Was thinking 2 nights there, but if I booked 3 nights I'd get a 4th night free. That would leave me one night remaining in Bangkok before flying out to Tokyo. What might it be like staying there for 4 nights? Enough to keep me busy or at least relaxed and chilling out?
https://khaoyai.intercontinental.com/
I see it's a Bill Bensley-designed property. Saw a special on him eons ago on the CBS' Sunday Morning show and found it inspiring. I'd totally forgotten about him until today.
Was thinking 2 nights there, but if I booked 3 nights I'd get a 4th night free. That would leave me one night remaining in Bangkok before flying out to Tokyo. What might it be like staying there for 4 nights? Enough to keep me busy or at least relaxed and chilling out?
Last edited by moretimeoffguy; Apr 6, 2024 at 2:17 pm