Narathiwat Attractions and Travel Guide

Attractions

Namtok Sirindhorn 

The waterfall is actually a stream that comes down from a forest at a higher altitude. The falls feature a wide rock plateau which is suitable for relaxation. Another attraction is the Southern Forest Flowers and Decorative Plants Survey and Collection Project under the Patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The project has more than 200 plant species that are grouped according to their natural habitat. Signs provide plant names and useful information. Plants here are both interesting in terms of local botany and breeding to be developed as decorative and economic plants. The project is open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. The waterfall is located approximately 7 kilometers from Amphoe Waeng on Highway No. 4057. Turn left onto Phua Khwam Man Khong Road and proceed for around 8 kilometers, then drive another 300 meters to the waterfall.

Hala-Bala Wildlife Reserve 
 
A not-to-be-missed attraction for nature lovers, Hala-Bala is one of Thailands more recent conservation areas. Officially established in 1996, the reserve is located near the Thai-Malaysian border. Covering an area of approximately 433.16 square kilometers, it extends over Sankala Khiri Mountain Range and the deep forests of Hala and Bala Forests that are not connected to each other. Although they are a part of the same reserve, Hala Forest is in Amphoe Betong in Yala Province and Amphoe Chanae in Narathiwat Province while Bala Forest, the only part that is open to the public, spans Amphoe Waeng and Amphoe Su Khirin in Narathiwat.

 Highway No. 4062 (Khwam Man Khong Road) goes through Sankala Khiri Mountain Range, making access to the reserve easier. Visitors can start at Ban Buketa in Amphoe Waeng, go through Bala Forest and end up at Ban Phu Khao Thong in Amphoe Su Khirin for a total distance of 18 kilometers. On both sides of the road are the most verdant jungles in Thailand. To study nature, you only have to drive through the area and you will likely see many extraordinary things from the park office on.

 For nature enthusiasts, simply driving through the area from the Park Office onwards will provide extraordinary views of nature. Approximately 5 kilometers from the office, is a wildlife lookout point. The numerous Banyan trees flourishing in the area yield plenty of fruit for animals that regularly come to feed there. About 10 kilometers further is the Phu Khao Thong Protection Unit, a sub-office of the reserve. From here it is possible to see a sea of mist at dawn. Walking about 100 meters from the unit, visitors will find a gigantic Somphong (Kraphong) tree that has a diameter of 25 meters. The height of a section near the ground that supports the trunk is about 4 meters. This tree likes to grow near water and is a softwood tree used in making toothpicks or matches.

 Along the route are several plants that are rarely found elsewhere in Thailand such as the Yuan tree of the bean family. This tree is regarded as the third tallest tree in the world, after the redwood and eucalyptus, respectively. It has a white trunk and can reach a height of 65 to70 meters. Normally, the tree is perfect for making furniture. Another tree located here is the Saya tree of the rubber family, which is the most striking tree of the Hala-Bala forest. Looking carefully, visitors will see hornbills as the forest are their preferred nesting sites. In addition, it is possible to see the Hua Roi Ru Nam tree, which is one of the newest plants found in the country.

 Wildlife here creates an ecological balance for the area. Many of the animals are on the list of nearly-extinct animals of Thailand. They include the large black gibbon, or Sia Mang, that is totally black in color and nearly double the size of the white-handed gibbon. There is also the agile gibbon that is usually found on Sumatra, Borneo and northern Malaysian jungles and southern Thailand. With luck, visitors may be able to see two of these creatures hanging from a branch. The area also has Thut frogs that are the largest frogs in the country. It is about a foot long and weighs over 5 kilograms. The frogs live in watershed forests on high mountains. A survey discovered that four types of protected mammals, which are the Sumatran serow, tapir, marbled cat, and Asian two-horned rhinoceros, inhabit the area.

 The hornbill, a rare bird, is an indicator of the state of the forest. Nonetheless, the reserve has 9 out of 12 species of hornbills in Thailand. These include the wrinkled hornbill, helmeted hornbill (the only kind of hornbill that has a thick upper beak and Indonesian villagers hunt it to get the beak to carve into ornaments like ivory), Oriental pied hornbill, great pied hornbill, white-crowned hornbill, bushy-crested hornbill, Malayan rhinoceros hornbill, black hornbill, and wreathed hornbill.

 Visitors wishing to enter the area for nature study must write in advance to the reserve at P.O. Box 3, Amphoe Waeng, Narathiwat 96120 or the Wildlife Reserve Department of the Natural Resources Conservation Office, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok. As the reserve is a sensitive area, visitors are not permitted to stay overnight. The best time to study nature here is from late February to September, when there is little rain.

 Getting there: Mini-buses can be hired from Amphoe Waeng Market or from Su-ngai Kolok train station.

Wat Chon Thara Singhe

This temple is at Mu 3, Tambon Chehe, on the bank of Tak Bai River. From the town, take Highway No. 4985 (Narathiwat-Tak Bai) until the Tak Bai District Market intersection, turn left and proceed for another 100 meters to the temple entrance.

 In 1873, Phra Khru Ophat Phutthakhun established the temple and requested land from Phraya Kelantan for its construction. At that time, Tak Bai was still a part of Kelantan in Malaysia. This Buddhist temple, which played an important role in the secession of land between Siam and Malaya (then a colony of the United Kingdom) during the reign of King Rama V in 1909, is located in a predominantly Muslim community. The Thai side raised the fact that since this is a Buddhist temple, it should remain with Thailand. The British relented and agreed to use the Klok River (Tak Bai River) that flows through Tak Bai as the boundary. Therefore, the temple is also called Wat Phithak Phaen Din Thai or the temple that protects Thai sovereignty.

