Khon Kaen National parks. Suitable for swimming?

[Kenny202]

I see there are a couple of National Parks North of Khon Kaen. Wondering if anyones been and if possible to swim at any of the areas?

[Shaunduhpostman]

I was curious about these same national parks a few weeks ago. One of them seems to have been cordonded off because they want to excavate for the large number of dinosaur fossils that can found there. Kind of disappointing given that it is the only patch of pristine ancient forest left in Isaan unless you want to count patches of Khao Yai which actually are in an area that isn't Isaan. I was just interested if there was any camping sites there already in place for an easy camping trip, but it seemed the park wasn't set up for that. I checked out the visitor center on google street view it looked a little forlorn and unwelcoming. In fact there was a blockade on getting into the park by road altogether on the day the google street view cameras paid their visit.

Hope that helps, though I have not turned over every stone, there are two adjacent national parks there with one ranging into Chaiyapum it seems there ought to be camping and/or swimming in some part of one of them. Also, there's an interesting site in Thai called Thai trekking dot come or dot net where Thais post pics and trip reports on trips into these kinds of wilderness areas. If you enter the site via Google translate or some other web translation dealie-muh-bob you can get a rough idea about people are talking about on the site. I have used it to look at posts of wild plants and orchids as I am interested in that and there's some surprisingly detailed and in depth posts with many photos on that whole topic. That site is worth a look, sorry I don't have the web address on the top of my head, but Thai trekking dot net or dot com as a google search should take you there.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Shaunduhpostman

[Gonsalviz]

Most places claimed to be swimming areas are really wading areas. Thais mostly cannot swim.

[Lannig]

Well, most people who go out for a swim don't really swim either, be they thais or farangs.

Just cooling off in water.

At this time of the year I wouldn't expect to have water above waist anyway.

[Kenny202]

Went to a couple of areas just 10k west of KK today. Looked like a big dam area on Google maps. Jesus ended up out the back of nowhere, hillbilly central. Big area for sure but just like marshland. Then found another big dam. Follow Sri Chan road over on the Big C side about 5ks. Big dam and full of water but pretty dirty water, rubbish etc. Like the big dam near the city. Couldn't swim there

[Kenny202]

Most places claimed to be swimming areas are really wading areas. Thais mostly cannot swim.

I've never seen an area marked as "swimming area" in Thailand. Have found some lovely swimming holes and Khlongs though. Had a beautiful area with pools and waterfalls where we used to live in the bush Chaiyaphum. Could never understand why no one else ever swam or picniced there. Probably ghosts or something. See the poor buggers coming back sweating it out on the farm. I'd be down to my undies and in the water if I was them to cool off.

Problem is as I see it KK doesn't have mountains therefore no waterfalls and not many rivers

Edited March 26, 2016 by Kenny202

[Kenny202]

I was curious about these same national parks a few weeks ago. One of them seems to have been cordonded off because they want to excavate for the large number of dinosaur fossils that can found there. Kind of disappointing given that it is the only patch of pristine ancient forest left in Isaan unless you want to count patches of Khao Yai which actually are in an area that isn't Isaan. I was just interested if there was any camping sites there already in place for an easy camping trip, but it seemed the park wasn't set up for that. I checked out the visitor center on google street view it looked a little forlorn and unwelcoming. In fact there was a blockade on getting into the park by road altogether on the day the google street view cameras paid their visit.

Hope that helps, though I have not turned over every stone, there are two adjacent national parks there with one ranging into Chaiyapum it seems there ought to be camping and/or swimming in some part of one of them. Also, there's an interesting site in Thai called Thai trekking dot come or dot net where Thais post pics and trip reports on trips into these kinds of wilderness areas. If you enter the site via Google translate or some other web translation dealie-muh-bob you can get a rough idea about people are talking about on the site. I have used it to look at posts of wild plants and orchids as I am interested in that and there's some surprisingly detailed and in depth posts with many photos on that whole topic. That site is worth a look, sorry I don't have the web address on the top of my head, but Thai trekking dot net or dot com as a google search should take you there.

thanks mate. We did have some lovely swimming areas and national parks with great facilities in Chaiyaphum. Appreciate ur reply

[Kenny202]

I was curious about these same national parks a few weeks ago. One of them seems to have been cordonded off because they want to excavate for the large number of dinosaur fossils that can found there. Kind of disappointing given that it is the only patch of pristine ancient forest left in Isaan unless you want to count patches of Khao Yai which actually are in an area that isn't Isaan. I was just interested if there was any camping sites there already in place for an easy camping trip, but it seemed the park wasn't set up for that. I checked out the visitor center on google street view it looked a little forlorn and unwelcoming. In fact there was a blockade on getting into the park by road altogether on the day the google street view cameras paid their visit.

Hope that helps, though I have not turned over every stone, there are two adjacent national parks there with one ranging into Chaiyapum it seems there ought to be camping and/or swimming in some part of one of them. Also, there's an interesting site in Thai called Thai trekking dot come or dot net where Thais post pics and trip reports on trips into these kinds of wilderness areas. If you enter the site via Google translate or some other web translation dealie-muh-bob you can get a rough idea about people are talking about on the site. I have used it to look at posts of wild plants and orchids as I am interested in that and there's some surprisingly detailed and in depth posts with many photos on that whole topic. That site is worth a look, sorry I don't have the web address on the top of my head, but Thai trekking dot net or dot com as a google search should take you there.

thanks for the details mate. Appreciate ur time