Ramkhamhaeng
National Park enjoys unique position among the national parks and
sanctuaries in Thailand. Situated in close vicinity of Sukhothai Historical
Park, it provides you with an opportunity of hitting two birds with a single
stone. A visit to the Park provides you with an experience which is
matchless in it's own sense. Synopsis
| Country | Thailand |
| Location | In Sukhothai province |
| Accessibility | Through Sukhothai town |
| Accommodation | Good |
Why To Visit
» Home to about 50 bird species and many more seasonal visitors
» Lovely natural beauty
» Trekking
» World heritage site Sukhothai Historical Park in immediate neighborhood
Park Residents
» Mammals like barking deer, Asiatic black bears, wild pigs, monkeys, gibbons, bantengs, and serow
» Resident and migratory birds such as barbets, laughing thrushes, common koels, robins, owls, red jungle fowl, hawks, woodpeckers, kingfishers, Chinese francolins and swallows
Tour Attractions
Besides watching wild animals in their natural habitat, you can also avail of some other attractions in the park. They are as mentioned below:
Sukhothai Historical Park
The
world heritage site almost blends with the National Park. The Thai capital
is a visual feast of elegant ruins, which share with us the tale of Thai
history. The Historic Park is reconditioned after the biggest restoration
work undertaken in history of Thailand.Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
The museum showcases art objects unearthed in Sukhothai and neighboring provinces, such as inscription stones of the Sukhothai age, Buddha idols of various styles, ancient weapons and Sangkhalok crockery. Plaster sculptures about Buddhism obtained from Mahadhatu Temple and Phra Phai Luang Temple are also displayed.
Other attractions include Sai Rung Waterfall, a herbal garden and the natural beauty of Khao Luang mountain range.
Trekking
Trekkers can follow two trails to reach the summit. The steeper one takes two to three hours, while the other is easier and demands three to five hours. The trails coalesce halfway up, after which the hike becomes easier as the trail leaves the dense forest and meets savanna grassland.
The range has four peaks within the contours of the park and all of them are well connected by paths. Scenic views are beautiful and specially, Pha Narai, a rocky ledge, provides impressive views over Sukhothai.
Association with History
Sukhothai was the first capital of the first kingdom of Thailand (13th to 14th centuries). Sukhotai National Park, where the ruins of the former capital exist, merges with the National Park. Ramkamhaeng area finds mention in the renowned Sukhothai inscription of King Pa Khun Ramkamhaeng, a great king of that time.
Topography & Vegetation
Major part of the park lies on the Khao Luang mountain range, which is the source of water to the agricultural land below. Four main peaks of the range lie within the periphery of the Park. The vegetation is the Combination of dry evergreen forest, hill evergreen forest, deciduous forest and savannah grassland
General Information
» Within the province of Sukhothai, it is surrounded by the districts of Ban Dan Lan Hoi, Kirimas and the provincial capital of Sukhothai.
» It lies over an area of 341 sq km.
» The Park is also called Khao Luang by the locals.
Climate
| Cold | October to January |
| Dry | February to May |
| Rainy | June to September |
How To Reach
Various means of reaching the National Park are given below:
By Air
Amphur Sawankhalok, approximately 30 kms from the New Sukhothai town, is the nearest airport. Air services are available for Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
By Train
You can take train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, nearest railway station. Then you can reach Sukhotai by bus.
By Road
Buses ply from Sukhothai for the towns of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Khon Kaen. You can also hire a car for the town. It is better to arrange for your own vehicle for reaching the National Park from the town.
Accommodation
» The bungalows at park headquarters provide fairly good stay
» Dormitory-style accommodation available at the summit
» If needed, porters can be hired at the headquarters
» Good accommodation available in New Sukhothai town
