The Top 5 Thailand Camping Sites

Camping isn’t usually the first thing that comes to peoples’ minds when you mention Thailand. This is a shame because the Land of Smiles is a great place to pitch a tent. There is an abundance of fantastic Thailand camping sites, not to mention, the facilities are great, the landscapes are magnificent and it costs next to nothing. 

We’ve spent a lot of time camping in Thailand and even more time searching for the best Thailand camping sites. We’ve camped high in the mountains where it was so cold we had to wear down jackets and beachfront on some of the lesser-known islands. We’ve woken up to some of the best sunrises in our life and had unbelievable spots all to ourselves. 

We’re really passionate about camping and encouraging others to embrace it as a way to travel, especially in places you would never expect! 

In order to help you get out there exploring, we’ve put together this guide on the top 5 Thailand camping sites. 

Want to know more about camping in Thailand? Read our complete guide to camping in Thailand

1. Koh Adang: The Best Beach Camping in Thailand

Koh Adang is one of our favourite places in Thailand. It’s so, so special and hands down our top pick amongst all of Thailand’s camping sites. 

Think remote island vibes, incredibly clear water and beachfront camping. It’s the dream. Camping on the beach on Koh Adang should definitely be on your Thailand bucket list.

When to Go

The best time to visit Koh Adang is from mid-November to March. During this time, you can expect sunny and warm days. 

Note that the entire national park closes from mid-May until October and you are unable to visit during this time.

Fees

The national park entrance fee is 200 THB per person, valid for 5 days. In our experience, they do not check the dates and if you stay over 5 days you shouldn’t have to buy a new ticket. 

The camping fee is 80 THB per person, per night.

If you don’t have your own tent, you can rent a tent plus camping gear from the visitor’s centre. This costs around 400 THB per night for two people and includes the camping fee. The park provides a tent, sleeping bags and sleeping mats. These are already set up and you can just speak to the visitor’s centre upon arrival to arrange.

Camping Areas

It’s pure Thailand beach camping here. The camping area is set out under massive Sumatran pine trees overlooking the Andaman Sea. The camping area is large and you can set your tent up wherever you wish. 

Facilities

There are three different bathroom blocks on the island, each containing multiple toilets, sinks and showers (bring your own toilet paper). 

There are cute outdoor showers scattered throughout the island so that you can rinse off after swimming in the sea. 

There is one restaurant on Koh Adang. Considering it is the only place on the island to get food, the prices are reasonable and the food is good. 

For example:

• Scrambled eggs – 90 THB
• Som Tam – 120 THB
• Fried Rice – 100 THB
• Green Curry – 250 THB

On average, we paid 250 THB – 300 THB per meal for the two of us.

Activities

This is a tropical island, so the activities are as you would expect:

• Enjoying the beach;
• Snorkelling (the visitor’s centre rents out snorkels for 50 THB per person, per day);
• Hiking to the pirate waterfall and the viewpoint; and 
• Watching incredible sunrises and sunsets!

Find out all you need to know about Koh Adang, including how to get there in our complete guide to Koh Adang

2. Koh Tarutao: Thailand Beach Camping + Adventure

Koh Tarutao is another tropical island, but with a bit of a wild side. It’s another one of our favourite Thailand camping sites. 

Here you’ll find excellent Thailand beach camping, plus more adventurous activities than you can shake a stick at.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CAMPING ON KOH TARUTAO: We do not recommend using your own tent. The monkeys on all three bays are extremely aggressive and have a long history of breaking into tents (i.e., ripping the precious fabric to get inside). 

We were warned by 3 staff members, and despite not keeping anything scented inside the tent, ours still fell victim to these aggressive little bandits. Do not let this happen to you! 

Since our tent was out of commission, we rented a tent from the visitor’s centre for the remaining nights. The monkeys seemed to leave this tent alone and we had no issues. 

Our advice would be to play it safe and rent a tent from the visitor’s centre. 

When to Go

The climate on Koh Tarutao is exactly the same as that of our number 1 choice, Koh Adang. The best time to visit is from mid-November to March. During this time, you can expect sunny and warm days. 

Note that the entire national park closes from mid-May until October and you are unable to visit during this time.

Fees

The national park entrance fee is 200 THB per person, valid for 5 days. Unlike Koh Adang, our tickets were checked here, so if you pass the 5-day period, you may have to purchase a new ticket. 

The camping fee is 80 THB per person, per night.

