Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
4.5
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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4.5
172 reviews
Excellent
99
Very good
52
Average
12
Poor
4
Terrible
5
Peter G
Chard, UK197 contributions
Jan 2020
We visited the park specifically to visit this river cave. If you go in you need helmets and lights and decent footwear plus a change of clothing as it is very wet around the entrance area. It consists of a single big passage with sections where you have to climb over boulders. it contains huge stalagmite and stalactite formations and is home to many many bats as well as the odd racer snake and spider. To reach it park at the resort and follow the track that runs by the river until you lose the river. You then need to climb down to the point where the river comes out of the cave mouth. If you walk beyond here you will see a cliff that has several bee colonies on it-interesting.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Winston T
Cebu City, Philippines168 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Beautiful park. The good thing is that since it is a national park, the trees are preserved and the grounds are well maintained. The bad is the waterfall barely has a swimming area and not much water. The water on the grounds are also kinda murky maybe because of the leaves that are not removed by the cleaners. It is also a steep climb to the top. They provide ropes to hold on to. But for me, it's not worth climbing as the waterfalls is just like a stream. We decided to eat lunch at their canteen. The food is really good but took us some time to order because the attendant is grumpy as she can't understand english.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
richard
Milton Keynes, UK11 contributions
Mar 2020 • Solo
Loved it, totally laid back, toilets and cafe. Strolled around for over 2 hours whilst my cabby slept. Trees and a small river which 500m from the car park is a very high series of small water falls. You need to climb some boulders to get to the fall so no flip flops. Lots of beautiful butterflies and birds. Like being in the jungle with paths and lots of places to sit, est and drink. A massive change from Bangkok and Krabbie, which is 40 minutes away by car.
Written 8 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam297 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
The waterfalls are magnificent and the walk to the lower ones is fairly easy. Ascending up the mountain can be a little difficult. I am 63 and managed to go to the view point. You climb up a rock face with the aid of ropes. Steep jungle paths mixed with crossing water next to waterfalls. I crossed a stream and swam in a pool and ended up with leeches on my ankles. My wife who didn't go into the water was also affected. Suggest loose long trousers. Great day
Written 10 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BOOtsie5
Paraparaumu, New Zealand397 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We rode here on a scooter from Krabi - a lovely ride. Once at the park we walked to the Huai To waterfall where we had a refreshing dip in the pool - it was heaven. We then decided to go on the Dog Slide nature trail - be warned, it's a very steep and sometimes difficult walk, you need to be reasonably fit and agile to do this. The walk took us through the forest and back to the very top of the waterfall where we again had a cooling dip in the pools.
For those thinking of doing the elephant trekking - please reconsider - the elephants are taken from their mothers at a very young age, tortured to be afraid of humans, and by giving rides their spines are damaged (as well as their feet becoming painfully sore and often become malnourished. Just google 'why not to ride elephants' for lots of information; and please pass this message on. Elephants (or any other animals) used for human entertainment is barbaric and cruel, no matter what their owners say about how they are looked after. Thank you.
For those thinking of doing the elephant trekking - please reconsider - the elephants are taken from their mothers at a very young age, tortured to be afraid of humans, and by giving rides their spines are damaged (as well as their feet becoming painfully sore and often become malnourished. Just google 'why not to ride elephants' for lots of information; and please pass this message on. Elephants (or any other animals) used for human entertainment is barbaric and cruel, no matter what their owners say about how they are looked after. Thank you.
Written 5 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DaisyClover
Melbourne, Australia1,821 contributions
The National Park is 21km from Krabi. The park head quarters, with manicured lawns, looks like a botanical garden. There is a well maintained path with concreted steps to the waterfalls. On the way there is a large board mapping out the points of interest on a '2km Nature Walk' which is an alternative route to the falls, off to the right. That sounds nice, we said. It was NOT NICE.
The path was narrow and not apparently maintained or well used. There were big trees across it but we were up for clambering over them, we're not wimps. We love bush-walking. And then the path climbed and climbed, and got steeper and steeper, and steeper.
The trail was so steep and we had gone so far that turning back did not seem to be a good option. We had each started with a bottle of water, remember this is only a 2km Nature Trail.
To cut a long story short, we walked up a very, very steep mountain through virgin rainforest (that looked just like a jungle). We were totally exhausted and dehydrated. I honestly ended up not being able to take more than three steps without resting. There were no signs or markings whatever on the trail and it would have been very easy to get lost. It was very dangerous.
The highest point in the park is 1,397 meters. I'm not saying that we climbed to the top of that, but I'm not sure we didn't. Finally we got to the waterfall, after climbing down knotted ropes.
I am not telling you that you should not experience this mountain climb BUT DO NOT do so without; serious hiking boots, lots of water, energy sources and ABOVE AVERAGE FITNESS.
The park is home to clouded leopard, black panther, tiger, Asiatic bear and much, much more. You won't see any of those and neither did we. Although there were lots of noises and we did give a large iguana a very big shock.
