Erewan National Park

The Erawan National Park is located in Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Saiyok, Kanchanaburi province. It has within its boundaries the Erawan Waterfall, which is well-known in Thailand due to its large size and height, as well as its backdrop of mountains, smaller waterfalls, caves, cliffs, and overall beautiful surroundings. It is also conveniently reached from Bangkok, which has made it very popular with tourists. It covers around 550 sq km, or 343,750 rai.

History

In 1959, when Field Marshall Sarid Tanarat was Prime Minister of Thailand, his Council of Ministers posited that the Ministry of Agriculture should arrange for the forest in Khao Salop, Kanchanaburi and other forests (altogether a total of 14) to be designated as a National Park. The Forestry Department had theretofore sent surveyors over a 12-year period to obtain primary data from the area, using the Erawan Waterfall as a centre for the survey. The results of the survey stated that the Khao-Salop range in Kanchanaburi had specially beautiful and healthy natural surroundings, according to a report released in 1973.

However, according to a Royal Decree, this area was forbidden to the Forestry Department, as it stipulated that the area comprising of Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Wangkhanai, Amphoe Bantun, and Amphoe Wangka came under the control of the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of the Interior. The Forestry Department asked the Ministry of Agriculture to request that some of the land be released to them to create a new national park.

The request was granted, and in 1960 the National Parks Commission agreed that the park would be called Erawan National Park because of the Erawan Waterfall that was well-known all over the country.

The Forestry Department arranged to take over the area, and announced in the 1961 Government Gazette that the previously mentioned districts in Kanchanaburi were to become a national park, Thailand’s 12th such.

Interesting Places:

The Erawan waterfall is 1,500 m in length and has 7 tiers, each level individually very beautiful, and covered with a variety of flora, including large trees with climbing plants, and wild orchids. The water cascades down the rock to pools of water at regular intervals, and songs from the flocks of birds add to the ambience of the calm, natural surroundings.

The atmosphere is full of the noises of the seemingly primeval forests, and visitors like to absorb the atmosphere that creates a sense of wonder within them. On level 7, at the top of the waterfall, the water overflow takes on the shape of an elephant head, which is why it is called the Erawan Waterfall (The Erawan elephant is a 3-headed elephant from Hindu Mythology).

The Phalan waterfall has only one level and water flows only in the rainy season.

Tharn Pratat (Pratat cave) has beautiful, enigmatic stalactites and stalagmites and is some 790 m above sea level, and 12 km from the National Park Office.

The Tham-Wangbadan cave is a large cave divided into many different sections with glittering stalactites and stalagmites in many different shapes. These caves are located in Tha Sao district, Amphur Sai Yoh, 54 km from the National Park’s Offices.

How to get to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok:

By car: Take Pethkasem road or Boromrachachonee road, passing through Nakorn Chaisri, Nakorn Phathom, Banpong, Thamaka, Thamoung, and then Kanchanaburi. A journey of 129 km that takes about one- and-a-half hours.

By Bus: From the southern bus station a bus leaves every 15 minutes from 0400hrs to 2000hrs, a two-hour ride. For more details Tel: 02 434 5557-8.

By air-conditioned coach: From the bus station for the south a first class coach leaves every 15 minutes from 0500hrs to 2230hrs. A second-class coach leaves every 20 minutes, from 0510hrs to 2030hrs. Both take two hours. For more details telephone: 02 435 5012 or 435 1199.

By Train: From Bangkok Noi station trains leave twice daily at 0750hrs and 1345hrs. It stops at Kanchanaburi, River Kwai Bridge, Thakilen, Namtok (Waterfall Station). For more details call 02 411 3102.

On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays there is a special train organised for day trips to Kanchanaburi. For more details call 02 223 7010, 223 7020, 225 6964.

Travelling in the Province from Kanchanaburi, Saengchuto Road, there is a bus to the amphoe (district) and other tourist attractions such as Baoploy, Nongpru, Erawan Waterfall, Khaopung Waterfall, Sai Yok-Yai Waterfall, Tongphapoom, and Sangkraburi. For more details call 034 511182, Kanchanaburi Bus Station.

There are two ways to travel to the Erawan Waterfall from Kanchanburi: -

From town take route 323 to Srinakarim Dam Power Station, cross the bridge to Srinkarim Market and the National Park Office is about 66 kilometres.

From SaiYok National Park at Banwangyai take the road to Sai Yok Noi for about 6 km, then take a short cut to Banpongped, near Thatongna Dam, for another 19 km, and lastly turn left onto road route 323 for about 30 km.