Phu Kradueng National Park is found in the province of Loei in Northeast Thailand. Loei is the province that joins the northeast region called Isaan with the northern region of Thailand. The Isaan region is mostly flat farmland but as you travel further northwest the mountains start to take over, and in this region you find Phu Kradueng National Park. Phu Kradueng is actually a large plateau at the top of a steep climb to reach the plateau.
We have been to Phu Kradueng a number of times with our family, and we can say with confidence that Phu Kradueng is manageable with kids. However, there are some things you need to know before you set off to hike up Phu Kradueng. The fun is that each visitor must climb the path up to get to the top. There is no easy way up; you must hike up. Reaching the plateau is like a badge of honor to be worn proudly by you and your kids.
How to Get to Phu Kradueng National Park
The best way to get to Phu Kradueng National Park is too self-drive. Self-driving gives you the freedom to travel around easier, and as Phu Kradueng is not very near other things, you will find having your own set of wheels nice.
The most convenient place to get there from if you fly is to fly into the city of Loei, which is about an hour drive away. From Loei city it should be easy to hire a tuk-tuk, van, or a Grab taxi to take you to the park headquarters. Download the Grab App to help hire taxis around Thailand. It should be around a 1-hour ride to get to the park headquarters. The entire province of Loei is full of great things for kids and families.
Udon Thani or Khon Kaen would be the next largest airport to fly into that makes an easy transfer over to Phu Kradueng National Park. From these two cities you are looking at a 2 or 2.5 hour ride to get to the park. Phu Kradueng is about a 7 hour drive from Bangkok, which is a bit far but has awesome stuff to do with kids if you have time to explore the city.
Can My Kids Climb Phu Kradueng?
There are no age limits when it comes to hiking up Phu Kradueng. So, yes, you kids can climb up to the top of Phu Kradueng. Phu Kradueng has a reputation as being a rite of passage for dating couples to climb together. Supposedly it is a way of testing what your partner is like in difficult and tiring situations.
Because of this, our family did not go to hike Phu Kradueng for a long time. We assumed it would be too difficult for the little kids. Our youngest age kid to hike was 5 when he hiked it for the first time. We discovered that while it was difficult and he did need to be carried from time to time, thanks big sister and dad, he was very proud to reach the top and have conquered the hike. Since then, he has hiked it without needing to be carried.
So, yes, if you kids are relatively happy about being outside and hiking, they will love this hike.
Entrance to Phu Kradueng Park / Parking / Visitor Center
You will pay the entrance fee to the National Park as you are driving on the road leading into the park. You will come across a checkpoint first and you may pay the entrance fee there. Once you pay for the park you will continue driving until you enter the main area of the park.
Here you will see a large parking lot and multiple buildings. You may park your vehicle here to get ready for your hike. Before you can hike you need to consult the visitor’s center.
The visitor’s center is located just next to the main parking lot and is super helpful with lots of information about the park and its geology, forests, and wildlife. We recommend spending some time in here to learn about the park.
How Much Does Hiking Phu Kradueng Cost
The hike up to the top of the plateau is included in the cost of the national park entrance fee. However, you may have additional expenses if you choose to hire a porter to carry your luggage up to the top. This can be very helpful if you plan to camp or spend multiple days at the top and you need to bring along extra supplies. The cost to have a porter is 30 THB per kilo.
Phu Kradeung National Park Entrance Fee
Adult (Foreign) - 200 THB
Child (Foreign) - 100 THB
Adult (Thai) - 40 THB
Child (Thai) - 20 THB
Vehicle Entry Fee
Motorcycle - 20 THB
Car - 30 THB
Porter
per kilo - 30 THB
Park Closure
Park is closed for rainy season from: June - September
Entrance to Phu Kradueng Hike
The large parking lot sits next to the visitor’s center buildings where you can prep for your hike!
In the visitor’s center you may consult them about booking accommodations for the top. If you rent tens and sleeping bags, they will be available at the top to rent. The process is to inform them at the bottom if you will not be returning down the same day.
Then just behind the buildings, you will find a pathway to start hiking. Please note that you must pass through the entrance onto the hike before 1 PM or they close the gate, and you must wait until the next day to hike. This is because the hike takes a long time, and they do not want anyone on the trails in the dark.
Family Tip
Make sure you use the toilet before beginning the trek up. There is an outhouse about halfway up you can use, but beyond that it is the woods.
As you walk through the entrance, you will need to show your ticket that you paid for the park, just to verify.
Hiring Porters to Carry Luggage
If you are bringing luggage along and wish to have a porter, you will need to get it weighed and pay for a carrier before you go through the entrance. On your walk to the entrance into the hike you will clearly see building off to your right. It is here that you will be able to drop off your bags and have someone carry them up for you.
This can be especially helpful if you are hiking with smaller kids. You can focus on the hike with your family, and your luggage will meet you at the top. The process to drop off your bags is really clear. There are numbered stations, and you follow through the 1, 2, 3, 4 step process of weighing, paying, marking, and dropping off of your bags.
If you did have a porter carry your luggage up to the top, you do not need to walk with the porter. The porter will carry it up and you can collect it at the top, at the visitor’s center. When the porter reaches the top the visitors center send a motorbike with a trailer to collect the luggage and takes it to the visitor’s center at the top. You simply have to show them your number that matches the number to your bag to collect it.