The path was narrow and not apparently maintained or well used. There were big trees across it but we were up for clambering over them, we're not wimps. We love bush-walking. And then the path climbed and climbed, and got steeper and steeper, and steeper.
The trail was so steep and we had gone so far that turning back did not seem to be a good option. We had each started with a bottle of water, remember this is only a 2km Nature Trail.
To cut a long story short, we walked up a very, very steep mountain through virgin rainforest (that looked just like a jungle). We were totally exhausted and dehydrated. I honestly ended up not being able to take more than three steps without resting. There were no signs or markings whatever on the trail and it would have been very easy to get lost. It was very dangerous.
The highest point in the park is 1,397 meters. I'm not saying that we climbed to the top of that, but I'm not sure we didn't. Finally we got to the waterfall, after climbing down knotted ropes.
I am not telling you that you should not experience this mountain climb BUT DO NOT do so without; serious hiking boots, lots of water, energy sources and ABOVE AVERAGE FITNESS.
The park is home to clouded leopard, black panther, tiger, Asiatic bear and much, much more. You won't see any of those and neither did we. Although there were lots of noises and we did give a large iguana a very big shock.
Written 29 December 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dawn L
Singapore, Singapore615 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
I wished we did a bit more research when we booked the half-day tour to the Tiger Cave Temple which came with the “Elephant Trekking” activity.
It was the saddest experience ever. We were brought to the Khao Panombenja Jungle where many elephants were made to give rides to tourists. We were asked to sit on top of an elephant carrying a metal seat propped on his back on blankets that was strapped onto him with ropes. The elephant was also chained. During the ride, the rider sat on his neck and carried a sickle that was used to instill fear in the elephant. The elephants looked so sad, or rather lifeless, like they had given up on life.
After the ride, there was a baby elephant show. The baby elephant was made to do trick like swinging a hoop on his trunk while dancing. People laughed when he did that. It was so so sad.
We could not bear to take photos.
The fault was ours for not finding out more. Would have paid much more to interact with elephants in an ethical manner.
It was the saddest experience ever. We were brought to the Khao Panombenja Jungle where many elephants were made to give rides to tourists. We were asked to sit on top of an elephant carrying a metal seat propped on his back on blankets that was strapped onto him with ropes. The elephant was also chained. During the ride, the rider sat on his neck and carried a sickle that was used to instill fear in the elephant. The elephants looked so sad, or rather lifeless, like they had given up on life.
After the ride, there was a baby elephant show. The baby elephant was made to do trick like swinging a hoop on his trunk while dancing. People laughed when he did that. It was so so sad.
We could not bear to take photos.
The fault was ours for not finding out more. Would have paid much more to interact with elephants in an ethical manner.
Written 5 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
charellison
164 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
After doing extensive research on the elephant camps in Krabi, I chose to book a half day elephant trek and bathing tour through yourkrabi.com. I emailed Seema some questions and she was very prompt in her responses and highly recommending the program.
The tour operator they use for elephant treks is Huay Tho Waterfall Safari and I can only speak words of praise about our experience. We were promptly picked up from our hotel along with other guests and drove about 40 minutes to the Huay Tho Waterfall.
A total group of 7 of us where picked up and my boyfriend and I were the only group that had booked Elephant bathing, while the other 5 had booked the Waterfall/trek option. With this, the guide was nice enough to also bring us to the waterfall as an extra option which was an added bonus for us. The guide was very nice showing us different spiders and plants along our walk to the waterfall. We had a chance to swim in the waterfall and trek to the top.
After that, it was a 5 minute drive to the Elephant trek, where 4 elephants and their mahouts were waiting for us. The 1 hour trek was very nice through the jungle and streams and all the elephants were treated very nicely. Even though the mahout carried the hook for safety reasons, he never once used it, and instead gently guided the elephants with his voice and nudging the back of its ears. The elephants were also allowed to stop and snack on nearby plants, drink water and rest along the way and we were very comfortable with the way they were treated the entire time.
After the trek, we rewarded the elephants with some bananas (40 baht a basket) and took some photos. Then, we proceeded to the nearby bathing area where we had the opportunity to scrub down our elephant while another one relaxed and played with water next to us. It was so fun and the mahout was nice to show us how to clean them and care for them.
We were then fed fresh fruit and water after and then headed back to our hotel. Overall it was such a fantastic afternoon spent and it was by far my favourite day in Krabi. There are many unethical elephant camps in Krabi, and I assure you that Huay Tho Waterfall Safari was not one of them!
The tour operator they use for elephant treks is Huay Tho Waterfall Safari and I can only speak words of praise about our experience. We were promptly picked up from our hotel along with other guests and drove about 40 minutes to the Huay Tho Waterfall.
A total group of 7 of us where picked up and my boyfriend and I were the only group that had booked Elephant bathing, while the other 5 had booked the Waterfall/trek option. With this, the guide was nice enough to also bring us to the waterfall as an extra option which was an added bonus for us. The guide was very nice showing us different spiders and plants along our walk to the waterfall. We had a chance to swim in the waterfall and trek to the top.
