Phu Kradeung

Accessible by a challenging long hike, Phu Kradueng National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Thailand by local tourists. Due to its remote location it is less known by foreign tourists. Situated in Phu Kradueng District of Loei Province in central north Thailand, the park is popular for its lon#nationalpark awesomepic trails, the cold winter months, number of waterfalls and viewpoints. Unlike most other major national parks in the country, Phu Kradueng National Park is accessible by public transportation from all nearby provinces and Bangkok. The park is mainly a single big mountain mesa, covering a total of 350 km² with highest point at 1,316 meters asl. The flat summit plateau of the mountain where the major attractions are located has an area of around 60 km², averaging an altitude of around 1,200 to 1,250 meters asl. The forests in the park are deciduous dipterocarp forest below 800 meter asl, gradually up found deciduous dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest, dry evergreen forest and at the top areas hill evergreen forest. At mid elevations mixed bamboo forests are common, at the plateau pine and oak trees dominating at most parts. Phu Kradueng National Park is part of Western Isaan Forest Complex including three other national parks and four wildlife sanctuaries covering 4,594 km² all together. The other protected sites within the complex are; Nam Nao National Park, Tat Mok National Park, Phu Pha Man National Park, Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Pha Phung Wildlife Sanctuary, Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary and Taboa Huai Yai Wildlife Sanctuary. ###