Located near to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand lies Khao Yai a gem hidden in the mountainous regions of Thailand. Known amongst locals for natural springs, waterfalls, and fruit and flower farm, it is just a 2.5-3 hour drive away from the city. Escape the bustling life of Bangkok to Khao Yai for the weekend and find your inner peace and tranquility whilst gazing at the mountainous landscapes on your drive up. I just spent 2 days there and I definitely would make a trip to Khao Yai again on my next trip to Bangkok. There is just so much to see and do!
If you are planning on adding another stop on your Thailand itinerary, take a look at this 2 Day 1 Night itinerary. It’ll be sure to give you a magical experience of the charm and magical experience that Khao Yai has to offer.
Day 1: Depart Bangkok For Khao Yai at 10AM
The easiest way to get to Khao Yai from Bangkok is by car. We rented a car from Chic car rent for a reasonable price of 786.45 baht per person for both days, equivalent to $29 SGD. The 2.5-3 hour car ride up north would require you to pay several toll booths of various amounts as well, so be prepared to do so. Leaving at 10am from Bangkok would get you into Khao Yai just in time for lunch assuming that traffic is smooth.
1:00PM Lunch At Ban Mai Chay Nam Resort and Village
Stop at Ban Mai Chay Nam Resort at Pak Chong in Khao Yai and enjoy a leisurely lunch whilst also being able to explore this quirky and vintage resort. With a museum of old antique dolls, furniture and artefacts, this place is sure to leave you fascinated with their range of collections. At the meuseum restaurant, you’ll want to try there most exotic dish, ant egg omelette. That’ll be surely one to remember!
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Address: 21 หมู่บ้านเกาะแก้ว ปากช่อง Pakchong Pak Chong, Pakchong, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand
3:00PM Ban Tha Chang Spring
After lunch take a dip in the springs of Ban Tha Chang, where you can swim, soak yourself, and even kayak in the spring. Get an idea of how the locals have fun on the weekend with nature. It is free to swim and just play in the spring, however if you’re looking to kayak, they do charge for half an hour of kayaking in the spring. This situated by the roadside so it is very convenient to get to. However, because of how small it is, you won’t plan to stay longer than an hour or two.
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Address: ซอย โยธาธิการ Mu Si, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand
5:00PM Lala Mukha Resort & Dinner
After getting wet and having a dip at the natural spring, get ready to check in to your accommodation for the trip. Lala Mukha is an eco lifestyle camping resort. If anyone has ever tried glamping, this is glamping at its finest. With a mix of room types ranging from their Eco Safari Tent, Deluxe Savanna Tent, Deluxe Signature Tent and Tree Top Loft, there is one for every travellers needs. Whether you prefer camping out in a tent by the campfire, sharing bathroom facilities, or having your luxurious tree top loft complete with a bath tub, this resort brings nature closer to you at every level. Although the resort is not big, guests can still opt to rent a bicycle to explore the resort and within the vicinity.
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Have a night in and rest and relax in the resort. Have dinner at the resort’s restaurant overlooking the lake and mountains in the background.
Wake up for breakfast and check-out, before venturing out to your next point of interest. Catch the sunrise from the central lake in the resort to take in the breathtaking views of the mountains nearby.
Address: 515 Moo 5 Musi Pakchong Nakhonratchasima Thailand
Day 2: 9AM Yellow Submarine
Fancy an outdoor cafe for a quick pick me up coffee and breakfast bite? Yellow Submarine is the perfect place for coffee, with its modern and unique architecture and iconic ‘submarine’ exterior. The outdoor seating is rustic and incorporates nature into its design with roots of trees being part of the dining halls and having stone as feature walls. For food, they offer a wide range of coffee beverages, with the option to substitute normal milk for oatmilk for those who cannot take normal milk. They also have brownies, cakes and cookies to order in their cafe.
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Address: 149 หมูสี อำเภอปากช่อง Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand
Day 2: 10 AM Primo Piazza
Primo Piazza is a quaint little Italian style village, also known as the ‘Little Italy of Thailand’. There you have Tuscan styled houses with bursts of reds, beige, and yellow houses. The village is a great place to take instagram-worthy shots, especially under ‘umbrella alley’ (you can’t miss it). Walk along cobblestone paths, have a bite or gelato at one of their cafes. Primo Plazza is also home to a sheep farm where buying a ticket for the attraction also allows you to trade in the bottom part of your ticket for some grass to feed the sheep. It is quite a fun little thing to do and its a great place to take pictures up close with the animals.
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Address: 200/2 หมู่ที่ 10 Mu Si, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30130, Thailand
12 PM Lunch at Piya Radna
A popular place amongst locals, this eatery serves up tasty and good quality phad see iw and rat na with fresh noodles or deep fried noodles. Their signature rat na dish is served with a homemade gelatinous gravy and tender slices of pork.
Address: 994 Mukkamontri Road, Nai Mueang, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Ratchasima. Tel. +66 8 4496 4368
3 PM: Hokkaido Flower Park
Hokkaido Flower Park was the most beautiful of the few that we went. If Primo Plazza is Little Italy, then Hokkaido Flower Park is ‘Little Japan’. A field full of flowers with various different types, there are boardwalks for you to walkover them to get the perfect picture spot. You can see Verbena, Maragaret, red celosia flowers. Centred in the middle of the flower field is also a Japanese styled hut cafe for you grab a bite and drink as well.
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Address: 102/2 Moo5, Mitraparp Road Payayen Pakchong Nakhon Ratchasima 30320, Thailand
5 PM: PB Valley Winery
On your last stop before heading back to Bangkok for the day, check out PB Valley Winery. Embark on a tour to see how green and white grapes are grown locally to produce the wines that are produced in Thailand. After that take a more in depth look at the wine making procedure from the various filter machines to the ageing room. Buy a bottle of local wine or even buy some grapes to enjoy on the road trip home. This tour also includes a series of wine tastings. Our tour offered three different glasses. One glass of moscato, one glass of white wine and one red.
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Address: 102/2 Moo5, Mitraparp Road Payayen Pakchong Nakhon Ratchasima 30320, Thailand
6PM: Back to Bangkok
Head back to Bangkok just in time for dinner and resume the rest of your vacation!