If you do not have your own gear, you can rent the whole kit (tent, 2 x sleeping mats, 2 x sleeping bags, 2 x pillows) for around 400 THB a night, inclusive of the camping fee. If you only need to rent a tent, it costs 260 THB per night (inclusive of the camping fee).

You will also have to pay a 20 THB pier fee at Pak Bara when you board the boat. 

Camping Areas

There are three areas on the island: Ao Pante Malacca, Ao Moe Lae and Ao Son. You can camp on the beach in all three areas. 

Facilities

There is a bathroom block on each beach, each containing multiple toilets, sinks and showers (bring your own toilet paper). On Ao Pante Malacca there are two bathroom blocks, but only one has showers. 

At Ao Mo Lae there are outdoor showers in front of each cabin so that you can rinse off after swimming in the sea. 

There is a restaurant on Ao Pante Malacca, Ao Mo Lae and Ao Son. 

Considering these are the only places on the island to get food, the prices are reasonable and the food is good. The prices are exactly the same as they are on Koh Adang.

Activities

Koh Tarutao is all about the activities! There is so much to explore and the park has good rental gear to facilitate independent exploration. 

Here are some activities you can expect:

• Mountain biking (a good quality bike costs 250 THB per day);
• Hiking – there are multiple trails throughout the island; 
• Kayaking through the mangroves;  and
• Beach bumming (note there are quite a few sandflies on the island). 

Read our Complete Guide to Koh Tarutao to uncover this incredible island

3. Wiang Khosai National Park: The Hidden Gem of Thailand’s Camping Sites

Wiang Kosai is a great national park for camping in Thailand. It’s not too far from Chiang Mai, but still off the beaten track enough to feel secluded and remote. It’s not incredibly popular so there’s a good chance you’ll have the place to yourself. 

When to Go

The best time to visit is from November to January. From February to May, Northern Thailand experiences its smokey season, making outdoor activities quite unpleasant. June to October is the rainy season. 

Fees

The national park entrance fees are 200 THB per person, 20 THB per motorbike, and 100 THB per car.

Whether you are charged for your motorbike or scooter is up to the employee on the day, and we have found applied quite inconsistently. 

Camping fees are 80 THB per person. 

Camping areas

There are two camping areas. The first one you come to is much more beautiful and is set on a hill overlooking the valley. We would recommend choosing this one. 

The other campground is further along the park road. It is fine, but set in the trees and has more of a school-camp feeling.

Facilities

Like so many Thai national parks, the facilities at Wiang Kosai are fantastic. This is the case, especially at the first campground. There are toilets (with toilet paper!), showers and even a cooking area with lights and a table. 

There’s also a restaurant, but it was closed when we were there and didn’t seem to run during regular hours.

Activities

Wiang Kosai is home to a very beautiful 7-tiered waterfall. You can walk up and enjoy all 7 tiers (approx 15 – 30 minutes). We swam at the top tier and it was damn cold and refreshing but incredible. 

You reach the waterfall trail by taking the main road until the end. 

There is also a 1 km nature trail, starting from the second campground. This weaves through the forest and ends up at the start of the waterfall. 

Wiang Kosai is wonderful to visit as part of a Northern Thailand road trip

4. Khun Sathan National Park: The Ultimate Northern Thailand Camping Site

Khun Sathan National Park is a great place to camp in the mountains of Thailand. The views are impressive and the road up to the park is equally scenic. This park is very popular amongst Thais and it can get quite busy during holidays, making it a busy Thailand camping site. Take this into consideration in your planning, and try to visit on a weekday, if possible. 

When to go

The best time to visit is from November to January. As with all of Northern Thailand, outside of this timeframe, you’ll be affected by the smokey season (February to May) and then the rainy season (June to October).

Fees

The national park entrance fees are 100 THB per person, 20 THB per motorbike, and 100 THB per car. 

Camping is 80 THB per person. 

Camping areas

There is one camping area, which is set overlooking the valley. It’s stunning and a great place to relax and enjoy the view. This is one of the best Thailand camping sites.

Facilities

Being a popular Thailand camping site, there are plenty of facilities at Khun Sathan.

There is not only a restaurant but also a cafe. The cafe is only open during the day but the restaurant is open into the evening. Both have reasonable prices. For example, at the cafe, it was 50 THB for a drink. 

There is also a small shop that sells foodstuffs. 

The bathrooms are good but are a bit more run-down than in other parks. Bring toilet paper.

Khun Sathan is at a high altitude and nights get pretty chilly, so make sure you have something to keep you warm. However, if you don’t, the visitor’s centre will rent out gear. 

