Opkhan or Ob Khan or Op Khan National Park

Ob Khan or Op Khan is a strange and beautiful natural sightseeing spot in the area of Maekhan River, near the boundary of Hangdong District and Samoeng District, where the office of the Ob Khan National Park is located. The sightseeing spot is originated from the erosion of cliffs on both sides of Maekhan River.




Activities :

Nature trail study

Cave/Geological Touring

Camping

• Attractions:

Huai Mae Win Waterfall is a 3-step small sized waterfall, situated in the central part of Mae Win River (between Ban Huai Yuak and Ban Khun Win, Tambol Mae Win, Mae Wang Sub-district, Sanpatong District). Step 1 of the Waterfall is about 10 meters high (approximately 20 meters away from Ban Huai Yuak or Ban Kariang), meanwhile, Step 3 is about 15 meters high and 9 meters wide (approximately 800 meters away from Step 2 of the Waterfall). Huai Mae Win Waterfall must be reached by walking from Ban Huai Yuak since there is no access road.


Pha Oak Ma
away from Opkhan about 200 meters with its special character of widespread rock besides Khan river...small and big rocks spreading around and the other side is a low rise cliff situable for relaxation and swimming...just not for rainy season.

• General Information:

Opkhan or Ob Khan National Park covers the areas of Pha Samoeng National Conserved Forest including areas of Tambol Samoeng Tai, Tambol Mae Sarb, Tambol Borkaew of Samoeng District; Pa Mae Khan-Mae Wang National Conserved Forest including Tambol Mae Win, Tambol Ban Kard, Mae Wang Sub-district, Sanpatong District, Tambol San Klang of Sanpatong District; and Pha Chang-Mae Khanin National Conserved Forest including Tambol Namprae, Tambol Banpong of Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai Province, within an approximate area of 574 square kilometers or 341,875 rai. The geographical features of the National Park mostly consist of high mountains. And “Yod Khun Tien” is the highest mountaintop of the National Park, at the altitude of 1,550 meters. The National Park has beautiful natural tourist attractions and varieties of major plants and wild animals.

• Geography

The geographical features of the National Park consist of high and low mountains, extending from mountains in the area of Mae Chaem District, Chaing Mai Province. The majority of mountains in the National Park are not much high. And “Yod Khun Tien” is the highest mountaintop of the National Park, at the altitude of 1,550 meters, followed by “Doi Khun Huay Prachao” at the altitude of 1,443 meters, and “Doi Khun Win” at the altitude of 1,424 meters above the medium sea level, etc. The National Park is the source of major rivers and gullies flowing into Ping River including Nan River, Lan River, Tien River, Win Gully, Mae Toa Gully, Mae Kamin Gully, Lah Luang Gully, etc. Most areas of the National Park are mountains at the average altitude of 800 meters above the medium sea level. There are small plains along rivers and gullies, including hillside plains where villages are situated.


Climate

The National Park has the tropical weather condition, i.e., summer is the longest period of the year. The weather is rather hot in summer and cold in winter. And there are frequent, short rains in the rainy season.


Flora and Fauna

Since the geographical features of the National Park consist of high and low mountains, there are various kinds of forests within the area of the National Park, including arid, evergreen forests, virgin forests, pinery, and mixed forests. Major plants include Irvingia Malayana Oliv. (Krabok), Anisoptera Costata (Krabak), Indian Mahogany, Pometia Pinnata, Sompong, rubber trees, clustered plants, Michela Alba, Talo, Cinnamon, Benzoin, Pinus Merkusii Jungh (two-leaf pines), Pinus Kesiya Royle Ex Gordon (three-leaf pines), teak, Leguminosae (Pradoo), Lagerstroemia (Tabaek), Schleichera Oleosa, Vitex Pinnata Linn. (Teen Nok), Terminalia Chebula, and different kinds of bamboo. Wild animals found in the National Park include gorals, Muliacus Muntjak, bears, fishing cats, mouse deer, masked palm civets, wild rabbits, wild boars, monkeys, slow loris, mongooses, porcupines, squirrels, tree shrews, rats, etc.

• Location and contact address"

Op Khan National Park
Nam Phrae Sub-district, Amphur Hang Dong Chiang Mai Thailand 50230
Tel. 08 6181 1068 E-mail reserve@dnp.go.th

How to go

You may take the routes around the area of the National Park, which are used as borderlines of the National Park, including Highway No. 1269 (Hangdong-Samoeng), Ror.Por.Chor. Road No. 12066 (Samoeng-Borkaew), Ror.Por.Chor. Road No. 12040 (Borkaew-Maehey), Ror.Por.Chor. Road No. 12039 (Maehe-Sobwin), Highway No. 1103 (Sobwin-Sanpatong).

2 routes from Chiangmai

1) from Chiangmai, use canal road from Ton Payom Market toward Hang Dong district around 15 Kilometers then turn right on the Ror.Por.Chor road no. 12066 (Samoeng-Borkaew) or Ror.Por.Chor Rd No. 12040 (Borkaew-Maekey) about 12 kilometers.

2) from Chiangmai, use hang dong street # 108 (Chiangmai-Hod) about 9 kilometers then turn right at the intersection toward Samoeng District about 2 kilometers, turn left along the canal road for about 6 kilometers then turn right to the Ror.Por.Chor road no. 12066 (Samoeng-Borkaew) or Ror.Por.Chor Rd No. 12040 (Borkaew-Maekey) about 12 kilometers, totally 29 kilometers

Information from National Park Organization and rearrange by Patrick Smith

Taxi Chiangmai: Local call 081 617 2116 oversea call: +66 81 617 2116