Khao Yai National Park may not be the first destination that comes to mind for visitors to Thailand, but among Thais, this UNESCO World Heritage Site and ASEAN Heritage Park is a deeply familiar and much-loved place.

Spanning more than 2,200 square kilometres across four provinces, it is home to a remarkable diversity of wildlife, including several endangered species, and serves as the source of a number of the country's important river systems.

June is a particularly good time to visit. The rains have arrived, and the forest becomes what Thais describe as Sot Chuen, a word that means something close to fresh, alive and invigorating all at once! The waterfalls are running at their best: Haew Narok, the park's largest, is genuinely impressive at this time of year, while Haew Suwat, with its distinctive volcanic pebble bed, is well worth the walk.

The drive from Bangkok takes around two hours, so a day trip is perfectly manageable. But staying overnight changes the experience considerably: a morning at the waterfall, an afternoon on the nature trails, and an evening night safari give you a much fuller picture of what the park actually is. Sleep in a lodge, or pitch a tent and spend the night under the forest sky.

Khao Yai has a way of exceeding expectations quietly and leaving you already thinking about when to come back.

Getting there: Drive from Bangkok, approximately two hours.

Fly to Bangkok with THAI. Click here