Nam Nao National Park
About Nam Nao
Phetchabun (~110 km), Khon Kaen (~150 km), Phitsanulok (~145 km)
Open the map of Nam Nao
Designated as a national park in 1972, Nam Nao covers 966 km² in the mountainous forests of Phetchabun and Chaiyapum provinces in Northeast Thailand. It is the best national park in the area with good wildlife watching, birdwatching and hiking possibilities, supporting a range of IUCN red listed animals and birds.
The flora consists mainly of dry dipterocarp, mixed deciduous, hill evergreen, vast bamboo groves, pine forests and some grassland areas.
Nam Nao National Park is very popular among local tourists for its picturesque viewpoints, especially during the cold season when morning mist covers forests in white. The park can be very busy on week-ends and public holidays.
Western Isaan Forest Complex
Nam Nao National Park is part of Western Isaan Forest Complex including three other national parks and four wildlife sanctuaries covering 4,594 km² all together.
The protected areas within the complex are; Nam Nao National Park, Tad Mok National Park, Phu Pha Man National Park, Phu Kradueng National Park, Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Pha Phung Wildlife Sanctuary, Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary and Taboa Huai Yai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wildlife
The park is home to many exciting animal species like elephants, gaurs, bantengs, leopards, barking deer, sambar deer, golden jackals, Asian black bears, sun bears, wild boars and many more. Elephant droppings on the roads are a very common sight, proof of how common the elephants are, so common that the camping grounds are surrounded with electric fences.
There are over 300 species of birds reported from Nam Nao National Park. The dry condition of the forests makes it easy for birdwatching. Around HQ area it is possible to see species like red-headed trogons, great barbets, greater yellownapes, grey-capped pygmy woodpeckers, bamboo woodpeckers, large woodshrikes, black-throated laughingthrush, golden-crested mynas, golden-fronted leafbirds, plain flowerpeckers and ruby-cheeked sunbirds. Getting around the park by foot on many trails or driving further away to distinctly different habitats of the park will give more rewarding possibilities to see silver pheasants, blue pittas, bar-backed partridges, collared owlets, collared falconets, blossom-headed parakeets and oriental turtle doves. Of the rare bird species, Austen's brown hornbills, snowy-browed flycatchers, dark-sided thrushes and eared pittas have all been reported from the park.