For our latest outdoor adventure, we travelled to Khao Yai, Thailand. Our mission? To hike to the famous Haew Narok waterfall. Watch the video!
It’s no secret we like to hit nature trails and love a good hike or bike ride to get away from the buzz of the city – we’ve surprised ourselves at how many amazing green and wild spaces there are in Singapore. For our latest hiking adventure, we headed a little further afield: to Khao Yai, Thailand. With a little help from travel gurus Klook, we put together a custom adventure that steered me away from high-energy Bangkok and into the wilds of Khao Yai National Park. The goal? To see the mind-blowing Haew Narok waterfall….
I grew up doing sports all my life, from competitive rock climbing as a kid to dragon boating in my teens, and I still live in the outdoors. I love surrounding myself in nature and getting away from the city. I even spent a year travelling every month to climb volcanos and trek through rainforest around South-East Asia, so the idea of hitting Khao Yai National Park is my idea of a good time…
Hiking adventure in Khao Yai Thailand to see Haew Narok waterfall
For our latest outdoor adventure, we travelled to Khao Yai, Thailand. Our mission? To hike to the famous Haew Narok waterfall. Watch the video!#hiking #khaoyai #thailand #waterfall #lookingforadventure
Posted by Honeycombers on Thursday, November 9, 2017
Usually when flying to Thailand, I usually head straight to all of Bangkok’s quirky cafes and spas, and just simply shop until I’m out of Bhat. This time, as soon as we landed in Bangkok, I hopped on a minibus and was on the road for three hours to get to Khao Yai. Driving through the mountains, the weather changed from rain to shine to even misty every 10 minutes.
I was expecting monotonous flat trails, but my surprise, Khao Yai was quite rich and varied – and chilly, which actually made the hike quite nice. It was the perfect temperature. It was an easy hike until we got to the waterfall view point: there’s a 200-step flight of stairs that’s quite steep, slippery and is definitely a challenge. And the waterfall itself? Amazing. It’s 150 metres high, with three tiers – and lives up to its reputation as the best in the area.
Khao Yai National Park is also home to deers, different species of monkeys and even elephants in the wild! If you’re looking to have a safari-style holiday, definitely consider staying somewhere near the national park.
While you’re in the neighbourhood…
Head to PB Valley Khao Yai Winery: yes, Thailand produces wine! I felt like I was exploring a European vineyard. Palio Village and Primo Piazza are another interesting (and unexpected) experience. I felt as if someone had plucked a small section of Europe and planted villages out in the middle of Thai jungle. Thanks to the perfect weather, it felt like springtime in Europe.
Where to stay
Kirimaya Golf Resort and Spa Khao Yai (two hours from Bangkok) is a luxe nature retreat that’s a great base for hiking and exploring the area. A highlight is the amazing view from the swimming pool over the mountains, and the ‘glamping’ themed rooms have a beautiful outlook that bring on full relaxation. Definitely the break from the city I needed.
Our custom tour of Khao Yai was made possible with Klook, which connects adventurous travellers with amazing hand-picked activities and attractions.