Pang Sida
National Park |
Jungle trekking & butterfly watching
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If you love butterflies, you are recommended to go to Pang Sida National Park where more than 400 kinds of them are seen. The park is popular with tourists who come to watch these delicate flying insects because it is only 237 km. from Bangkok.
Pang Sida National Park, one of the five constituents of the UNESCO World Heritage Khao Yai National Park, straddles several districts in Sa Kaeo Province and Nadi District in Prachin Buri Province. Its total area is 844 sq.km. Its north boundary and some parts of its west are connected to Thap Lan National Park.
 Topography
The park features complicated mountain ranges, where thick evergreen forest, hill evergreen forest, dry evergreen forest, deciduous dipterocarp forest and meadow are thriving. These forests serve as the sources of many streams which are tributaries of the Bang Pakong River or the Prachin Buri River.
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In front of Pang Sida National Park |
 Outstanding Aspects
Pang Sida not only presents beautiful scenery but it is also interesting to wildlife enthusiasts. This is because there are wild animals such as elephant, gaur, barking deer, deer, wild pig and tiger; more than 300 species of birds such as hornbill and peacock; and over 400 species of butterflies.As for travellers who like trekking, trails are provided by the park. The following are two sample routes.
People is trekking along a provided trail.
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Route 1 The distance is about 10 km. This route leads you to Tham Khang Khao Waterfall, Lan Kaeo Falls and Thap Sung Falls.
Route 2 About 16 km, this route leads you to Khwae Makha Falls, Than Thara Falls, Rak Saiyoi Falls and Lan Hinyai Falls.
Along the trail, tall trees are seen
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Interesting Activities
 Butterfly Watching
Trails for butterfly watching are laid throughout the park. You're now given some ideas to go to admire the butterflies. You can start in the morning at about 09.00 hrs. and go to the following spots. The first spot is the tourist service office. You will enjoy seeing these alluring insects around the area of the camping site and the tourist service office. In April, ten of thousands of the Lemon Emigrant's cocoons will be found here. The second spot is around Pang Sida Waterfall. Soon after you spray water on the ground, butterflies will come to feed on the minerals in it. Walk down the water way and you will see a variety of butterflies.
Part of the exhibition at Pang Sida |
The third spot is around Hin Dat Falls. You can start walking from Km.6, passing Krathing Field. Along the way, you will notice diverse wild butterflies such as the Red Caliph and the Great Saturn. The fourth spot is at Huai Namyen Stream. When walking along the creek, you will be mesmerized by several rare butterflies like the Felder's Hedge Blue and the Scarce Catseye. The last spot is at the water source at Km.26. You can start from the vantage point at Km.25. Enjoy the verdant forests and walk for another one kilometre, you will find a water source where butterflies come to feed on minerals. |
Fungi found at the park
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Bird Watching
Pang Sida National Park features numerous kinds of birds such as hornbill and oriental darter. Sites to see birds are around the Huai Namyen Stream and Phra Prong Reservoir.
The vantage point |
 Interesting Attractions in the Park
Pang Sida Falls (น้ำตกปางสีดา) is the most beautiful and most famous scenic spot of this national park and of Sa Kaeo Province. It is easily accessible as it is situated on Highway 3462, about 800 metres from the park office. From the parking space, go 100 metres downhill and you will reach the waterfall.
Pang Sida Waterfall is surrounded by green forests. About 10 metres high, the waterfall flows down to the pool below which is suitable for swimming. The falls becomes more graceful in the rainy season (June-September).
A kind of plant growing in the park |
The Vantage Point at Km.25 (จุดชมวิว กม. 25) is 25 km. from the park office. Being a vast valley with breathtaking scenery, it is excellent for viewing the sunset amidst the evergreen forest and the sea of mist.
Pha Takhian Falls |
Pha Takhian Falls (น้ำตกผาตะเคียน) is 3 km from the park office; 2.5 km from Pang Sida Falls. Several kinds of trees are growing densely along the way to the waterfall. It is about 20 metres high and is more awesome in the rainy season.
Khwae Makha Falls |
The Cluster of Khwae Makha Falls (กลุ่มน้ำตกแควมะค่า)
It is 40 km from the park office plus a six-km walk. This quite high waterfall (70 metres high) with a camping area is attractive for trekking enthusiasts. Nearby are other waterfalls that are located deeper into the forest.
A camping site at Pang Sida National Park |
Tham Khang Khao Falls (น้ำตกถ้ำค้างคาว)
This 10-metre high waterfall is 22 km. from the park office plus a 10-km walk. There are lots of bats living there.
Tham Khang Khao Falls
(Photos by courtesy of Sa Kaeo Guidebook) |
How to Get There From Bangkok
Use Bangkok-Aranya Prathet Route (Highway 33) to reach Muang District of Sa Kaeo Province. The distance is 256 km. Then go another 27 km. along Sa Kaeo-Khlong Namkhiao Route to arrive at the park office.
• For more information, please contact the park on tel: 0 3724 3775, 0 3724 6100
or TAT Nakhon Nayok Office on tel: 0 3731 2282, 0 3731 2284, fax: 0 3731 2286.
• Special thanks to TAT Nakhon Nayok Office for arranging a trip to Prachin Buri and to Hillside Country Home, Prachin Buri, tel 0 3721 5492 to 6, for offering accommodations.
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