TL;DR: Erawan National Park is a 550km² protected area in Kanchanaburi province, established in 1975 as Thailand’s 12th national park, and there is far more to it than the famous seven-tier waterfall. Foreign adults pay ฿300 (US$9) to enter and children ฿150 (US$4.50), with the park open 8am-4:30pm daily. Inside are limestone caves (Phra That Cave, a 544-metre cave reached by a roughly 12km trek from the visitor centre; the larger Wang Badan Cave has been closed to visitors for some years), a nature trail, an official campground where camping costs ฿30 (US$0.90) per person per night with tents rentable from about ฿225 (US$6.80), and park bungalows bookable through the Department of National Parks. It sits about 65-70km (1.5 hours) from Kanchanaburi town via Route 323 then 3199, reachable by public bus 8170, car, or day tour. All prices ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).
Most people who search “Erawan National Park” are really picturing the waterfall, the seven turquoise tiers that make the park one of Thailand’s most photographed places. That is only part of it. The park is a 550km² stretch of limestone hills and forest in western Kanchanaburi, and it holds caves, longer trails, a river and an official campground alongside the famous falls. This guide covers the park as a whole: what it costs, what is inside beyond the waterfall, where you can camp or sleep, and how to reach it. For the tier-by-tier breakdown of the falls themselves, our Erawan Waterfall guide goes deeper on the hike, the swimming and the closing times.
Every price and figure below is checked against current 2026 park sources, listed at the end.
Quick facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Park area | 550km² |
| Established | 1975 (Thailand’s 12th national park) |
| Entry fee (foreign adult) | ฿300 (US$9) |
| Entry fee (foreign child, 3-14) | ฿150 (US$4.50) |
| Vehicle fee | ฿20 (US$0.60) motorbike / ฿30 (US$0.90) car |
| Park hours | 8am-4:30pm daily |
| Camping | ฿30 (US$0.90) per person/night; tents from ~฿225 (US$6.80) |
| Distance from Kanchanaburi town | ~65-70km via Route 323/3199 |
| Getting there | Bus 8170 (~฿60-70), car/taxi (~1.5 hrs), or day tour |
Conversions at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).
What is Erawan National Park?
Erawan National Park is a 550km² protected area established in 1975, Thailand’s 12th national park, named after the three-headed elephant of Hindu mythology that the top tier of the waterfall is said to resemble. It sits in the hills of western Kanchanaburi, a landscape of limestone karst, mixed forest and mineral-rich streams. The waterfall draws the crowds, but the park’s remit is much broader: it protects forest, wildlife and cave systems across a large slice of the province. Understanding that scale helps explain why the caves and trails sit so far from the entrance, and why a rushed waterfall-only visit only scratches the surface.
Entry fee and opening hours
Foreign adults pay ฿300 (US$9) and children aged 3-14 pay ฿150 (US$4.50), with the park open 8am to 4:30pm every day. Thai nationals pay a discounted ฿60 (US$1.80), standard across Thai national parks, and there is a separate vehicle charge of ฿20 (US$0.60) for a motorbike or ฿30 (US$0.90) for a car if you drive in. The gate closes at 4:30pm, but the upper waterfall tiers stop admitting new hikers earlier, generally around 3 to 3:30pm, as rangers clear the trail top-down through the afternoon. Bring cash for the entry booth, since card payment is not reliably available.
The caves inside the park
The park’s headline cave is Phra That Cave, a 544-metre limestone cave about 12km northwest of the visitor centre, reached on foot along a marked forest trail rather than by a short stroll. Its entrance is roughly 15 metres wide and 8-10 metres high, opening into chambers of stalactites and stalagmites, and the walk out to it is a genuine half-day trek that most waterfall day-trippers never attempt. Further out, Wang Badan Cave is a larger 740-metre system about 54km from park headquarters on the park’s southeastern side, but it has been officially closed to visitors for some years.
| Cave | Length | Location | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phra That Cave | 544m | ~12km NW of visitor centre | Marked forest trail, half-day trek |
| Wang Badan Cave | 740m | ~54km from HQ, SE of park | Officially closed to visitors |
Because cave access at Thai parks changes with season, safety and staffing, ask at the visitor centre on the day rather than assuming a cave is open. Bring a torch and closed shoes with grip if you do go, and do not count on phone signal or lighting inside.
