🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Thung Salaeng Luang is a large national park straddling the line between Phitsanulok and Phetchabun. The part most people visit is the Nong Mae Na side, over near Khao Kho, because it's easy to drive into and you can pitch your tent right beside the grassland. The mental image of this place is a wide open meadow ringed by pine forest, waking up to low-hanging mist over the grass and air cold enough that you'll reach for a jacket.
This isn't the kind of spot with flashy highlights for rapid-fire photos. It's a place you come to slow down — sip coffee outside the tent, cycle through the pines, walk along the trail looking at little wildflowers. If you like nature at its quietest, you'll fall for it.
Why come to Thung Salaeng Luang
- Real savanna grassland — wide open meadows alternating with pine forest, a landscape that's hard to find in Thailand, which is why people gave it the nickname Thailand's savanna.
- Camp right by the meadow — at the Nong Mae Na campground you can drive in and park beside your tent, then wake up, open the flap and look straight out at grassland and mist.
- Genuinely cold late in the year — November to January, the early mornings get very cold, and some days there's a light frost on the tips of the grass.
- Wildflowers in the early cool season — dusita, soi suwanna, silver buttons and tropical pitcher plants come up scattered across the meadows.
- Quiet, not crowded yet — compared with Khao Kho or Phu Thap Boek, there are fewer people here, which suits anyone wanting to escape the bustle.
Want more out of Phitsanulok? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Main spots inside the park
Nong Mae Na campground (Sor Lor 8)
The heart of a trip here — a wide field beside the savanna grassland. Wake early for mist and first light. There are shops and toilets in the area.
Thung Nang Phaya
A big stretch of savanna grassland about 14 km below Nong Mae Na, ringed by two-needle pine. In the early cool season it fills with wildflowers.
Thung Non Son
A hiking and camping route for backpackers — you have to walk in. Good for anyone wanting a deeper-forest feel than Nong Mae Na.
Dusitalai Pavilion
A viewpoint over grassland and pine near the park headquarters. Easy to stroll and take photos, with meadows stretching as far as you can see.
Kaeng Sopha Waterfall
A large waterfall beside Highway 12, the Phitsanulok–Lom Sak road. Easy to stop at on the way in or out. At the end of the rains the flow is strong and pretty.
Sri Dit Waterfall
A waterfall inside the park on the Nong Mae Na side — a tiered fall a short walk in. Good for a quick dip when the water's high.
Wildflowers and the seasons
One of Thung Salaeng Luang's charms is the little wildflowers that come up across the meadows from the end of the rains into the early cool season (late Oct–Nov) — purple dusita, yellow soi suwanna, silver buttons, eulophia orchids and tropical pitcher plants. Along the way in places you'll also spot white Siam tulips and wild orchids. These flowers are small, so you have to walk in close to see how lovely they are.
The savanna grassland is at its greenest at the end of the rains (Sep–Oct), then slowly turns gold through the cool season. Both have their own mood. If you want green meadows, come early in the season; if you want cool-season mist and golden grass, come around Dec–Jan.
When to go
The cool season, November to January, is the best window — misty mornings, cold air, and wildflowers still around to see. The rainy season (Jun–Sep) brings green meadows but frequent rain, and some sections of the route get slippery, so check the forecast before you go.
Entry fees, camping and lodging
- Park entry — Thai adults 40 THB, Thai children 20 THB; foreign adults 200 THB, children 100 THB.
- Vehicle fee — car 30 THB, motorbike 20 THB.
- Bring your own tent — campsite fee around 30 THB/person/night.
- Rent a park tent — a 3-person tent runs about 225 THB/night; a bedding set (sleeping bag + mat + pillow) about 60 THB/person.
- Park bungalows — there are several, sleeping 6–14 people each, with fees around 900–2,400 THB/night. In the cool season book ahead through the national park reservation system.
Food and supplies
The park restaurant only opens in high season (roughly Nov–Jan). Off-season there's just a small shop selling instant noodles and drinking water, open around 8am to 4pm. If you're coming off-season or want to cook for yourself, bring full supplies and a stove — and remember that some campgrounds don't allow open fires for cooking.
How to get there
Thung Salaeng Luang has no public transport — you'll need your own car or a rental. The spot people head for is the Nong Mae Na side over by Khao Kho, which is closer to the Phetchabun side than to Phitsanulok town.
- From Phitsanulok — take Highway 12 (Phitsanulok–Lom Sak) for about 100 km, turn right up to Khao Kho, pass the Ban Sadoh Phong intersection, join Highway 2258 past the Khao Kho royal residence to Ban Tan Tawan, then turn off into Nong Mae Na for about another 4 km.
- From Phetchabun — take Highway 21 toward Lom Sak for about 13 km to Ban Na Ngua, turn left onto Highway 2258 up to Khao Kho, pass Sadoh Phong–the royal residence–Ban Tan Tawan, then into Nong Mae Na.
- The final stretch is a mountain climb — winding in places, so drive in daylight and check your brakes carefully, especially in the rainy season when the road is slippery.
A 2-day, 1-night camping plan
Enter the park, pitch camp, watch the sunset
Morning mist, Thung Nang Phaya, head home
What to pack before you go
- Warm clothes — cool-season mornings and nights get genuinely cold, so bring a thick jacket, gloves and a beanie.
- Food and water — outside high season the restaurant is closed, so bring enough to feed yourself.
- Torch / power bank — it's pitch dark at night and phone signal is poor in places, so come fully charged.
- Rubbish bags — pack out your own trash and help keep the meadows beautiful.
- Book ahead — it's busy in the cool season, so if you want a bungalow or want to be sure of a spot, reserve through the national park system first.
Plan a full nature trip around Phitsanulok
See the Phitsanulok travel guide →