Ta Phraya is a protected forest on the Thai side of the Cambodian border, and it forms part of one of the great wildlife refuges of Southeast Asia, the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex, which UNESCO listed in 2005. The complex stretches over hills and plains in several provinces, and it holds one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants in the country, as well as gaur, sambar, tigers in small numbers, gibbons and four species of hornbill. At dusk the great hornbills fly across the clearings with a rushing, wing-beating sound that carries a long way.
The forest changes with the altitude. At the lower edges, dry dipterocarp woods with grass and bamboo give way to evergreen forest in the hills, and streams run clear over rock in the rainy season. The park lies in Sa Kaeo province, in a landscape of low hills, farms and plantations, and the border with Cambodia is not far. For that reason, military and border police are present in the area, and checkpoints are common. Carry your passport and bike papers, be polite, and avoid photographing military sites.
Roads leading to the park are generally paved and quiet, with gentle bends through farmland and rubber plantations, sugarcane fields and small villages. Signs are mostly in Thai, so use a map, and be careful of ox carts, motorbikes without lights and dogs. Inside the park, tracks may be unpaved and seasonally closed, and you should check with the park office whether a route is open. In the rainy season from June to October, heavy showers turn dirt to mud and leeches appear in the forest. The cool, dry months from November to February are the most comfortable time for riding and wildlife watching.
Fuel is available in towns on the plain, and the nearest big ones lie some distance away, so fill the tank before you head to the park. Roadside stalls sell grilled chicken, sticky rice, som tam papaya salad and cold drinks, and a local noodle shop will do a bowl of soup for very little.
Wild elephants are a real hazard on forest roads at dawn and dusk, so keep your speed low and your distance generous.