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Huai Kha Khaeng HQ Campground Temporarily Closed

01 May 2016 16:41 - 01 May 2016 17:50 #3718 by wildambience
I visited HQ last Sunday (24th April) and the campground was closed to visitors due to lack of water/drought. So we ended up staying a night just outside the entrance gate in a small 'resort' in the village.

Conditions in HKK were extremely hot and dry - in the afternoon birdlife was prolific around the few remaining puddles of water visible from the entrance road. I imagine it's probably a great time to see wildlife along the river if you can put up with the heat. Hopefully they'll get some rain soon.

Due to the +40c heat decided to head across to Khao Yai to spend the last few days of our Thailand trip in a slightly cooler evergreen area.
The following user(s) said Thank You: WT admin, Paul T

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07 Jun 2016 08:24 #3827 by Alex
Does anyone know if the Huai Kha Khaeng HQ campsite is open again? I was thinking of heading up to camp this weekend.

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08 Jun 2016 16:38 #3831 by Paul T
I don't know - but I would think its surely open again as the weathers changed significantly.

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14 Jun 2016 09:11 #3844 by Alex
I went to Huai Kha Kaeng this Weekend. The campsite was still closed although it wasn't obvious why. There seemed to be plenty of water and the ranger i spoke to didn't seem to know either.
I walked the Khao Hin Daeng trail a couple of times and was very impressed. I ran into an elephant in the forest both times, although was too scared to get any decent photographs! I was constantly disturbing sambar, muntjac and wild pig in the forest and the sound of gibbons was pretty common around me.
I was also lucky enough to see a small herd of Banteng at the observation tower by the Pong Chang Puak trail.

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14 Jun 2016 09:21 - 14 Jun 2016 12:09 #3845 by Alex

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15 Jun 2016 09:00 #3846 by WT admin
Great pics! Interesting that the camp ground is not open again. I have not been there for so long I had forgotten how good it was!

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15 Jun 2016 13:18 #3849 by onflipflops
Replied by onflipflops on topic Huai Kha Khaeng HQ Campground Temporarily Closed
Love the crossing piglets!
My guess for the white raptor is a Changeable Hawk-eagle, but maybe one of the true bird experts on here can give yo a definite answer.
I have seen this light colored variation a couple of times in HKK.

A shame the campground is closed. Does that mean you stayed in the rooms 2kms before the entrance?
The vegetation looks green and there seem to be quite a bit of water in your pics so one would think that the camp could reopen. Or maybe the water pump is not working?
Maybe they want to spare the water before the wet season really takes off, just to lower the impact on the nature.

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15 Jun 2016 13:29 #3850 by Alex
I stayed in the village just outside the park entrance, at this place goo.gl/l4uF9m
It was pretty good, and i got to have a cold beer and get away from the mosquitoes, there were a lot around!

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15 Jun 2016 14:00 - 15 Jun 2016 14:01 #3851 by onflipflops
Replied by onflipflops on topic Huai Kha Khaeng HQ Campground Temporarily Closed
Ah OK.
I usually stay at this one, when I arrive too late to enter the park:
goo.gl/maps/3nCakktdPYy
A couple of years back, I have been to the place you stayed, just to check the rooms, but prefered the one in the link, above.
He (park staff of HKK) doesn't serve any drinks or food, but within 100m walk there is a place that sells food and drinks.

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12 Dec 2016 21:50 - 13 Dec 2016 05:45 #4098 by onflipflops
Replied by onflipflops on topic Huai Kha Khaeng HQ Campground Temporarily Closed
Important note: camping is no longer possible in the HQ area of Huai Kha Khaeng. And the little restaurant is closed too.

It has been a long time since I last visited HKK, but after my visit this week (December 2016) I can hereby confirm that the camp ground in Huai Kha Khaeng HQ/ visitor centre area is still not open. And I do not expect it to open anytime soon.
There seems to be more to the story than the drought which was the initial reason given, at least on this forum.

Apparently there has been an incident in April 2016 with an elephant that decided it was time for the annual tent-inspection.
The owner of the tent survived, but with broken ribs.
For this reason the camp is no longer open.
A shame.
Always those bloody elephants! No manners! ;-)

Also the little restaurant near the HQ is no more. The lady who used to run the place is now operating at the little pink resort (owned by her husband) 2kms from the gate.

So not only for overnight, but also for lunch you need to leave the park unless you bring your own food (make sure to keep it locked in the car, otherwise the Long-tailed Macaques will walk away with it.)

So far the current status.

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