Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao Nature Study Centre

The Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao Nature Study Centre is a park in the east of Saraburi Province, not far from the Khao Yai national park. Though usually referred to as a "Forest Park", it is not under the supervision of the National Park Division like the other forest parks. The park was created in 2000 by the agriculture minister Pongpol Adireksarn.

The park is easy to reach, just follow the sign from Highway 2 (westwards) and turn to the left, and after about 20 km you reach a small reservoir. Turn to the left, and then the entrance is to the left shortly - directly before you arrive the boy scout camp. After the checkpoint it's another few kilometers steep uphill until you reach the visitor center. Next to the visitors center are several beautiful huts for rent, including fridge and oven - but bring a towel with you, at least when we stayed there it did not have any provided.

We only stayed there for one night, so there was not much time to hike into the forests, and to make it worse we came in the height of the dry season, so the waterfall was reduced to not much more than the water in a standard shower. And when I reached one of the waterfalls it was already near sunset, and the light was too low to do any good photos. Only in the scaled down version one does not notice it being very blurred due to the longer exposure. A second trail I took in the morning did not lead me far, but an interesting sight were the remains of a house already overgrown by the jungle again. Only the concrete foundations were still visible.

I want to come to this park again for sure, then staying at least one day to have the chance to see not just one, but all the tiers that brook forms in the valley, and also see and photograph them in their full beauty.

At least the garden and camp ground at the reservoir next to the huts gave me opportunity to take some scenic photographs, but I prefer to scenery created by nature itself.

Another report on the park I found at thailandtraveltours.com.