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Thong Phapume is always famous
for its natural tourist mountains, this single district fosters
5 national park; Thong Phapume, National Park, Khao Laem National
Park, Saiyok National Park LamKlong Ngu National Park, and Si
Nakharin National Park. Also it is the very district that enriches
the abundant forests and originates many of the main rivers
of Thailand.
This place, moreover, is an area rich in minerals, so there
used to be many major mines of the country here, until the mine
concession was over. Nowadays, leaving only good old stories
about mining industry, Thong Phapume becomes an important district
for tourism that has many wonderful natural settings to explore.
Most of the tourist attractions in Thong Phapume can be reached
by car. If you take the highway 323 (Kanchanaburi-Thong Phapume),
along the way you will see signposts to a number of intersting
sites that you can visit by yourself, for example Hun Dard Hot
Spring, Pha Sawan Waterfall, Khao Laem Dam, and Tha Khanun Temple.
Moreover, you may enjoy the elephant riding at Phutong village,
which is one of the famous recreations for foreign tourist as
well.
Apart from those attractions mentioned, Amphoe Thong Phapume
is also fascinated with a hidden secluded natural sites in the
forest near Ulong Village. Despite the fact that this forest
covers only a small area, it adjoins the Lam KlongNgu National
Parkand is a very abundant forest. So inside there are many
waterfalls hidden undiscoverd, and the pathways and caves are
indeed surpassingly beautiful. However, the pathways to the
waterfalls around there are the private area of the village,
and all the path are undevelopped and muddy. So it is necessary
for you to ride by four wheel drive vehicle only.
Ban Huay Ulong Resort has a special service to bring you to
the waterfalls and caves by offroad vehicles. You can also choose
the activities such as cliff-climbing, trekking, camping and
many other adventures by yourself.
Thong Phapume National Park is convenient to reach and is appealing
for travellers all in summer, rainy and cold seasons. Actually,
this particular area was once full of mining and wood industries.
However, when finally the mine and wood concessions were over,
this area about 112 million square kilometers has become one
of a very important National Park of Thailand, and has become
known to the tourists more and everyday.
From the Kanchanaburi city, drive on the highway 323 (Kanchanaburi-Thong
Phapume). When you pass Amphoe Saiyok, and reach Thong Phapume
juntion, continue on highway 3272. You will pass Wachiralongkorn
dam and Tha Pae to Ban Rai junction which stands about 35 kilometers
from Thong Phapume junction. Then turn left at Ban Rai junction
for another 25 kilometers, you will reach the National Park
Office. The route to the park is quite narrow and winding, so
you should be very careful while driving. And if possible, you
may choose four whell drive vehicle in order to have a more
facile trip. Ban Huay Ulong Rersort is about 8 kilometers from
Thong Phapume junction to Sanklaburi direction. You may visit
here to have a comfortable stay, or touring services and restaurants.
The main attractions of the park are those waterfalls, some
of which you can visit by yourself and some that you should
be guided by the officers. Nowadays Sattamit Waterfall, Pha
Pae Waterfall, Phasuk Waterfall, and Chok Kadinbon and Chok
Kadinlang Waterfall are open for tourism. Especially the two
last ones, they are twin waterfalls that are very famous and
popular in this National Park.
Location: The three view spot are within the Thong Phapume Nationa
Park. The first two sites are about 300 meters from the Park
office, whereas the last on is about 1 kilometer.
How to get there: from Ban Rai Junction, turn left to the National
Park Office and you will see the signposts to the three places.
The very best views here can be seen from the balcony over the
cliff. From here you can see the Wachiralongkorn Dam and sunrise
beautifully. The surrounding area is camping and tenting lawn
for tourists.
About 50 meters from the first spot mentioned, Nern Chang Peuk
enables you to see the Chang Peuk mountains most clearly. The
rented houses and tenting lawn are also provided here too.
Approximately 1 kilometer from the office, walk uphill for about
300 meters, you will reach the top of the hill where the western
mountains, Tanowsri Mountains, Etong villagae, and chok Kadinbon
waterfall could be seen. If the sky is clear enough, you might
even see the Kalaleoung pagodaof Burma.
Location: On the roadside of the highway 3272, at kilometer
marker 15 from Ban Rai junction to the Thong Phapume National
Park Office.
This location is where travellers often visit and take a rest
before going further to other places. From here if you look
to the east, you can see the Wachiralongkorn dam Reservoir,
to the west you may see the Tanowsi mountain, the order between
Thailand and Burma.
Location: Tambol Pilok, Amphoe Thong Phapume.
How to get there: Take the highway 3272 from
Thong Phapume junction to Ban Rai junction, turn left pass the
Park Office and go straight forward through the three villages:
Ban Epu, Ban Etong, and Ban Hinkon.the total distance is about
64 kilometers.
Within the Pilok subdistrict, the three village line up respectively
to the Burmese border. Around here are several view spots from
which you can see the scenery of the Tanowsi mountain. These
spots are quite easy to reach by your own car.
A small but interesting community where you can still find classic
old houses and many food stores.