The prices are as follows:

• Sleeping bag – 50 THB
• Sleeping pad – 50 THB
• Pillow – 50 THB

Activities

There is an excellent viewpoint that is sublime for sunset. It’s a surprisingly steep walk but very short (approx 15 – 20 minutes). 

Sunrise is also excellent near the main park sign and is a great way to enjoy your morning coffee.

Otherwise, this is a place for chilling in nature.

Read: The Best of Thailand Off the Beaten Track

5. Pong Arng Hot Springs: Camping + Hot Springs

While Pong Arng Hot Springs may be the least scenic of them all, the real draw here is camping near the wonderful hot springs. 

When to go

The best time to visit is from November to January. 

Fees

The national park entrance fees are 100 THB per person, 20 THB per motorbike, and 100 THB per car. 

The camping fees are 80 THB per person.

Camping areas

This Thailand camping site is set out on a lovely grass field, just a few steps away from the hot springs. It’s very pleasant, but the real draw is being so close to the hot springs.

Facilities

Doi Phu Nang has pretty standard national park facilities. There’s a toilet block near the hot springs and another one further up the hill (with showers). Both are clean. 

There is also a restaurant onsite. 

Activities

Soak in the hot springs! This is the real reason you’re visiting this Thailand camping site. The hot springs here are truly fantastic and getting to enjoy them late at night and early in the morning is such a treat. 

Note that with your national park ticket, you can also visit the waterfall at Si Sangwan. 

You can visit Pong Arng as part of an epic 4-day Chiang Mai Road Trip

Best Thailand Camping Sites: Honourable Mentions

Surprise! We’ve included two honourable mentions in this list. While they didn’t make the cut of our top 5 Thailand camping sites, they all still have something special and are absolutely worth a visit.

1. Doi Ang Khang

There are a few reasons why we’ve included Doi Ang Khang on our list of Thailand’s best camping sites – it’s Thailand’s highest camping site and gets cold (around 5C overnight). 

The other reason is hiking up to the summit of the actual mountain, which has one of the best views in all of Northern Thailand. 

That said, this is a VERY popular place for Thais to come camp and experience cold weather. This means that the camping area is super crowded and filled with pre-set-up tents. Don’t come here expecting tranquillity or a back-to-nature experience. Come for the view, and the cold weather, and then get out of there. 

When to go

The best time to visit is from November to January. 

Fees

National Park Entrance Fees:

• 300 THB per person
• 20 THB per motorbike
• 100 THB per car 

On par with Khao Sok, this is one of the most expensive national parks in Thailand. 

The camping fees are 80 THB per person

Camping areas

There is only one, massive (and crowded) campground. 

Facilities

Being one of the most popular Thailand camping sites, the place is jacked out with facilities. There are a couple of restaurants, a massive toilet block and even shops around. 

Activities

The best thing to do is hike up to the summit and enjoy the sunset. Oddly enough, this doesn’t seem to be that popular. Despite being there when it was relatively busy, we were the only ones up there. 

We also recommend checking out the Doi Ang Khang Royal Agricultural Station. 

The other main reason for coming to Doi Ang Khang is to ‘enjoy’ the cool weather and watch the sunrise. 

Related: 13 Epic Things to Do in Khao Sok National Park + Essential Travel Guide

2. Doi Phu Nang National Park

Doi Phu Nang has a truly superb waterfall and that alone is worth the trip to this Thailand camping site. We recommend camping here so that you can access the waterfall after hours when fewer people are around. 

Best time to go

The best time to visit is November to January.

Fees

National Park Entrance Fees:

• 100 THB per person
• 20 THB per motorbike
• 100 THB per car 

The camping fees are 80 THB per person.

Camping areas  

There are two camping areas in the park. The second (further one) is much better and more scenic as it faces the mountains. 

The other is basically a grassy spot in front of a parking lot. 

Facilities

Doi Phu Nang has pretty standard national park facilities. The toilet block was clean and there was a designated cooking area. 

There is a restaurant but it is only open during the day, so you will need to arrange your own food for the evening.

Activities

The real reason to come here is to enjoy Than Sawan Waterfall, which is simply gorgeous. There’s also a nature trail, which in all honesty, is just okay. 

What Do You Need to Pack for Camping in Thailand?

The gear you need for camping in Thailand will largely depend on how self-sufficient you want to be. Here’s our list of what we always bring with us.

Considering travel insurance for your trip to Thailand? Shop for plans at SafetyWing

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