Eastern · Thailand
Nakhon Nayok · นครนายก
Weekend-rafting rivers, Sarika waterfall, Khun Dan Prakan Chon dam.
- Region
- Eastern
- Population
- 259,000
- Area
- 2,122 km²
- Stories filed
- 0
About Nakhon Nayok
History
Nakhon Nayok was a modest river town under Ayutthaya, but gained its most significant institution in 1887 when King Rama V established the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy here — Thailand's equivalent of West Point, built to train professional officers capable of resisting colonial encroachment. The academy has occupied its current hilltop campus since 1909 and remains the kingdom's premier military institution. Khmer-period stone inscriptions found near the town hint at an earlier administrative presence; the province's name, meaning "lord of all waters," reflects its position at the Bang Pakong River's headwaters.
Landscape & geography
The northern third of the province climbs the Khao Yai escarpment, where several rivers drop off the plateau in impressive cascades — Sarika and Wang Takhrai waterfalls among them. The southern two-thirds are flat rice paddies and orchards. The Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam, completed in 2005 as the world's longest roller-compacted concrete dam, impounds a large reservoir popular for recreation.
Why visit
Sarika and Wang Takhrai waterfalls are the most accessible dramatic falls within two hours of Bangkok — most thunderous from June to October at the monsoon's height. The Khun Dan Dam reservoir has become a hub for paddleboarding, camping, and long-tail cruises. Nakhon Nayok also provides the quieter eastern approach to Khao Yai National Park, less crowded than the Pak Chong entrance. Boutique farm stays on forested hillsides make it an ideal cool-season retreat from the capital.
Stories from Nakhon Nayok
Articles, reviews, and itineraries tagged to this province.