This place meaning flagpole hill is about 300 meters from the
Etong community. It is the spot where two flags of Thai and
Burmese stand together. From up here, you can see the view of
Ban etong and Burmese mountains, or if the sky is clear, you
might even see Andaman Sea through Burma.
It is the highest point of the hill near Etong village and is
the observing point of the border police company. From this
particular point, the 180 degree scenery could be seen, so you
can appreciate both sunrise and sunset perfectly. Moreover,
there is also tenting lawn up here, but you have to ask for
the permission first and you must bring the equipment all along.
The distance to Nern TorchorDor 135 is about 3.5 kilometers
from Etong Market, and the road is quite winding and rough,
so we recommend you go there by four wheel drive vehicle only.
The route here was but on the mountain to join Thailand and
Burma together. This view spot enables you to see the Burmese
border quite clearly.
This National Park is geographically based on limestone mountains,
therefore, most of tourist attractions here are limestone caves,
specifically water caves. Nevertheless, only four caves are
open to tourists: Yai Cave, No Nang Aen Cave, Sao Hin Cave,
and Nam Tok Cave. And if you are not much interested in caves,
try these ones, for they might change you mind with their really
distinct and special characteristics.
You can spend the nights at Lam Klong Ngu National Park in Ban
Huay Ulong Resort. It is about 8 kilometers from Thong Phapume
junction to the direction of Sangkla. There are cave four services,
restaurants, and off road package tours with all the equipments
needed.
- you should be fit enough to trek, climb, crawl, and swim,
because the course inside the cave will be quite rough. Moreover,
you should more or less had some experiences in visiting caves.
- It is necessary that you contact the tourist information
office every time before you start the trip, so some officers
are to accompany you.
- The officers may not have plenty of necessary equipments
for all travellers, so you should prepare them yourself. Lifebuoy,
gloves, knee-support, helmet and headlight are the most basic
ones.
- Because they are mostly water caves, it may be dangerous
in rainy season. Also you must walk under water at some parts
of the cave, you will be soaked almost all the time, so it
may not be very enjoyable in winter too. The most suitable
time thus is from March to the middle of May.
Location and How to get there:
It is situated in the area of Ban KhaoPraIn, Tambol Chalae,
Amphoe Thong Phapume. From the tourist information center about
12 kilometers you will find a Khao PraInn unit. Then drive further
through the off road for about 4 kilometers, you will find the
parking lot. Leave the car and walk for about one hour, you
will find the fourth Karst window, wich is the gate into the
cave.
This cave is called the swallow cave because there used to
be so many swallow inside. It is a water cave about 3 kilometers
long that has many karst windows in the roof, so the room inside
is quite airy and bright. Along the cave there are stalactite
and stalagmite in many different shapes.
After you finished visiting the cave at the sixth darst window,
walk through the forest back to the parking lot.
Situated about 19 kilometers from the tourist information center,
this water cave4 has a special attraction as it has the world
highest stone pillar inside. Beating the ole record in China
that stands 33 meters tall, here is the 62.5 meter tall limestone
pillar standing in the middle of the cave. Normally, stone pillars
inside the caves are so fragile that they cannot bear natural
phenomenon like earthquake or flood. Yet this pillar proves
to be really enduring so it still persists until today.
Nam Tok cave, or the waterfall cave n English, is about 7 kilometers
from the tourist information. The front gate of the cave is
quite small, but it has a 17 floor waterfall inside. Normally,
a 20 meter cave is not really surprising, but if it is in a
cave, it is considered quite grand. However, this cave is geographically
made of limestone which is really fragile, the Lam Klong Ngu
National Park, therefore, does not open this cave for tourists.
This cave meaning the big cave is situated near the sixth karst
window of Nok Nang Aen Cave. From there, it only takes 15 minutes
on foot. Yai Cave is a really grand cave. Once inside, you might
fell like being in a black hole that has no ends. About 50 meters
wide, this roomy cave can load up to thousand persons.
 This waterfall
is in the Ban thung Nang Krun area, Tambol Chalae, Amphoe Thong
Phapume. You can drive about one kilometer from the Lam Klong
Ngu Nationa Park Office, and the walk further for about 700
meters.
This is a four-floor limestone waterfall. Each floor has a
pond that you can enjoy swimming in. the third floor which is
voted most beautiful is about 40 meter tall. The surrounding
forest is really rich and the air is quite humid. So you should
be careful with the leech too.
In order to visit this waterfall, you will have to walk from
ter first floors through the forest to the second floor. The
two floors are similar in height but the first floor’s
pond is most suitable for swimming. Of all the waterfalls, the
third one is more popular for tourists. For the fourth floor,
it is a little bit smaller, and is about 1 kilometers from the
third floor. In rainy season the path might be slippery, so
be careful while trekking.
Around the parking lot there are tenting lawn and restrooms.
However, if you are really to spend the night there, you should
prepare all the camping equipments and foodstuffs by yourself. |
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INFORMATION
How
to get there
Sao
Hin Cave
