Khao Luang

Khao Luang Naional Park is located on the southern peninsula of Thailand in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province. It is named after the tallest mountain in the park which is also the tallest in southern Thailand. The park is mountainous with many tall mountains along this range.

Geography

The rark covers an area of convert|570|km2|sqmi encompassing a huge variety of wildlife, including mountains, forests, rivers and waterfalls. Providing a place of beauty for visitors to come and experience. This area also provides an important watershed area for the surrounding villages and farms. Park provides a green roof to southern Thailand and its quality earned it an award in 1999 for being a place of outstanding beauty and nature. Park was officially designated a National Park on 18 December 1974, becoming the ninth National Park in Thailand. The headquarters of the park is convert|30|km|mi from the town of Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

The mountainous Park is a watershed for the Tapee River. It is located within several districts; Lansaka, Chawang, Phiboon, Plomkiri, Chang Klang and Nop Pi Dam.

Climate

Due to the park's location on the peninsula, it receives monsoons from both the east and the west coasts and means that the park receives a great deal of rain all year and also cold weather. There are two main seasons. Rainy season from May through to January with the heaviest of the rainfall between October and December. Hot season is between February and April. Over the year the park receives approximately convert|3500|–|4000|mm|in of rainfall. The highest temperatures range from convert|28|°C|°F to convert|30|°C|°F and the lowest from convert|15|°C|°F to convert|15|°C|°Fin January and February.

Flora and fauna

Moist Evergreen Forest, which can be found in the valleys and in damp gulleys and riversides. Hill Evergreen Forest and Lower Montane Forest. Over 300 species of orchids can be seen within the Park. Khao Luang is the only place in the world where some of these can be found. There are no less than 327 species of animals living in Khao Luang, some of these include; Malayan Tapir (only seen if you are very lucky), Sumatran Serow, Pigtailed Macaque, Bush-tailed Porcupine, Clouded Leopard, Barking deer, Sambardeer, Binturong, Panther, Tiger, Wild Pig, Banded Languar and Dusky Speckled Languar. Bird species include Black Eagle, Red Jungle Fowl, Great Argus Pheasant, Crested Fireback Pheasant, White-crowned Hornbill, Bushy-crested Hornbill, Great Pied Hornbill, Helmeted Hornbill, Redcrowned Barbet and Sunbirds.