Kaeng Tana National Park

Kaeng Tana protects a stretch of the Mun river near its confluence with the Mekong, where the water runs over a bed of hard rock and has carved it into channels, potholes and islands. In the dry season, when the river drops, the rock emerges as a broad sculpted platform with the water running in narrow chutes between - the potholes, some of them deep and round, are drilled by stones spun by the current over long periods. A suspension bridge crosses to Don Tana, the largest island. In the wet season the whole formation is under water and there is essentially nothing to see, which is the key planning fact. The park also has forest trails, waterfalls in the wet months, and a Mekong viewpoint. Flows on the Mun are affected by the Pak Mun dam downstream, whose operation and effect on fisheries have been contested for decades.

What you actually see

• The sculpted rock - channels, potholes and islands cut by the river.
• The potholes - round hollows drilled by stones spun in the current.
• The suspension bridge - crossing to Don Tana island.
• The seasonal exposure - the formation visible only when the water is low.

When to go

December to April, when the river is low and the rock is exposed. In the wet season the formation is submerged and there is little to see.

Honest expectations

Entirely season-dependent - a wet-season visit finds the rocks under water. The rock surface is slippery where wet. Basic facilities. Foreign entry fees are higher than Thai.

Nearby

Khong Chiam and the two-colour confluence are east; Ubon Ratchathani is west.