This is a very large mountain with a height of 4,300 feet (1,300+ meters). It is located outside Krabi town by a few kilometers in Krabi Noi subdistrict. There are numerous entry points to get into the park, however, some of them have been closed due to a landslide that took the lives of some villagers living at the base of the mountain during a very bad rainy period in 2011.
[Page Updated: 4 January 2025]
Khao Phanom Bencha Mountain and Thailand National Park
Krabi’s highest and most difficult hike is a walk up 1,397 meters high Khao Phanom Bencha in the national park close to Krabi Town.
The walk starts in the morning – between 9 am and 10 am from the side opposite to the Huay Toh Waterfall entrance to Khao Phanom Bencha National Park of Thailand. Meaning, that you have to find a way to get the whole way around the mountain to the other ranger station called “Bang Saran Village” or Ban San Tourist Service Center according to their map (bottom of page) ranger station and entrance to the park.

There is a limit of up to 5 persons going at once plus the guide. The hike takes between 3 and 4 hours to reach the summit of Khao Phanom Bencha. Khao (Kow) means ‘mountain’ in Thai.
Hikers are asked to call these phone numbers to arrange a hike up the mountain. Much better for you if you have a Thai friend who can call the numbers as the guide I spoke with might not speak English well enough over the phone to arrange your trek.
The guide I spoke with told me there are many animals to be seen during the climb including Tapir, Serow, Wild boar, Panther, Clouded leopard, peacocks, Asiatic black bear, mouse deer, civet, langur and many kinds of birds.
Camping is a possibility too! You can hike up one day and camp overnight for one or two nights. There are no tents or other gear provided so it’s the case of bringing your own tent and everything else. It is COLD on the top of the mountain so you best have sleeping bags for nighttime.
I’m not sure about the Asiatic black bears – and whether they’d come into your camp area – I haven’t a clue – so some research is in order if you plan to stay overnight. Apparently, the guide does not stay overnight with you – but I’m sure you could talk him into it with some extra cash.
The cost for a guide to take you up and back down the same day – is just 1000 baht per person! For two days, another thousand per person. I think that’s really quite a good rate and I’ll be going up soon.
As soon as I recover from hiking up another, smaller hill here – in Tub Kaak. There really should be a meeting place online for getting groups to go here and you can email me if you want to go. I don’t want to stay overnight – just up and down the same day.
On the other side of the mountain is the Huay Toh Waterfall you can check out another day!
Map of Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
Directions: From Krabi town go towards I-4 (towards the mountains). Best to go right up Uttarakit road which is the road in Krabi town that runs beside the river. Go the whole way up that road until you see a stoplight. Make a right.
From there go past the Krabi Airport. You’ll enter a town called “Nuea Klong”. Make a left up a major road – there will be a sign for the Bang San village, waterfall, or Tourist Service Center. The sign should be there but I wouldn’t count on it! Be prepared to ask – have multiple maps if you can.
For Tours Info around Krabi Town and Beaches – Click HERE.
Important Phone numbers for your stay in Krabi (Railay and all over Krabi province):
- Dial 1669 for any emergency in Krabi.
- TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) Regional Office: 07.562.2164
- Krabi Tourist Police: 07.563.7208
- Marine Police: 07.561.2756 and 2757
- Krabi Airport 7 km east of Krabi Town: 07.563.6541 and 6549
- Immigration: 07.561.1097
- Krabi Bus Terminal in Krabi Town: 07.561.1804 and 1184
- Thai Airways International: 07.562.2439 and 2441 and 2442
- Krabi town Hospital: 07.563.1768 and 1769
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