Known as the “Land of Smiles”, Thailand is famous for its heart-warming hospitality. In Bangkok, you can dine at sleek rooftop restaurants and trendy bistros. Escape to islands like Koh Tao and Koh Samui and you’ll find just this. For scuba enthusiasts, Thailand boasts some of the best dive sites in Asia. For most travellers Thailand conjures up postcard-perfect images of sugar-white sand, swaying palms and crystalline water. When you’re not befriending locals, you can spend your time getting lost in the bustling streets of Bangkok, basking on palm-fringed tropical beaches and exploring beautiful royal temples. Whether you’re seeking chef-driven restaurants or sizzling street food, Thailand is a paradise for foodies. Tantalising local cuisine is the icing on the cake. Sunbathe and swim by day, then spend the evening sipping cocktails at beachside bars. The street food scene is incredible, with carts serving piping hot pad thai, spicy papaya salad and sticky coconut rice topped with mango.

Cooking classes are a great way to master the art of Thai cuisine. Thailand is served by Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, as well as other major airports such as Chiang Mai International Airport, Phuket International Airport and Hat Yai International Airport. You don’t have to go far to find emerald green rice paddies, tumbling waterfalls and lush tropical forests in Thailand. Built in the 13th century, Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is one of the most evocative temples, enchanting visitors with its soaring stupa. In the north, Chiang Mai is a popular base for hill tribe trekking to remote communities. Thailand is passionate about its Buddhist culture, with more than 40,000 temples dotted across the country. Khao Sok National Park is a vision of towering limestone rock formations and turquoise bays. Air-conditioned buses and minivans are a cost-effective way to travel long distances. In Bangkok, the subway is the fastest way to get around, while tuk-tuks are popular in smaller cities and villages. In the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, you’ll find centuries-old temples surrounded by towering banyan trees.

Resorts Near Thoeng

Covering 894 km², Mae Wong National Park is situated in the Dawna Range west of Thailand in Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet provinces. The neighbouring parks are Khlong Lan National Park to the north, Umphang National Park to the east and Huai Kha Khaeng National Park to the south. The rainy season in the park is June to October, the winter season with cooler weather is November to February, summer (hot) season is March to May. All surrounding protected sites including Mae Wong are known to have an impressive record of larger mammals like tigers, elephants, gaurs, bantengs and more. The forests of the national park is part of the huge continuous forest called Western Forest Complex, about 18,730 km², including 19 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in both Thailand and Myanmar. The park is rugged and hilly with the highest peak Khao Mo Ko Chu at 1,964 m asl, one of highest in Thailand.

• Doi Inthanon
• Thung Salaeng Luang National Park
• Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park
• Phra Buddha Chinnarat
• Namtok Phlio National Park
• Phitsanulok Night Bazaar
• Rim Nam Restaurant
• Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park

The tiger population in Mae Wong National Park is perhaps not as big as in neighbouring Huai Kha Khaeng or Thung Yai further south, but camera traps reveal that there are still roaming tigers in the area. Other rare birds recorded from the park are (some may be historical records); Burmese yuhinas, rufous-necked hornbills, crested kingfishers, yellow-bellied fairy-fantails, yellow-bellied flowerpeckers, white-throated bulbuls, yellow-vented leaf warblers, grey-breasted parrotbills, dark-sided thrushes, rufous-browed flycatchers, brown-crowned scimitar babblers, Pallas’s leaf warblers, pale-capped pigeons, black-throated laughingthrushes, silver-eared laughingthrushes, rufous-backed sibias, small niltavas, spot-necked babblers and slaty-bellied tesias. Some other mammals that can be found in the park are Asian black bears, back-striped weasels, binturongs, stump-tailed macaques, Malayan tapirs, lar gibbons, Malayan porcupines, golden jackals, Bengal slow loris, yellow-throated martens, banded linsangs, large Indian civets, small-toothed palm civets, Indochinese serows, Asian red-cheeked squirrels, black giant squirrels and Phayre’s flying squirrels. A camera survey by DNP from 2011 captured nine tiger individuals. In Thailand, rusty-capped fulvetta is a resident bird only known to be found in Mae Wong National Park. Mae Wong is one of the best places in Thailand for birdwatching. Currently, there are more than 340 birds recorded from the park.

Mae Wong is all about wildlife watching. The headquarters and the main visitor center are located in northern parts of the park on the main road where some of the main attractions can be found. Early morning drives can be a very chilly experience without a proper sweater or jacket. Visitors are also advised to have insect repellents. A proper terrain vehicle is recommended to reach up to higher elevations, stopping at various spots along the roads and walking forward/backward may give opportunity to spot some exciting animals. So, a lot of patience and effort needed to get a glimpse of mammals, not only in Mae Wong, but in most parks in Thailand. Mammal watching in Thailand is not easy as the forests are very dense, not easy to spot animals. Leech socks during the rainy seasons. Due to the high altitudes, the night temperatures in the park may drop down to 8-9º C. Visitors are recommended to have sweaters with them.