Chanthaburi - Namtok Phlio National Park
Namtok Phlio National Park
Chanthaburi
General Information
Namtok Phlio National Park comprises an area of 134.5 square kilometer. The park covers areas in many districts of Chanthaburi province which are Mueang, Laemsing, Khlung and Makham districts. The area is rich with forest and filled with the dense of high mountains where are the headwater of strems and rivers. The feature of this fall is its beauty and water that flows all year round. It is well known to people living in nearby provinces. Its location is about 14 kilometers from Chanthaburi. The paved road makes the park very accessible to visitors and enabling the holiday – trip easy and relaxing.
YouTube - Feeding Fish in Thai Waterfall
The fall, itself, was one of the 14 forest parks that government at tempted to designate to be national park. Consequentially, it was declared to be as national park on May 2nd 1975, using the name “Khao Sa Bap National park.” But on September 29th 1982, it was renamed to “Namtok Phlio “Following its Feature which the water falls down delicately and smoothly. [The word “Polio”, of Thai, means the delicate movement like the way of ballet dance].
Geography
The area contains the range of mountain which rise from 300–624 meters high. The range are less steep in the south and plains can be seen around the slopes. The highest summit is on Map WA Krok mountain, which reaches 924 meters, creating many streams like Khlong Phlio, Khlong Narai, Khlong Troknong and Khlong makok. [Khlong means canal]. The park covers an area of about 135 sq.km.
YouTube - Teasing fish at Namtok Phlio
Climate
The weather from February to April is quite hot, from May to October is heavy rain about 3,000 mm. of rain per year, and from November to February is nicely cold approximately 26 degrees Celsius all the year round.
Flora and Fauna
The park area is covered with dense Tropical rain forest consisting of many important tree species which are Aphanamixis polystachya, Aquilaria crassna, Scaphium scaphigerum, Sandoricum koetjape Irvingia malayana, Cotylelobium Lanceolatum, Alstonia scholais, Dallbergia oliveri for instand.
There are a lot of wild animals in this area because many watersheds providing nutrient sources for animals. The animals that may be seen here are serow, bear, tiger, Common mustjac, porcupine, macaque, langur gibbon, squirrel, mouse deer, pangolin, mongoose, otter, and rare bird like and 90 endemic species of bird such as little heron, brahminy kite, shika, created serpent – eagle, besra, pigeon, imperial pigeon, red turtle – dave, emerald dove, red – headed trogon, mountain imperial pigeon, hombill, barbet, vernal hanging parrot, shrike, woodpecker, drongo, hill myna, bulbul and white – rumped shama. In addition, some other fishes like Tor soro, Jullien’s mud carp Labiobarbus can be seen in the streams and swamps.
YouTube - Namtok Phlio
A visit to Namtok Phlio National Park
Exploring our new local area, and Tuesday this week our first trip to this National Park, starting at Khlong Narai just 8km from Chanthaburi City, then on to the main park entrance a further 6km south on Sukhimvit/Highway 3 that runs south to Trat/Koh Chang
Chanthaburi is located about 291 km from Bangkok. Highway 3 will take you right along the coast past Chon Buri province and Rayong, or you can just cut right across from Chon Buri via Highway 344 to Klaeng, thereby avoiding Pattaya and Rayong altogether. Rejoin Highway 3 at Klaeng, which will take you right into Chanthaburi.
Phlio, Phlieu, Phliu . . . National Park
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Back to the very scenic main road #3 and head south; weather improved as we went on, blue skies; liked the vines overtaking those houses, and the Chinese shrine is about 1km before the park entrance.
The sign pictured is at the intersection with #3, the actual park entrance a further 2km inland
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The road to the park entrance, and an abandoned/never completed hotel - huge building this is maybe a quarter of the whole structure, slowly being re-claimed by nature.
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Immediately before the gates are about 40 small shops, Thai food, souvenirs/t-shirts, water etc. Cheaper to buy food and drink here than inside the park.
No alcohol is permitted in the park.
And this was a first - I was asked if I had a Thai drivers licence so they could let me in cheap. Yes I do, and that's 40 baht please.
Security man at the gate wanted to double-check my licence when he saw I had a cheap ticket, but no problem, turns out he was more interested in us arriving on a motorbike with a Phuket registration plate.
There is limited undercover/secure motorbike parking at the security gate.
The visitors centre is fairly basic, photos of the park's development and the animals that can be found there; also a collection of rifles confiscated from poachers who continue to be a problem.
Ther is a chart tracking visitor numbers, between 330,000 and 400,000 people through the gate each year
Namtok Phlio National Park
Namtok Phlio National Park - accommodation
Past the entrance and up the hill to the right is the accommodation and camping area. There are several 'camphouses' varying in size:
- 2 room for 6 people
- 3 room for 6 people
- House for 15 people
- House for 30 people
as well as tent camping sites (tents are available for hire)
Call 66 2579 4528 for info/bookings
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One of the camphouses, and its view out to Laem Sing and the Gulf of Thailand
Namtok Phlio National Park - Along Khvon Chedi
Namtok Phlio National Park - Pra Nang Ruar Lom Stupa
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Pra Nang Ruar Lom Stupa that was built by King Rama 5th in 1881 in commemoration of Sunnata Kumarirat Princess Pra Borm Rajadhevi.