Information about the Hike up Phu Kradueng
The terrain changes throughout the hike. There will be parts that are more flat and parts that are steeper. The hike starts off at a pretty good incline for the first kilometer. Then you have a section that is more gradual. Still uphill, but less steep.
The last kilometer is by far the steepest and most difficult. It is doable with preschoolers but just expect to help them a lot and to really slow down your pace. In the very steep parts they have included stairs (or ladders) to help you make the climb. Most of the path is climbing on a dirt and rock trail.
As you begin your hike you will find a large collection of bamboo that has been cut into walking sticks. These are free to use as you hike. They have a drop off pile at the top of the mountain for you to return the walking sticks. There is no one counting or monitoring if you take one, and we have lost a few along the way. No one really cares as they are simple and free to make.
Places to Rest and Get Food Along the Way
You will find two different rest stops along the way to the top of Phu Kradueng. They have restaurant stalls with Thai main dishes like fried rice and papaya salad. There are stores with souvenirs as well as ice cream and popsicles! There are also necessities like toilet paper, band aids, and drinks. You can also find one bathroom along the path at one of the rest stops.
Interestingly, each of these stops are often surrounded by a small rope with tin cans tied onto the string. When asked about the purpose, we discovered that it was to act as a warning of approaching elephants or other wildlife. This is a great sign that the national park is rich with wildlife.
At the Top
Once you reach the top, you can take a picture with the Conqueror Sign. But remember, the top is a plateau is not the end of the hike. You can turn around and walk down once you reach the top, but there is lots to explore once you reach the top. There are dozens of kilometers of walking paths and viewpoints dotted around the edge of the plateau looking out at the far away land below. The terrain at the top is night and day different from that of the hike up. You go from dense jungle on the way up to a more open pine forest marshland feel. It is like you’ve entered into a ‘lost world’.
If you plan to stay at the top of Phu Kradueng, you will have to continue on and hike further to get to the visitor center and campsites at the top. You have a long walk on the top of the plateau, another 30 minutes or so, depending on your pace, but it is flat and easy. It is 3.5 kilometers, but after hiking uphill for so long, a very flat and casual 3.5 kilometers feels wonderful and goes by very quickly!
There is also a bike rental stall at the top of Phu Kradueng, right when you get to the top. However, in the few times we have hiked up, the bikes have been locked up and there is no one there to rent them out.
Food at the Top
Once you enter the visitor’s center at the top of Phu Kradueng you will find all sorts of restaurants. The restaurants are surrounding the camping area, which is a very large field capable of holding lots of campers. Up here you can find all sorts of great Thai food to eat. One of our favorites is the special Thai fried donuts they serve in the morning. You will also be able to buy plenty of snacks and sodas at the top.
The cost of the food is reasonable, considering everything needs to be brought up via porters. There is no road access to the top of Phu Kradueng. Everything is carried up. Even so the prices are not much more than normal Thai pricing.
Trails around the Top of Phu Kradueng
There are tons of trails at the top that are suitable for hiking with kids. As it is a plateau, most of the hikes along the top are flat and very easy hikes. You can, and people do, spend days hiking around the top exploring waterfalls and scenic overlooks. You can look at the map below to see how many trails there are to choose from. Mostly it is one large loop around the plateau with smaller paths that cut through different areas. The views from the edge of the cliffs and looking out on the plains below are amazing!
Accommodations at the Top of Phu Kradueng
Bungalows
The national park service offers bungalows as a form of accommodations in most of their national parks. Phu Kradueng is no exception and you will find bungalows available to rent at the top. They have bungalows that can fit groups from 6 people up to groups of 10 people. You can ask about availability at the visitor’s center at the bottom before you hike, or you can check the national park website. The website is frequently down and not accessible.
Camping at the Top
Once you get to the end of the path leading to the campsite, you will come to a huge field that almost looks like you have reached a small village. The first building you come upon will rent you the equipment you need to camp, as well as give you tent numbers where you will stay (tents are already set up in groups). Do not expect them to take credit cards. You need to have cash or Thai bank transfer available.
Camping Cost
30 THB per person to camp
Equipment Rental Cost
Tent Rental - 150-400 (2 person - 4 person tent)
Sleeping Bag - 30 THB
Sleeping Pad - 20 THB
Pillow - 10 THB
Enjoy the cool weather at the top! There are dinner options and many breakfast options in the morning! Our family highly recommends the Thai donuts early in the morning with a hot coffee or hot soy milk!
You will also get a chance to see some deer species that like to hang out around the campsites. They are quite large and can be intimidating when you first see them casually walking around the camp or watching you eat at a restaurant.
You can stay as long as you want camping, but at some point you will have to make the hike back down. Some say it’s easier going down, some say the unsteadiness on the knees makes it harder. Enjoy your trip and decide for yourself! We always enjoy the trip down a lot more. Usually, the older children end up running ahead and waiting for us at the bottom.
It is also noteworthy that you have the option to camp at the bottom of Phu Kradueng at the visitor’s center. While you are still in the national park, camping at the bottom is not our favorite thing to do. The advantage is if you cannot get there before the 1pm start time, you can camp and get an early start the following morning. We ended up doing it once as we were running late and did not make it into the park before the cut off time to start to hike.