Hiking beyond the waterfall trail
The waterfall trail is the busy one, but the roughly 5km Khao Hin Lan Pee nature trail gives a quieter forest walk of about 2-3 hours away from the crowds. It is a proper nature route rather than a paved path, so wear real shoes and carry water. Combined with the long trek out to Phra That Cave, there is enough walking here to fill a full day for anyone who wants more than the falls. The trails are best tackled in the cooler, drier months when the ground is firmer underfoot; in the wet season the forest paths get slippery and leeches are more likely.
Camping and bungalows
Camping at Erawan costs ฿30 (US$0.90) per person per night, and you can rent a two- to three-person tent for about ฿225 (US$6.80) per night rather than bringing your own. The campground sits near the visitor centre, and small extras like sleeping bags, mats and pillows are available for a few baht each, so it is realistic to turn up with nothing and still sleep comfortably. For a solid roof, the park also has bungalows sleeping between two and eight people, booked through the Department of National Parks rather than at the gate.
One honest caveat: the DNP online booking system has been unreliable through the 2026 season, with prolonged outages reported. If you want a bungalow rather than a tent, try booking well ahead and have a backup plan, since English-language phone support can be limited. Staying overnight is the single best way to reach the upper waterfall tiers early, before the day-trip buses arrive from town.
Getting to Erawan National Park
The park is about 65-70km from Kanchanaburi town, roughly 1.5 hours by road via Route 323 and then Route 3199. Public bus 8170 runs from Kanchanaburi’s bus station to the park gate several times a day from around 8am, costing roughly ฿60-70 (US$1.80-2.10) one-way and taking about 1.5 hours. It is the cheapest option and drops you right at the entrance, but ties you to the bus timetable for the return, so check the last departure before committing to a late finish.
A rented scooter, hired car or taxi covers the same route with more control over timing, which matters given how early the upper-tier trail closes. Organised day tours from Kanchanaburi bundle the transport, sometimes a guide, and occasionally the entry fee into one price, which suits a first visit or anyone who would rather skip the logistics. Erawan pairs naturally with the province’s other sights, so it is worth reading our things to do in Kanchanaburi guide and, if you are coming out for the day from the capital, our Kanchanaburi day trip guide.
Honest downsides
Erawan is genuinely worth it, but go in with clear expectations.
- The caves are a real trek, not a quick add-on. Phra That Cave is about 12km from the visitor centre and Wang Badan is closed, so if you pictured wandering into a cave near the falls, that is not how this park works.
- The upper tiers close mid-afternoon. Access to the top of the waterfall shuts around 3-3:30pm, well before the 4:30pm gate closing, which catches out afternoon arrivals.
- Weekends and holidays get crowded. The lower tiers near the entrance fill up fast on Thai public holidays, so a weekday or an early start makes a big difference.
- Bungalow booking can be a headache. The DNP online system has been patchy through 2026, so do not assume a same-day bungalow will be available.
- Bring cash. The entry booth, camping and local bus all run on cash, and there is no reliable card payment at the gate.
Planning the rest of your trip
Once Erawan is on the itinerary, check our live Kanchanaburi events for what else is on the same week, and consider pairing it with the province’s WWII history at the Bridge over the River Kwai. If waterfalls and forest are your main draw, Sai Yok National Park further up Route 323 makes a natural second nature stop, though most visitors pick one park per trip rather than trying to rush both.
Sources
- Thai National Parks: Erawan National Park: park area (550km²), 1975 establishment, cave details (Phra That, Wang Badan), camping and tent rental prices, nature trail, entry fees and hours
- Wanderlog: Erawan National Park Campsite: campground and bungalow information
- The Hidden Coconut: Erawan National Park guide: trails to the falls and to Phra That Cave, park access
- Lonely Planet: Erawan National Park: overview of the park and its features
- 2 Week Backpack: Erawan National Park Kanchanaburi Guide: visitor practicalities, getting there, bungalows and camping