Rainy season, safety and preparation
Jun – Oct
Streams — Rise fast after rain
1–2 nights
Weak
6 days ahead
When to go
this week
Tap a day card to see that day’s weather, rain, haze and hourly forecast
Best time to go Best window 06:00–13:00 Little rain · light drizzle possible at times
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Best window 06:00–13:00 Little rain · light drizzle possible at times
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Best window 06:00–14:00 Little rain · light drizzle possible at times
Holiday — traffic on the way up and parking fills fast; leave early
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Best window 06:00–11:00 Little rain
Rain at times — slippery roads, allow extra travel time
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day · light drizzle possible at times
No warnings today — normal road and weather conditions
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Best time to go Fine all day little rain through the day
No warnings today — normal road and weather conditions
Hour by hour
Green band = hours used for the score
Starry sky
How likely
Scored from cloud cover at every level and tonight’s moonlight — the darker the sky, the clearer the Milky Way · tap another night below for the next 7 nights
Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park
Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park (in preparation), Mu 5, Tha Maprang, Kaeng Khoi, Saraburi
- Morning mist over the reservoir
- Hot lawn, no shade
- Stargazing after quiet hours
Arrive 15:00
Morning mist over the reservoir in the cool season
- Reservoir lawnMist and tentsMorning
- Mo Khruea viewpointKhao Yai ridgesMorning
- Night skyStars over the reservoirNight
Gallery
Photos from Wikimedia Commons and contributors · full credits inClassic page
Good to know here
Rise fast after rain
No shade; heavy dew
- Call ahead: 089-237-8659
- Arrive Saturday morning — lakeside spots fill fast
- Bring a flysheet for the dew
- · Time needed 1–2 nights
Saturday nights and long weekends
| Camping optional | Pay as you like |
| A/C lodge for 2 optional | Pay as you like |
Cash · Prices may change by season — check with the venue
- Kids Yes; the short loop to the falls is easy
- Seniors Lawn and short loop only
- Wheelchair Car park and lawn only
- Pets No pets allowed
- Park shop and kitchenWeekends and holidays only
- La Lan Ta Camping & CafeCha-om, about 7 km
- 7-Eleven at Thap Kwang junctionStock up before you go
- Register before pitching a tent
- Quiet after 21:00, no sound systems
- No pets; no fires on the grass
- In the rains trails are slippery and streams rise fast — ask staff first
- No swimming, fishing or washing dishes in the reservoir
- No shade on the lakeside lawn; heavy dew at night
- Weak phone signal
Best months
Tap a month on the wheel to see weather, rain, haze and crowds from 10 years of records
Best time · Nov–Feb for cool, clear camping and stars · Jul–Oct for full falls, with flood risk
Watch out · Rainy season — slippery trails, fast-rising streams
21°Jan
22°Feb
24°Mar
25°Apr
25°May
24°Jun
24°Jul
24°Aug
23°Sep
23°Oct
22°Nov
21°Dec
Oct by the records 23–29°C · avg rain 231 mm (21 rainy days) · clear 2 days · avg PM2.5 13
The story of this place
Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao lies in Kaeng Khoi and Muak Lek districts of Saraburi. It is now Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park (in preparation), run by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. It borders Khao Yai National Park on the west but is not part of it.
Read more 5 more paragraphs
The land was once degraded forest that the state replanted as a plantation, and it is a headwater forest for Saraburi. It later opened as the Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao Nature Study and Ecotourism Centre, or Training Centre 6. By 2016 there was a campground by Sap Pa Wan reservoir, and in 2018 camping was by donation.
In 2022–23 the department held public hearings on making it a national park. Around 23 February 2023 media reported it as Thailand's 156th national park (in preparation), covering about 23,277 rai — about 13,750 rai under direct management plus about 9,527 rai of forest along the Khao Yai boundary. An academic paper expected full declaration by 2025, but no royal decree has been found. In 2025 the department listed it among Saraburi's five key Songkran destinations.
The main draw is the grassy lakeside at Sap Pa Wan reservoir, looking out to the Khao Yai range, often misty on weekend mornings. Upper Chet Khot waterfall is about 1.2 km from the reservoir. Trails range from a 1.2–1.5 km self-guided loop to a guided 4–8 km big loop past the middle, lower and big falls. The Mo Khruea viewpoint is about 1.8 km from the visitor centre.
"Chet Khot" probably refers to the winding stream ("seven bends"), and "pong" is a mineral lick where animals come to feed. The forest has butterfly puddling spots, champagne cup fungi in August–October and giant Krachian trees. Wildlife includes sambar, barking deer, serow, gaur, wild elephants and junglefowl. There are three types of lodges, and a shop and kitchen open only on weekends and holidays.
Campground rules: register first, quiet after 21:00 with no sound systems, no pets, no swimming, fishing or washing dishes in the reservoir, and no fires on the grass. Streams rise fast in the rainy season, and several Saraburi parks closed temporarily for flash floods in 2026, so call the staff before you go.
- Before 2016Degraded forest replanted
- 2016Open as a nature study centre with camping
- 2022–23Public hearings on national park status
- Feb 2023Reported as the 156th national park (in preparation)
- Dec 2024Ecotourism study published
- Apr 2025Listed as a key Songkran destination
Check-ins & visitor photos
Arrived? Check in, collect a stamp and tell others what it is like right now
Check your location first, so you do not fill in the form for nothing
Location must be on and within 2.5 km · One check-in per place per day · come back on other days to check in again
Post photos from anywhere — no need to be here · Up to 20 photos at a time · JPG / PNG / WebP · GPS location data is removed automatically
How to get there
Paved, fine for ordinary cars, about 20 km from the main roa…
Mittraphap Rd, U-turn at Thap Kwang · Fuel
Bangkok–Korat to Thap Kwang junction · Fare
Mittraphap Rd (Highway 2), U-turn at Thap Kwang
Lot near the visitor centre; car-camping spots
Mittraphap Rd at Thap Kwang
Weak
Gate about 08:00–20:00; office 08:30–16:30
around 40 km fromSaraburi town
Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao
Stays near Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park
Approx. nightly price for 2 adults (next week) · final price depends on your dates
FAQ
Before you goChet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park
Answers travellers want before they go — a one-minute read
Is it a national park yet
It is a national park in preparation, reported as no. 156 in Feb 2023, about 23,277 rai; no royal decree found
Do I need to book camping
Traditionally register on arrival; at times there has been online registration with caps — call 089-237-8659
How much is camping
No fixed rate; by donation. Bring your own tent
How far is the waterfall
Upper Chet Khot is about 1.2–1.5 km, about 1 hr return; the big loop is 4–8 km
Can I bring my dog
No
Is it part of Khao Yai
No, but it borders Khao Yai National Park on the west
Ready to go to Chet Khot–Pong Kon Sao National Park?
Best day this week: Wednesday 28 Oct · Check in when you arrive to collect a stamp