Kui Buri National Park Tourist Attractions
Teeming with wildlife, the Kui Buri National Park offers some great safari opportunities. Also due to the abundance of animals, trekking and hiking opportunities are somewhat limited in order to ensure visitors’ safety.
Huai Luek Wildlife Watching Area
Visiting Huai Luek Wildlife Watching area is by far the most popular activity in the park. It is located 20 km north of the visitor centre, and the majority of the visitors and almost all the tours coming from Hua Hin head directly there.
After paying the THB200 fee (unless you have already paid it at the main entrance), you’ll have to hire a park ranger who will take you on a 4-wheel drive jeep for safari. It costs THB850 for a group of 4. It is the only way to visit this are as due to the abundance of wild elephants hiking is strictly prohibited. Breaking this rule can cause you big troubles and put high risks on your safety.
During your safari you’re almost guaranteed to spot elephants, gaurs, barking deer and – with a bit of luck – golden jackals.
The tours start only after 2.00pm, since before that time the elephants are hiding in the forests and come out only in the afternoon for the feeding time.
Since the park is open till 6.00pm, we would recommend you to get there after 4.00pm, when the temperature is cooler and more animals start wandering around. While there’s no way to book the safari in advance, there is always an abundance of rangers and cars, so just show up and they’ll sort it out for you. Some of the rangers speak very basic English, but if you have a Thai friend with you it will make everything easier. At the entrance you will find a small visitor centre, toilettes and a kiosk to buy water and snacks.
The headquarters area
Despite the fact that there are a lot of wonderful waterfalls just a few km from the headquarters, for the most part of the year they are almost inaccessible due to the road conditions and heavy rains. If this is the case during the time of your visit, hire one of the park rangers for a couple of hours (a half day guide will cost you THB500). Rangers will take you to the different attractions by jeep and will guide you through the trails.
Depending on weather conditions, this can be quite a demanding trek, involving river crossings, wading along the riverbed and a lot of mud, leaches and humidity.
Nature lovers with a bit of hiking experience ready for challenging hikes will be rewarded with an adventurous forest trekking and amazing discoveries of spectacular deserted waterfalls with crystal clear pools for swimming – a well-deserved refreshing experience!
Among all the waterfalls Namtok Dong Mafai, a 15-tier fall, is particularly spectacular during the rainy season. Unfortunately for lazy-bones, the most interesting and picturesque tiers are the two upper ones, where the water drops from a huge 10 m high cliff into a stunning natural swimming pool. It is also a good point to spot species of hornbills and to admire some giant banyan trees.
Guided tours
If you’re only interest is Huai Luek Wildlife Watching Area, then an organized tour from Hua Hin is by far the easiest way to do it. The package tour will not cost you a lot more than a DIY trip, but will save a lot of efforts and time.
A half-day tour usually includes a pick up from your hotel at around 1.00pm, transportation to the park entrance, the entrance ticket, the ranger’s fee and jeep rental, an English speaking guide, drinks during the safari and dinner on the way back to Hua Hin. Prices start at roughly THB3000 per person for a group of two, but if you’re a bigger group then you can save up to half the costs.
Some travel agencies also offer multiple days tours with an overnight camping inside the park or at a resort nearby (prices differ based on what is included). While the first day the program will be similar to what is mentioned above, the second day usually involves some easy trekking.
