For the country that tourism industry developed so well, it was quite surprised to discover that visiting Huai Kha Khaeng and Thung Yai were still almost unknown by tourist standard in Thailand even with the UNESCO World Heritage Site logo guaranteed. In 2009 with my friend, we traveled from Malaysia to Northern Thailand with stop enroute at the peaceful town of Uthaithani. We managed to hire local van to bring us to beautiful town of Lan Sak where the Huai Kha Khaeng's forest ranger HQ located.

At the office we pay 200 Thai Baht as the entry fee, here there were many trekking routes to see the forest to choose, the forest was OK with some bird, but there was no significant attraction. A ranger recommended us to visit Cyber Falls (very unusual name!) and Hoop Pa Taad Valley, so we continued our trip to the waterfall which located in other part of the Huai Kha Kheang about 40 minute drive from the HQ office, after 2 kms trekking and river crossing from the entrance, we reached the waterfall, the waterfall was quite lovely but nothing grand or spectacular, but compared to the trekking route at forest ranger HQ, the latter one was far better.

Then we went to Hoop Pa Taad Valley, not part of Huai Kha Khaeng but the adjacent buffer zone, but for us was the real highlight, the valley was located in the middle of limestone mount, we need to walk through the small cave to reach this hidden valley. Inside the valley was like a small Jurassic Forest with many beautiful tree and dripstone, I highly recommended to visit this place more than Huai Kha Kheang! But maybe I was just visiting the outer zone of this forest complex, to visit the inner zone; we need 15-30 days in advance contact the ranger office or Department of Forest in Bangkok for special permit, and to the best of my knowledge, all paperwork and contact point were Thai, so we need local travel agent to deal.

After Huai Kha Khaeng, we continued our trip to the small town of Um Phang in Tak Province located deep in the forest in Western Thailand almost near Burma border. Going to Um Phang was quite amazing; along the road were many beautiful jungle, waterfalls and hill tribe villages. The reason to come to Um Pang was to see Tee Lor Su Fall, the biggest waterfall of Thailand, located in Um Phang Wildlife Reserve next to Thung Yai WHS site. We had to take a raft along the river, passing many pretty waterfalls, and my guide claimed that some area along the river was part of Thung Yai. Finally, we reached Tee Lor Su, the waterfalls were really big and truly spectacular, better than any waterfalls I saw in Thailand. It was quite confusing some book even Lonely Planet in some edition claimed Tee Lor Su was part of WHS, but when I was there, I saw no single WHS symbol, quite contrast to Huai Kha Khaeng. But for sure was Um Phang and Tung Yai were under the same ecosystem.

Similar to many important natural WHS, visit the inner core zone of the protected area was quite almost impossible, but the places I saw in outer zone and buffer area of Huai Kha Khaeng and Tung Yai were quite amazing, especially Tee Lor Su and Hoop Pa Taad Valley, and not to mention fascinating culture of hill tribe people along the way to Um Phang. Western Thailand was just amazing place to visit and Tung Yai - Huai Kha Khaeng was a good World Heritage Site to enjoy.