Did you ever go to a place that everyone loves, and you hate it? Thailand was that place for us. What did we hate? Crowds, traffic, scams, noise, and pollution. Slipping into the mud of rice paddies on a trek in Chiang Mai, freezing as we tried to sleep in a tourist trap Karen Village in the hill country outside of Chiang Mai.
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We did not go back for 23 years. Once we did, we fell in love. Butterflies and Kaeng Krachan National Park lured us back. And now, we can’t wait to go back to Thailand again.
Giving Thailand a Second Chance
Why Butterflies?
It all started with a Facebook post in early March about butterflies arriving in Kaeng Krachan National Park. As many as 250 types of butterflies congregate in large numbers at the park to ingest a mineral in the soil. During the peak season, you can walk around the area surrounded by hundreds of butterflies. While it was not quite yet the peak season, we decided to go in Mid-March.
Was It Worth the Trip?
Yes. The butterflies were wonderful to see even though we were there shortly before the prime viewing month (April/May). We also saw dusky spectacled langurs (aka dusky leaf monkeys), a sun bear, a porcupine, and sliver leaf gibbons. In addition, Kaeng Krachan has a large variety of birds and is a great place for bird lovers.
We arranged for a guide and driver to take us into the park at 8 am when the park opened (this meant a 6 am pickup) as we wanted to maximize our time. Our guide told us that the butterflies would not come out until the sun is high on the ground around 10 am. This gave us a chance to explore the rest of the park.
Our first sighting was a troop of dusky spectacled langurs up on the trees. They were fun to watch. Then, we heard the call of the silver leaf gibbons and went in search of them. They stay high up in the trees, so it was hard to spot them (and even harder to get a picture of them). Two different troops were calling to each other and it was fun to “listen” to the conversation. We took a coffee break and came upon a skinny sun bear looking for food.
After that, it was time to walk to the butterfly area. We arrived at 9:45 and were instantly disappointed. Where were the butterflies? We sat down to wait. When the clock struck 10 am, the sun hit the ground, and they started to arrive. They flew around and landed in groups on the ground. We sat there for about 45 minutes, enjoying the butterflies. There are also a lot of bees in the area so beware if you have an allergy.
What Else Can You Do In and Around Kaeng Krachan National Park?
We planned two days in the park but saw everything we wanted to see on the first day. We had to find more things to do. There is a waterfall nearby, but it was the dry season, so we elected not to visit it. You can also go rafting and do other activities on the river. We elected to spend time at two temples—Tham Dao (a cave temple) and Wat Hua Mongkhong. Both are worth visiting, though Tham Dao is a bit harder to access.
Where Can You Stay Close To The Park?
There are camp sites inside the park if you like camping which is very popular with the locals who brought their own tents. We chose to stay at the Kaeng Krachan Boat House Paradise Resort which was just 15km from the entrance to the National Park. The Boat House was right on the river and is peaceful and serene. It also has a restaurant on site. There is also a pool and kayaks you can borrow for a lazy paddle on the river. We enjoyed staying there. It’s not an upscale resort—its rustic and a bit worn down. The area is mostly frequently by Thai tourists. If you want to stay at a resort, Hua Hin is a better choice.
Can You Stay At A Beach Resort And Visit Kaeng Krachan?
If you only want to see the butterflies, it is better to stay in Hua Hin or Cham-Am. You can then do a day trip and drive to the park for a 10 a.m. arrival when the butterflies start congregating. Hua Hin has many more attractions and beaches than the area we stayed in.
How Was The Food?
Since we did not have a car, we were stuck eating the food at our resort every night. It was okay. If we had a car, we could have ventured out to eat. Kaeng Krachan National Park is mostly visited by Thais, not as much by international visitors. For our next trip, we’ll plan to stay in Hua Hin where there are more restaurants and activities available.
How Do You Get To Kaeng Krachan?
Kaeng Krachan is a 3-hour drive south of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, approximately an hour inland from the east coast of Thailand. We had our hotel arrange for a driver to pick us up at the airport. It was an easy drive with no traffic.
Next time we go, we will rent a car. If you plan to drive through the park on your own, you will need a 4-wheel drive and a guide. If your main goal is to see the butterflies, 4-wheel drive is not necessary.
On the way back to the airport, we stopped at the Erawan Museum and some other temples. You will see a few from the highway as you drive.
Tips
- Don’t give up on Thailand (or any other country) if you did not like it the first time.
- Camp in the park if you want to see animals in the early morning or at sundown.
- Stay in Hua Hin if you want more beaches, attractions, and restaurants
- Book ahead your tours ahead of time. The best guides get booked early.
- Enjoy the butterflies!
Written by: Sue Davies – [email protected] – Travel Writer, Travel Awaits
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