Thailand Travel Guide: Weekend Trip to Phetchabun Province

When people in Thailand refer to the north, they usually think of such popular destinations as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Mae Hong Song, where the tourism industry is well-developed. But there’s much more to this region than the Golden Triangle, the hill tribes, and the night markets.

Actually, even before you reach these popular provinces, there’s a plethora of destinations worth visiting in the north of Thailand. Yes, they are a bit off the beaten track, they are more cumbersome to access due to poor infrastructure and limited transportation options, but they are worth the trouble. One such “hidden” destination is Phetchabun province, located in the lower northern region of Thailand, 340 km from Bangkok or 490 km from Chiang Mai.

Phetchabun

With a generally cooler temperature than the rest of Thailand, Phetchabun province is flanked by two mountain ranges of the same name with Pa Sak River flowing in between. This great topography gives Phetchabun province numerous natural vistas especially in its national parks. Add to this the ruins of ancient towns and some intricate religious architecture and you have all the reasons why you need to plan a two-day one-night trip to this province.

Either on your way to a more popular destination to the north of Thailand or on a weekend escape trip, make sure you don’t miss the following three destinations in Phetchabun: Si Thep Historical Park, Tat Mok Waterfall, and Wat Pha Sorn Kaew. These scenic spots will give you a great overview of what Phetchabun has to offer and will surely make you want to return and explore more.

Phetchabun

If you’re coming “up” from Bangkok, it would make sense to first stop at Si Thep Historical Park, located 130 km south of Phetchabun on Highway 21. The park encompasses over 100 archeological sites that actually make up the ancient city of Si Thep.

The many architectural structures found in the park are made of red bricks and laterite and resemble the ruins one can see today in Ayutthaya. This is only normal as it was once a city dominated by the Sukhothai kingdom (13th to 16th century) and later on by Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th to 18th centruy), but one can also see remnants of Khmer (9th to 15th century) and Dvaravati (6th to 13th century) cultures.

Phetchabun

Make sure you manage your time well while in the park as there are many places to see and it is sometimes difficult to tell which sites are worth exploring more or taking good pictures of. Nevertheless, make sure you don’t miss the museum within the parks’ Information Center and the Archeological Excavation Site. The museum showcases statues of Surya, the Hindu God of the Sun, as well as ancient inscriptions carved in stone. The archeological site has some amazingly creepy skeletons, which were unearthed on location and left lying in their pits. Si Thep Historical Park is open daily from 8am to 5pm and entry is free.

After spending a few hours in the sun exploring ancient ruins, head for Tat Mok National Park and bathe in Tat Mok Waterfall. Although it’s not a very popular national park, according to the Department of National Parks statistics, the park has been visited by almost 70,000 tourists (foreigner and Thai) and is home to a great variety of birds. So, while you’re hiking to the waterfalls, keep an eye open for some exotic birds!

Phetchabun

Actually, the park has two waterfalls: Tat Mok and Song Nang. Tat Mok Waterfall is a single-leveled waterfall and it’s the easiest of the two to access. It’s more than 200 meters high and if visited during or right after the rainy season, it looks like a blanket covering the side of the mountain. The pool at the base of the waterfall is deep enough to go for a decent swim and an excellent way to cool off and clean the sweat and dust you’ve accumulated on your body.

Song Nang Waterfall takes a bit longer to reach and to explore as it’s a twelve-level waterfall with each level between 5 and 100 meters high. You can climb to the last level in a day and enjoy an arresting view of the mountains around you but it will take you a few good hours and some exertion.

Tat Mok National Park (www.dnp.go.th) is located about 40 km east of Phetchanbun City and it’s got great and affordable accommodation facilities, including a camping ground. If you’re a foreigner who lives in Thailand, make sure you carry your work permit with you so that you can benefit of a discount ticket at the entrance of the national park. The park is open daily from 6am to 6pm.

Phetchabun

After spending a night with the sounds of nature all around you, it’s time to pack your bags and head back “home.” But not before you make a small detour to the north to visit Wat Pha Sorn Kaew, a Buddhist temple and monastery built on the peak of a mountain at an elevation of 830 meters. The name of the temple translates as “temple on a glass cliff.” This is probably because the decorations for the various parts of the temple were made using 5 million pieces of tiles and pottery items set in intricate mosaic styles.

Apart from that, Wat Pha Sorn Kaew is surrounded by stained glass pavilions and mini-pagodas. The centerpiece of the monastery is a structure made up of five white Buddha statues built one in front of the other in a decreasing height. The gardens dotting the mountain peak are well-maintained but the sun above is unforgiving so make sure you wear a hat and drink enough water. Obviously, the panoramic from the top of the upper level of the Buddha statue is breathtaking.

Phetchabun

Unfortunately, Wat Pha Sorn Kaew is that one destination off the beaten track which requires extra effort to reach. If you have your own transportation, then you can easily find your way up the mountain or else you’ll have to arrange transportation from Phetchabun City. But, there are a few travel agencies that organize trips there, so it shouldn’t be a great hassle!

From Bangkok, you can reach Phetchabun by air-conditioned bus from Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2). If you drive your own car, start on Highway No. 1 and then continue on Highway No. 21. Once in Phetchabun City, you can negotiate rides on songtaews, motorbike taxis, samlors, and tuk tuks. Since it is quite an inconvenient travel, I recommend you find a few friends or colleagues and rent a van for the entire trip. That way, you can really travel off the beaten track.

Author V.M. Simandan

is a Beijing-based Romanian-born counsellor, coach, psychology teacher, and former competitive archer

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V.M. Simandan