Erawan National Park is among Thailand‘s most popular and most visited national parks. 81% of this park consists of virgin forests. One of the main attractions of the park is the beautiful Erawan waterfall, and its name is taken from an Indian elephant. It is said that the top of this waterfall looks like an elephant’s head.
The waterfall consists of 7 main floors and several smaller floors. All floors of the waterfall are accessible by stairs and pedestrian bridges established on it until you reach the sixth floor. To get to the seventh floor, you have to overcome more challenges and do some rock climbing.
An Introduction of Erawan National Park, Thailand
The mountains protect the forest from the strong easterly monsoon, which is the result of deforestation.
- The rainy season of these forests is from May to October
- The winter season, when the weather is cooler and reaches an average of 30 degrees Celsius, is from November to January
- Summer is from February to April
Wildlife
Due to the limitation of nature trails and places around the waterfall, there are extremely few opportunities to watch wildlife. There aren’t many unique ecosystems in the park, only a few reasonably common species that are also found elsewhere in the nation.
The region is teeming with macaws (a species of monkey). Lizards also move around depending on the flow of the water. If you go into the deep part of the forest, you will witness wild elephants, wild boars, white gibbons, and other animals.
About 120 different bird species have been found at Erawan National Park. The park has been home to a variety of birds, including crested serpent eagles, lesser shortwings, grey peacock pheasants, and great hornbills.
The park is home to numerous common species of local reptiles, as well as the uncommon Kanburi pit vipers and Burma smooth skins (Scincella punctatolineata). Around the creeks and along the tiers are where you may see large water monitor lizards, some of which can grow to be a little over 1.5 meters long. You should not approach these lizards closer than a few meters despite the fact that they are docile and never attack.
Getting to the park
Public transportation from Kanchanaburi makes it simple to get to the park.
The first tier of the falls is easily accessible once within the park and is only a few hundred meters from the tourist centre.
Only the first two lower tiers may be accessed by bicycles, which are available for rental at the tourist centre area for 20 Baht/day.
Visits to Phra That Cave, Death Railway, Hellfire Pass, and Bridge over the River Kwai might all be coupled with a tour to Erawan Falls.
Getting around in the park
Everyday traffic in the park is usually moderate, but weekends and holidays are when it gets really packed.
The waterfall levels are transformed into a celebration area with water fights during the annual Songkran Festival, which takes place from the thirteenth to the fifteenth of April. It is not advised to bring any non-waterproof electrical devices, such as delicate cameras or cell phones, during the festivities.
The first two floors of the waterfall are fairly accessible and may be seen by practically all tourists. Around these two levels, there are numerous locations to set up a picnic. However, carrying food to the upper levels is absolutely prohibited.
Visitors must pay 20 Baht for each bottle of any drinks purchased, which is refundable when the bottles are returned. This is to guarantee that the bottles are not abandoned or discarded in nature.
The popularity and fame of the waterfalls is such that every year a large number of visitors from the whole world come to it, and during the holidays, it gets very crowded. If you prefer secluded places, visit Huai Mae Khamin waterfalls, 40 km north of Arawan waterfalls.
Stay & eat
The common advice is to take a day excursion from either Kanchanaburi or Bangkok because most tourists are content with a brief visit to the falls. There is a campground and park lodging available for people who want to spend the night in the park.
Camping
A large campground is located within a few 100 meters from the park’s visitor center and parking lot. Renting a tent costs 150 Baht for two people and 250 Baht for three. Additional items like a sleeping bag, pillow, and mat are extra and must be purchased individually.
Park Accommodations
The cost of park lodging at Erawan National Park ranges from 800 to 5,000 Baht; a 20% discount is offered for reservations made from Monday through Thursday. Reservations for the lodging may be made in advance via the DNP website.
It is only feasible to make reservations from inside Thailand since money transactions from overseas take time and must be completed within two days. Banks and 7-Eleven convenience outlets both accept payments.
Eat
Along the wide park parking lot, there are several eateries and cafés. It is wise to verify the pricing before placing an order because some restaurants overcharge for simple meals. There is a market-like location just a few kilometers north of the tourist center where you may order less expensive cuisine.
The attractions of Erawan
Erawan Falls
Erawan Falls are located on the east part of the park, which can be accessed within a short walk from the center of the park. The name of the waterfall is derived from the main floor of the waterfall, which reminds of the three-headed elephant of the Hindus. The waterfall consists of 7 main floors and several smaller floors.
All floors of the waterfall are accessible by stairs and pedestrian bridges established on it until you reach the sixth floor. To get to the seventh floor, you have to overcome more challenges and do some rock climbing.
The entire length of this walking path from the beginning of the path to the highest waterfall is 1.5 km long. In addition to the sights and the beauty of the waterfall, this beautiful path has green springs where visitors can swim there.
The popularity and fame of the waterfalls is such that every year a large number of visitors from the whole the world come to it, and during the holidays it gets very crowded. If you prefer secluded places, visit Huai Mae Khamin waterfalls, 40 km north of Erawan waterfalls.
Phra That Cave
Phra That Cave is a 544-meter-long cave with a 15-meter-wide entrance and an 8–10-meter-high ceiling. It is situated 12 kilometers to the northwest of the Erawan Falls tourist center. The first chamber is massive, standing roughly 40 meters tall and 90 x 50 meters wide. The cave has both stalactites and stalagmites and is home to bats deeper in.
The cave is reached through an 800-meter concrete route leading upward from a ranger station. Around the path, there are bamboo mixed woods and a few isolated limestone karsts. When it rains heavily, the cave may occasionally be closed, mostly because the concrete road and the inside of the cave might get quite a skid.
If you use a navigation system in your automobile, such as Google Maps, to get there, you can end up going through an incorrect temple gate. You must travel a few hundred meters past the temple gate from the main road before you come upon a sign that reads, “Phra That Cave, 1 km.”
Wang Bah Dan Cave
A 740-meter-long cave located 54 kilometres from the park’s headquarters in the park’s southeast corner. It is reachable via Highway 323 at a distance of around 1 km from Wang Bah Dan Ranger station, which is located 2 km into the forest from Chaiyapruek Village. Since a few years ago, this cave has been declared permanently restricted to tourists.
There are various rooms in the limestone cave, which has a small aperture. Stalactite and stalagmite formations may be seen in the chambers. The last chamber has a constant water stream going through it.
Khao Hin Lan Pee Nature Trail
It’s around 5 kilometers long and takes about 2-3 hours to walk. The fifth level of the falls is where it comes to an end. Permission from the park is required to walk this trail, and you may be accompanied by a ranger for a charge.
Facilities around the Erawan National Park
Near the main center of the park, there are several restaurants, various amenities, bungalows and places to set up camp.
The houses are suitable for 2 to 50 people, and their prices vary between 800 and 4000 Thai baht. The entrance fee for foreigners is 300 baht for adults and 200 baht for children.
They charge 30 baht to enter the car and 20 baht for the engine.
