Sai Yok National Park

Sai Yok National Park () is a national park in Sai Yok district, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, near the town Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi. The park, home to mountains, waterfalls and caves, is part of the Western Forest Complex protected area. In 1978, the Russian roulette scenes of the film The Deer Hunter were filmed in the park.

Geography Sai Yok National Park, with steeply limestone mountain in the Tenasserim Range, is northwest of Kanchanaburi town. The park's area is 312,500 rai ~ and neighboring (from north clockwise) Thong Pha Phum National Park, Khuean Srinagarindra National Park, Erawan National Park and Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. The park's highest peak is Khao Ro Rae at . The Khwae Noi river ("River Kwai") runs through the park.

History Within the park are remains of a bridge on the Burma Railway and of a camp used by Japanese troops during World War II. The establishment of the national park was declared the 19th national park in the Royal Gazette on 27 October 1980.

Climate Average high temperature is , average mean temperature is , average lowest temperature is . Rainy season is from mid-May to October, average rainfall is /year. Cold season is from November to mid-February and summer is from April to mid-May. April is the hottest month of the year.

Flora The main forest type is mixed deciduous forest with 85%, dry evergreen forest with 13% and the least common type is dry dipterocarp forest with 2%.

Mixed deciduous forest

Dry evergreen forest

Dry dipterocarp forest

Fauna Mammals The number of sigthings of mammals in the park include the following species:

Sai Yok is home to Kitti's hog-nosed bat, a rare bat species considered to be the world's smallest mammal (weighing around 2 grams). The bat was first spotted in 1973 and is found only in some limestone caves of the park (including Tham Kang Kao) and surrounding areas in Kanchanaburi Province and nearby Myanmar.

Birds The park has 209 species of birds from 61 families. Passerine 114 species of passerine from 33 families, represented by one species:

Non-passerine

95 species of non-passerine from 28 families, represented by one species:

Reptiles The sightings of reptiles in the park include the following species: Asian forest tortoise Asian narrow-headed softshell turtle Big-headed turtle Blanford's flying lizard Burmese Python Elongated tortoise Red-tailed Green Ratsnake

Amphibians The sightings of amphibians in the park include the following species: Asian grass frog Banded bullfrog Bufo asper Bufo macrotis Bufo parvus Dark-sided chorus frog Giant Asian River Frog Green paddy frog Malayan flying frog Puddle frog Striped sticky frog

Fishes The sightings of fishes in the park include the following species: Danio Dusky hairfin anchovy Hampala barb Malayan leaffish Oxygaster Paralaubuca Rasbora Soldier river barb

Attractions

The park's major attractions are its waterfalls, including Sai Yok Yai waterfall which flows into the Khwae Noi river. Sai Yok Yai Lek waterfall lies south of Sai Yok Yai along the Khwae Noi. The park also contains numerous caves, the largest of which is Tham Lawa with a length of . This cave complex consists of five large caverns, each containing large stalactites and stalagmites. Another cave system, Tham Dao Wadueng, is long and was discovered in 1972 and consists of eight chambers of stalactites and stalagmites. Sai Yok Noi Waterfall

Sai Yok Noi, also known as Khao Phang Waterfall, is the most popular attraction of the Sai Yok National Park. The waterfall consists of the limestone cliffs collapsing and that became the origin of the name "Khao Phang Waterfall”. The upstream falls from the mountain and flows along the limestone cliffs about 15-meter high. It is popular among domestic and foreign tourists alike, in part because it lies next to the province's trunk road alongside which there is ample parking space.

The Krasae Cave, a small Buddhist shrine next to a section of rail tracks of the Death Railway and the Dao Wadueng Cave, a secluded collection of stalactites, are located near the waterfall. Hellfire Pass Memorial, a museum and tribute to those lost during the construction of the Death Railway's cuttings and trestle bridges, lies about 35km to the west of Sai Yok Noi falls. A small market geared toward travelers is also nearby. Sai Yok Yai waterfall, some 40km to the west lies offset from the valley's main road, adjacent to the Sai Yok National Park Headquarters. It comprises a 10-metre (32ft) picturesque cascade which drops directly into the Kwae Noi River.

Location Sai Yok National Park in overview PARO 3 (Ban Pong) National park 1 Thai Prachan 2 Chaloem Rattanakosin 3 Erawan 4 Khao Laem 5 Khuean Srinagarindra 6 Lam Khlong Ngu 7 Phu Toei 8 Sai Yok 9 Thong Pha Phum Wildlife sanctuary 10 Mae Nam Phachi 11 Salak Phra 12 Thung Yai Naresuan West Forest park 22 Phra Thaen Dong Rang 23 Phu Muang 24 Tham Khao Noi Non-hunting area 13 Bueng Kroengkawia–Nong Nam Sap 14 Bueng Chawak 15 Khao Pratap Chang 16 Phantai Norasing 17 Somdet Phra Srinagarindra 18 Tham Khang Khao–Khao Chong Phran 19 Tham Lawa–Tham Daowadueng 20 Wat Rat Sattha Kayaram 21 Wat Tham Rakhang–Khao Phra Non

Sai Yok National Park

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