With 156 National Parks, Thailand certainly doesn’t suffer from a shortage of protected areas. I visited quite a few beautiful ones during my stays in the country, but Nam Tok Phlio NP in Chanthaburi Province stayed in my mind, as I saw almost no other people there.

As the name suggests, the park’s main claim to fame is Nam Tok Phlio, a pretty waterfall that falls down a jungle cliff. To be honest, I found the quieter sections of the river much more interesting, as they were full of large numbers of surprisingly docile Soro Brook Carp.

I also liked exploring the beautiful rainforest around the river (as much as the often quite overgrown trail allowed). Here’s everything you need to know about visiting this off-the-beaten-path gem.

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What to See in Nam Tok Phlio National Park

Full disclosure: As I visited by public transport, I only went to the easy-to-visit area near the park headquarters at the southwestern edge of the park. If you’re renting a scooter, you could also visit some more waterfalls along the north-western and eastern edges (like Nam Tok Khlong Narai and Nam Tok Trok Nong).

The centre of the park is proper, dense impenetrable jungle and therefore basically off-limits.

Nam Tok Phlio Waterfall

I found the National Park’s namesake waterfall pretty enough, but I’ve seen much bigger and more powerful waterfalls in other parts of the country. Still, it’s surrounded by a pretty patch of rainforest, so the location alone makes it worth dropping by.

On the way to the waterfall, there’s a small stone chedi (stupa), which is beautifully overgrown by moss. This is the Along Khong Chedi, which was built in 1876 during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V.) to honor Queen Sunandha Kumariratana.

She was one of Chulalongkorn’s wives and died young in a boating accident near the Summer Palace in Ayutthaya, and apparently she loved the Nam Tok Phlio. Nearby is a small stone pyramid, which is said to contain some of the Queen’s ashes.

The River and Soro Brook Carp

The calmer sections of the river in between the waterfall and the entrance to the National Park have many nice spots to sit on one of the smoothed-out rocks and watch the huge amounts of Soro Brook Carp swimming around in the clear water.

This species of fish can only be found in Thailand, Malaysia and on Sumatra. I also spotted some in the small pool below the waterfall, but the quieter sections downriver are better for watching them.

Nature Trail

There’s also a small nature trail, which which loops behind the waterfall before returning to the river and is supposed to take about 15 minutes to complete. That said, some sections were very overgrown when I walked it, so it took me a little longer.

You should also be careful not to walk into the net of one of the golden orb-weaver spiders, of which I saw quite a few on the walk (as I usually did in Thailand’s forests). There are some nice views across the plains to the west and I also spotted some hornbills along the trail.

Nam Tok Phlio National Park Map

This map shows the location of the spots I mentioned above as well as the course of the nature trail.

Practicalities

How Much Is the Entrance Fee?

It’s 200฿ for foreigners and 40฿ for Thai citizens.

What Are the Opening Times?

When I was there, the park was open from 8am to 4.30pm. You can check the current times here.

How to Get There

The nearby city of Chanthaburi is the ideal base for visits to Nam Tok Phlio National Park. Here you could rent a scooter and make the 15-minute drive south-east along Highway 3 (in the direction of Trat) yourself.

The other option is to take a Songthaew (truck-taxi) from the northern edge of the main market in the direction of Trat, which is what I did. Just tell them you want to go to the National Park and the driver will drop you at the turn-off from the highway, from where it’s a 10-minute walk to the entrance.

On the way back, I had to wait along the highway for a bit, until someone stopped to give me a ride. If I did it again, I would probably rent a scooter instead, to be a little more flexible and visit some of the more remote parts of the park.

Where to Stay Near the Park

Chanthaburi is the closest city and the best base for a half-day trip to the National Park. I stayed at the low budget River Guesthouse, which I found to be good value, but there are plenty of other budget and mid-range options around.

Otherwise, there are lots of well-rated midrange options, like Baan Luang Rajamaitri Historic Inn and a few luxury choices, like Punyashthiti Villa. You can have a look for more options in the map below.

Where to Go Next

Chanthaburi, Thailand’s City of Gems

Ko Samet, a great little island for some beach hopping