The Erawan National Park was designated in June 1975 as Thailand’s 12th national park. It covers an area of 550 km2 of high mountains and valleys. The eastern mountains rise to nearly 1,000 meters with shear limestone cliffs. These mountains protect the area from the eastern monsoon resulting in a low average rainfall. In summer the weather is sweltering, but it is cool between November and February. The main feature of the park is the stunning 7 tired Erawan waterfall. Deciduous forest covers about 80% of the park with Pterocorpus macrocarpus, Hopea odorata, Afzelia xylocarpa and Spondias pinnata being some of the dominant tree species. There are also dipterocarp, dry evergreen and bamboo forest. Wildlife surveys of mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians have been carried out. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of elephants, gibbons, Siamese hare, flying squirrels, eagles, white-eyes, king cobras or pythons. Fish, crabs and insect are abundant in many steams.
Erawan Waterfalls
These famous 7-tiered waterfalls are located in the Erawan National Park which is 65 km from Kanchanaburi on Highway 3199. The falls are situated amongst rough jungle and are truly one of the most beautiful falls in Asia. You can follow a trekking path inside the national park or stay overnight. The admission fee is 400 Baht. This ticket is also valid for a visit at Pra That Cave at the same day.
Pra That Cave
The Pra That Cave is about 75 km from Kanchanaburi town and 10 km further north of the Erawan Falls on a dirt road to the Huay Mae Khamin Falls. It is situated in the Erawan National Park. Inside the cave are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites distributed among 4 big rooms. Bats also used to live inside but the rooms are high enough that they don’t disturb you.
Tham Wang Badan or Tham Sawan Wang Badan
Located within the area of Erawan National Park at Tambon Tha Sao, Amphoe Sai Yok, some 63 km. from the province. It is accessible from behind Namtok Sai Yok Noi where there is a direction sign of 3 km. to the national park’s safeguard unit, a location of the upstream of Namtok Sai Yok. Another 1,500–metre walk from the safeguard unit will lead to the cave with nature interpretation signs along the way. Tham Wang Badan is a small but deep cave of 500 metres long. It is a 2-storeyed limestone cave with a small hole at the mouth to be entered one by one. Its upper storey houses various chambers of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites of different shapes. The lower storey contains a stream to look like a tunnel of water under a large boulder.