Found within the breathtaking Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, the Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk is a must-visit for any wildlife lover. Not only is it one of the best birdwatching spots in Thailand, it’s also one of the most scenic. It’s even more beautiful if you visit between early January and late March, with the marsh filled with blooming lotuses. The Bueng Bua Boardwalk is among the best places to see wildlife in the national park, with a variety of birds and reptiles in the area. This guide covers everything you need to know about visiting the Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk in Sam Roi Yot National Park.
Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk Information
Opening times: 8am to 4.30pm.
Entrance fees: 200 baht per adult, 100 baht per child. This entrance ticket also gives you access to the other 12 paid sites in Sam Roi Yot National Park for the rest of the day.
When to go: Anytime of the year is a great time to visit this beautiful place. There are more migratory species at the Bueng Bua Boardwalk between January and March, making it a particularly good time to visit.
How to get to the Bueng Bua Boardwalk
Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk is located within the Sam Roi Yot National Park, less than an hour’s drive south of Hua Hin. The boardwalk is fairly remote, so it is only accessible by car, bike or taxi.
We personally recommend renting a car and driving yourself, as it’s fairly inexpensive and makes exploring the rest of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park a lot easier. It’s easy to arrange a car rental in Hua Hin, and even in smaller villages it’s normally possible to rent a car from a local shop.
If you love your wildlife then we would definitely recommend checking out other places for wildlife in Khao Sam Roi National Park.
If you want to see as much wildlife as possible then we recommend staying in Sam Roi Yot village, which is located within the national park. The village has some wonderful birdlife in particular, and during our stay we saw Indian rollers, green bee-eaters, white-throated kingfishers, hoopoes, and more!
This small seaside village is a lovely place to stay for a few days and maximises your chances of seeing some of the park’s impressive birdlife. If you need to rent a car there is a small shop next to Noi’s Beach Bar that charges as little as 1,000 baht per day.
The alternative is to stay in Hua Hin itself, which is ideal if you only want to visit the national park on a day trip. Hua Hin has plenty of great accommodation options, as well as more restaurants, bars, and shops.
It’s approximately a 40-minute drive to the boardwalk from Sam Roi Yot village, and just under an hours drive from Hua Hin.
Wildlife at the Bueng Bua Boardwalk in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
Upon arrival at the boardwalk you will need to pay the Sam Roi Yot National Park entrance fee. Try to bring the exact amount of cash you need, as on our visit they did not have change available.
Entrance tickets cost 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children. Keep hold of your national park ticket, as it gives you free entry around the rest of the park for the remainder of the day.
The Bueng Bua Boardwalk is over one kilometre long, and stretches over the Thung Sam Roi Yot marsh. It’s the largest freshwater marsh in Thailand, and there have been over 300 different species recorded in the area.
Common bird species seen at the boardwalk include grey-headed swamphens, purple herons, pacific swallows, white-throated kingfishers and great egrets. Other bird species that can be seen at the Bueng Bua Boardwalk include chestnut munias, Javan pond herons, white-bellied sea eagles, and blue-winged pittas.
The Sam Roi Yot National Park is also home to a few mammal species, including leopard cats, wild boar, common palm civets, and fishing cats. It’s unlikely you will see any of these species at the boardwalk, but technically it is possible.
Tips for visiting
When to go – It’s best to visit when the boardwalk opens at 8am, as the birds tend to be more active in the cooler morning temperatures.
What to Bring: Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, water, binoculars for birdwatching, and a camera.
How long to spend there – As long as you like! We spent two hours at the boardwalk and could have easily stayed longer. Make sure to climb the boardwalk’s tower for some amazing scenic views over Sam Roi Yot National Parks and its karst limestone formations.
Boat trip – Take a one-hour boat trip around the Thung Sam Roi Yot marsh for just 500 baht. The cost is per boat, not per person, and the trips give you a different perspective of the park’s scenery and also give you the chance to spot even more wildlife. During rainy season the boat trips often don’t run, and so unfortunately we were unable to do this ourselves.
If you are looking for more wildlife experiences nearby then visit Kui Buri National Park to see some elephants!
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