The first time you venture out camping in Thailand national parks, it can be a bit scary. There are a lot of unknowns. After visiting dozens of national parks around Thailand in the 13 years we lived there, we have created many camping memories with our family. It is definitely worth going! Use our tips to help take some of the guess work away from your first time.
1. Arrive early
Arrive early to get the best spot for camping. Be mindful about where the bathrooms are and find a fire source if it’s allowed. Look for a firepit; building fires anywhere you want is not allowed.
Expect people to join you right around sunset. Many travelers come around sunset, set up and eat dinner, sleep, and then leave after sunrise. So, if you have kids, you can find the best spot by coming earlier in the afternoon and beating the crowd!
2. Price expectations
Expect to pay 10x the price of Thais for entrance but same price for gear The entrance fees to national parks are dual pricing. This means that there will be two quoted prices on the gate of each national park. One price is in Thai numbers with Thai writing for Thai citizens. The other is English words with Arabic numerals. That is what all other nationalities pay. But once you enter the national park, all camping gear will cost the same price no matter your nationality.
3. Bring Food, not equipment
Bring food not equipment Most national parks have little stores or restaurants, however there is no guarantee that they will have what you need or be open. Have enough food to last the entirety of your stay just in case. For equipment – When you check in at the campsite, you will always have camping equipment available to rent – tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, charcoal stove, pillow.
4. Pay attention to Weather
The ability to go camping in Thailand national parks is very dependent on the weather. Rainy season brings on a whole level of complexity in the national parks. From one perspective, the waterfalls are overflowing and gorgeous. On the other hand, the tents are wet and the trails are slippery and potentially full of leeches.
If you are camping during rainy season (June to October), be sure to have rain jackets, umbrellas, and have water proofed everything. Have a plan at night of where you will sleep if your tent floods from a sudden storm.
Many campsites have pavilions that you can set your tent up in if it is raining so you are off the ground and under more cover.
November to February is cool season. This is a lovely time to camp. Just check nighttime temperatures ahead of time, especially in the mountains, to make sure you have brought enough layers of clothing to be comfortable sleeping.
March through May is hot season. Both of these seasons have very little precipitation and are much easier to camp in. The cool season is the most popular camping season, so expect more crowds.
5. Bring Drinking Water
Stock up on drinking water! This goes along with the possibility of lack of food available. Always come into the campsite with enough water to drink (and use in cooking) until you leave.
We suggest buying one or two of the 5-liter containers of water to be safe, if possible. Of course this is dependent on your group size but bringing in more is always better in this case.
6. Be Mindful of the Season
National parks are very often season dependent. A lot of attractions to walk to in national parks are waterfalls. But in the dry season, many waterfalls dry up. So, it may not be worth camping near a waterfall at that time. Check with the visitor’s center for updated information when you arrive about whether there is water in the waterfall.
Another example is tourism around cool season in Thailand. Many Thais visit the national parks in the mountains and in the north during cool season. This is to enjoy feeling cold in a tropical country. Don’t be surprised to see crowds during this season when camping even in very remote areas.
7. Lack of English
When camping, expect little or no English at the visitor’s centers. Hand gesturing and Google translate go a long way! If you come across something that is fully in Thai, take a picture and run it through Google Translate. It can help a lot in a pinch.
Final Thoughts
If you have camped in your home country, you will already be well prepared for what camping looks like in Thailand. These tips will hopefully take some of the guesswork out of what the differences will be. If you have not visited a national park we recommend learning more about what to know before you go. For more specific camping at popular national parks, we have created guides about camping at Khao Yai National Park and Erawan National Park.