After that, it was a 5 minute drive to the Elephant trek, where 4 elephants and their mahouts were waiting for us. The 1 hour trek was very nice through the jungle and streams and all the elephants were treated very nicely. Even though the mahout carried the hook for safety reasons, he never once used it, and instead gently guided the elephants with his voice and nudging the back of its ears. The elephants were also allowed to stop and snack on nearby plants, drink water and rest along the way and we were very comfortable with the way they were treated the entire time.
After the trek, we rewarded the elephants with some bananas (40 baht a basket) and took some photos. Then, we proceeded to the nearby bathing area where we had the opportunity to scrub down our elephant while another one relaxed and played with water next to us. It was so fun and the mahout was nice to show us how to clean them and care for them.
We were then fed fresh fruit and water after and then headed back to our hotel. Overall it was such a fantastic afternoon spent and it was by far my favourite day in Krabi. There are many unethical elephant camps in Krabi, and I assure you that Huay Tho Waterfall Safari was not one of them!
Written 14 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasmine
88 contributions
Feb 2016 • Family
So annoying this place is rated high.
This place is awful, the place where they keep the elephants is terribleeeeeee too - not shown in the photos above of course !!!!!
They use the hooks for the poor elephants even when not needed. And customers actually think they treat them well and believe them. The owner or boss is so rude they do not say hi to you - neither do the men riding the elephants with you. You do not even get introduced to your elephant they just simply tell you to climb on.
The bathing was even worse the elephant was laying down and even so they use the hook on its back as if the elephant wasn't doing it anyway!
This place is a money making machine and should not be used !!! Yes the trek may be nice but think about the poor animals you can see sights like these without the elephants. So upset by these events.
This place is awful, the place where they keep the elephants is terribleeeeeee too - not shown in the photos above of course !!!!!
They use the hooks for the poor elephants even when not needed. And customers actually think they treat them well and believe them. The owner or boss is so rude they do not say hi to you - neither do the men riding the elephants with you. You do not even get introduced to your elephant they just simply tell you to climb on.
The bathing was even worse the elephant was laying down and even so they use the hook on its back as if the elephant wasn't doing it anyway!
This place is a money making machine and should not be used !!! Yes the trek may be nice but think about the poor animals you can see sights like these without the elephants. So upset by these events.
Written 13 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nedelcu A
Craiova, Romania2 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
Today we went on what was supposed to be an elephant trekking, bathing and feeding trip. We thought we would get to see elephants in a natural habitat. What we got was the biggest disappointment during our trip in Thailad. When we arrived, we couldn't help but notice that some elephants were chained to trees. The others, destined for trekking, were guided by their mahouts by the use of metallic hooks. Do not be fooled! Even though caretakers wouldn't brutalise an animal when tourists are around, there is an obvious reason why these weapons are carried at all times and enable the men to convince an elephant to do cheap tricks! Some elephants had bloody bruises behind their ears. The "lucky" elephant who got to take a bath was forced to play the harmonica and shoot some hoops before being led into the water with the help of the metallic hook. There, he was again forced into an unnatural position, laying sideways, just to make it more convenient for tourists to splash water on him. He is a 7 year old baby and his tail was visibly broken in several places. I couln'd bare to take photos of the poor creatures. I have to Elephants can't be ridden as you would a horse! They are wild animals who do not enjoy that giant metal seat on their back and have to endure severe treatments to tolerate it. I truly regret not reading more about this trip, I would have paid ten times the money to see elephants in a sanctuary!
Written 2 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Any recommendations about reliable tour company in krabi? I see many online. It I want carefully pick one company depending on your experience, guys. Thanx
Written 25 March 2017
No need for a tour company to see this place. Take a taxi and have them wait.
Written 29 June 2017
Bonjour
Avez vous vu des animaux singes, cochons sauvages, serpents?
Merçi
Written 10 December 2016
Hi guys, is it doable to go to Khao Phanom Bencha National Park on our own without joining those agents' day tour?
My girl friend and I will be staying at a hometel near Nopparat Thara Beach, any transportation available from Ao Nang to this National Park and how much does it cost?
Cheers.
Written 17 November 2015
Absolutely. All a tour can do for you is ruin it. Take a taxi. I think I had an all day taxi for something like 1000 baht, but that was not the price I'd expect to pay if I didn't know some Thai people.
Written 29 June 2017
Hi,
Is there an age limit or hight limit in order to participate in this activity?
Also as we will be 3 families - is there a need to book in advance and if so how much time in advance (we are coming in Aug.)
Thanks,
Orit.
Written 10 August 2015
No age limit. Do not book any national park-type attractions in advance unless you want to pay extra.
Written 29 June 2017
Does it cost to get in to the national park?
Written 7 April 2015
100 to 300 baht I believe, farang price.
Written 29 June 2017
Please do your research before even thinking of riding elephants; it is cruel and barbaric and the elephants suffer greatly. Just google 'why not to ride elephants' - there's so much information out there (I cannot put actual links on here). And please, educate your friends, family and anyone thinking of doing an elephant ride. Thank you.
Written 23 March 2015
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