 The temple is generally peaceful and has a spacious lawn on the riverbank that is ideal for relaxation. The chapel, built in the reign of King Rama V, has murals drawn by monks from Songkhla. The paintings depict the life of the Lord Buddha and the daily life of locals at that time. It also houses a main Buddha image made of gold, which covers its original features of a red mouth and black hair and situated on a 1.5-meter high base. From the style of the base, it is believed that this is a Mon image. Another building housing a reclining Buddha image has inner walls covered with old Sangkhalok porcelain.

 To get there, take a bus to Tak Bai district. Other transportation options are mini-buses (20 baht), vans (30 baht and board at the roundabout in town) and buses. If traveling by bus, get off at Tak Bai intersection and walk for around 500 meters. Vans will take you right into the temple.

Sirindhorn Peat Swamp Forest Nature Research and Study Center

This last remaining peat swamp forest in Thailand spreads over 3 districts including Tak Bai, Su-ngai Kolok and Su-ngai Padi. Covering an area of 192 square kilometers, of which 80 square kilometers are dense forests, the swamp is rich in fauna and flora. Major waterways that pass through the area are Khlong Su-ngai Padi, Bang Nara River and Khlong To Daeng, from which the forest derives its name.

 Publicized nature study treks are provided to transfer knowledge on peat swamp forests to visitors. The 1,200-meter trail starts from a swamp behind the research center with one segment of the trail consisting of a wooden bridge suspended by metal slings and another consisting of a high tower for viewing the lush scenery below. Informative signs provide interesting facts about trees and provide guidance for new trekkers. The trail is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no admission fee. An exhibition room is also provided to give nature enthusiasts additional information.

 A peat swamp forest originates from fresh water that is confined in limited space for a long period of time and subsequently leads to an accumulation of organic matter in the soil, like dead plants, trees and leaves. These progresses are slowly transformed into peat or organic soil that is soft like sponge with low density and absorbs water very well. In this area, peat has accumulated together with marine sediment to create 2-3 interlocking layers of both types of soil. Because the sea level was high enough to cover the forest accumulation of sediment ensued and seawater was contained in the area. This resulted in the demise of plants in the forest and created a mangrove forest in its place. When the water level receded and rain came, the water was transformed into fresh water and the peat swamp forest emerged. The deeper soil layers date from 6,000-7,000 years, while the top layers is from 700-1,000 years.

The forest has a diverse ecological system with every life being interconnected. Trees have strong roots that spread out to those of other trees and help them in supporting their large trunks. Therefore, trees in the peat swamp forest will grow together in a group. If one falls, so will the others.

 There are over 400 species of plants in the peat swamp forest. The most outstanding are strange palms like Lum Phi whose fruits can be eaten and red palm whose entire trunk is red in color. Red palm is popular as a garden plant. Moreover, there are aromatic flowers like the Goniothalamus giganteus, a plant of the Annonaceae family that has large flowers. In addition, with careful scrutiny, visitors may be able to spot orchids and an assortment of small plants.

There are over 200 animal species in the forest. Small creatures include langurs, civets, wild cats, Singapore rats, and Malayan tree frogs while large animals include wild boars and binturongs. A variety of fish also makes it home in the forest, including a certain species of catfish that can be raised in acidic water and the strange angler catfish that has a flat, wide head and a long body. This catfish has a poisonous spine in its dorsal fin. The fish uses the forest as a refuge and to spawn. Villagers catch this fish for food when it is fully grown.Birds here include the Rufous-tailed Shama that is mainly found in Sumatra, Borneo and Malaysia and was first discovered in Thailand in 1987. The Malaysian Verditer Flycatcher is found only in Sirindhorn Peat Swamp Forest in Thailand. Both species are now endangered. The forest is interesting not only because of its unusual flora and fauna, but also because of the overall unique experience that people, particularly children, are bound to receive when they visit. The surrounding nature offers a constant stream of surprises. While trekking amidst a serene forest, visitors may encounter an animal grazing. Trails take you close to, but not overly interfering with, nature. 

Note: Visitors to the forest are recommended to bring notebooks, colored pencils, binoculars, cameras, and mosquito repellent. With these items in hand, it is possible to spend a whole day of fun here as the cool climate of the forest is conducive for explorations. The best time to go is during February-April because there is little rain. The other months will see frequent rainfall because the forest is situated on a peninsula.Tourists should be aware of the disease-carrying black mosquitoes, which are prevalent in the area and come out in the evening. Forest fire can happen as a result of smoking and discarding cigarette butts on the ground. When there is a forest fire in this forest, it is more difficult to put out because there is ample fuel in the form of trees, dead barks and organic matters in the ground. The fire will actually spread underground, making it extremely difficult to extinguish and control and can last for months. The only way to put it out is to wait for heavy rainfall where the subsequent inundation should extinguish the fire. Getting there: It is more convenient to get there by train from Bangkok as the last station is at Su-ngai Kolok. If not, bring a car which can also be chartered from Su-ngai Kolok.

 If driving, take Highway No. 4057 (Tak Bai-Su-ngai Kolok) for about 5 kilometers, then switch to the branch road and proceed for 3 kilometers to Chawananan Road. After that, turn left and proceed for 2 kilometers where directional signs that lead visitors all the way to the forest are posted. For more information, contact P.O. Box 37, Su-ngai Kolok, Narathiwat 96120.

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