Mae Yom National ParkAbout Mae Yom National Park
Mae Yom is one of Thailand’s most beautiful national parks, prized for its rugged terrain, extensive teak forest, rushing streams and unspoiled nature. It is rather difficult to reach, lying almost 50 kilometres from the nearest town, Phrae. Covering an area of 455 square kilometres, the park is known to most Thais as the centre of a decades-long argument over a proposed dam on the Mae Yom River, which would flood vast tracts of the park, including the country’s last remaining stand of natural teak. For now the plan is on hold, but it is worth checking before you go that this pristine jungle has not become a huge building site.
Places of interest include Dong Sak Ngam, the dense teak forest that covers a large part of the park and includes some massive examples of this precious tree, characterised by giant leaves and dead-straight trunks. Another famed spot is Kaeng Sua Ten, the Leaping-Tiger Rapids, a favourite for white-water rafting, at least as long as work on the proposed dam has not begun.
Best Time to Visit Mae Yom National Park
Mae Yom National Park is accessible year-round, with the cool/dry season offering clearer trekking conditions and the wet season producing fuller waterfalls.
Weather & Climate near Mae Yom National Park
Mae Yom National Park's climate is classified as Tropical Savanna - Tropical Savanna climate with hot summers (peaking in April) and warm winters (coldest in December). Temperatures range from 13°C to 36°C. Abundant rainfall (1089 mm/year), wettest in August with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Ideal | 13° - 29° | 21° | 4 mm | mostly sunny | 67% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 high | 11.0h |
| February | Ideal | 15° - 32° | 24° | 8 mm | mostly sunny | 57% | 1.0 m/s | 1.7 very high | 11.4h |
| March | Excellent | 19° - 35° | 27° | 28 mm | mostly sunny | 53% | 1.1 m/s | 1.8 very high | 11.9h |
| April | Very Good | 22° - 36° | 31° | 78 mm | some cloud | 58% | 1.2 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 12.4h |
| May | Acceptable | 23° - 33° | 31° | 168 mm | overcast | 74% | 1.3 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 12.9h |
| June | Good | 23° - 32° | 31° | 117 mm | overcast | 81% | 1.3 m/s | 2.0 extreme | 13.1h |
| July | Acceptable | 23° - 31° | 30° | 162 mm | overcast | 83% | 1.3 m/s | 2.0 very high | 13.0h |
| August | Acceptable | 23° - 31° | 27° | 213 mm | overcast | 86% | 1.1 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.6h |
| September | Acceptable | 22° - 31° | 26° | 189 mm | overcast | 85% | 0.9 m/s | 1.9 very high | 12.1h |
| October | Very Good | 21° - 30° | 26° | 90 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 1.3 m/s | 1.7 very high | 11.6h |
| November | Ideal | 18° - 29° | 23° | 25 mm | some cloud | 78% | 0.9 m/s | 1.6 very high | 11.2h |
| December | Ideal | 14° - 27° | 21° | 7 mm | mostly sunny | 74% | 0.7 m/s | 1.4 high | 10.9h |
How to Get to Mae Yom National Park
Mae Yom National Park is reached by road from nearby Phrae and Uttaradit provinces. The park is approximately a 1-2 hour drive from Phrae town depending on the trailhead; hire a local driver or join a regional tour for easier logistics.
Tips for Visiting Mae Yom National Park
- Hire a local ranger-guide for multi-day treks-trail markings are limited and river crossings can be challenging after rain.
- Travel light and plan for early starts; viewpoints and waterfalls are best photographed in morning light before haze builds.
- Bring insect protection and a compact rain shell; the park's climate changes quickly in the mountains.