Hi,

I am new here. I like to make walks and hikes. I have tried out UT city and its parks a little.

I though I'd rent a motorbike and make a day trip. Park the motorbike in a safe spot and make a hike (maybe 8-12 km walking).

Is there any nice place with hills, rivers or anything similar?

I almost prefer if it is not "prepared tourist area". But rather where ordinary people live, villages. Hill tribes. I know a few words of Thai just essentials, but I am used to hiking so I hope I can make it. My simple android phone, Google Maps, usually keeps me on track.

Motorbikes all seem to be 200 Baht/day in the farlang-street. Mostly automatic. (I bought a helmet yesterday in town.) I am more used to Honda Wave and so on. I had hoped to find that around 150, but that seems difficult. No big problem.

Thanks for advice about destinations and bike rental shops.

You could forego the motorbike and take a bus to Erawan Cave in Loei Province, then hike the few km through the village and up the 700 or so steps to the cave. Bring a cheap led headlamp....and if you're in the middle of the cave at noonish, you'll see some spectacular water drops from the roof of the cave to the formations below. When you get to the other side of the cave....at this time of the year.....the surrounding field should be awash in green. Hike back to the highway and take another bus (running all the time) home.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Erawa ... 182217485b

Thanks. Exactly the type of activity I was looking for.

I only got a handheld flashlight, but such places are often filled with friendly locals offering the farlang equipment for a small monetary compensation

Is it wet, should I bring slippers instead of hiking shoes?


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Most of the big stores (Lotus, Big C, etc) have LED headlamps for 100/200 or so baht. Having a headlamp will make exploring the cave so much more enjoyable.

Definitely bring sneakers or hiking shoes.

Take a bus from Bus Station #2 on the ring road.....Udon-Loei.....runs very often.

More info....in Thai
http://www.lamphuonline.com/travel-nong ... B9%86.html

Thanks, good advice. I have passed the #2 bus station on my city walks. They have buses to Loei every hour they said.
Buy a headlamp tomorrow. I come back about the excursion.

Since the princess visited a few years ago, the cave has been developed with foot paths and foot path lights. I like the National Park in Ban Phu District - Prabuthabahtbuabok. There are several trails in low hills. The rainy season is actually an interesting time to visit.

when last visiting "Tham Erawan" about a year ago, the cave was wired with many fluorescent lights so you didn't need a headlamp or flashlight...

mak wrote:Phu Foi Lom Park.

Heres some pics of Phu Foi Lom......makes for a great day out......gardens and flowers are best seen in the cool season.

Phu Foi Lom looks good. But tomorrow I planned the Erawan cave. Try to get up early. How much is a tuk-tuk from "Thanon Farlang" to Bus stn #2? Or is there a convenient songtaew, maubr from the central bus station, early in the morning?

Erawan cave, nice place, on my way back in the bus now.
Going there the driver and conductor wanted to bring me 10 K further, but fortunately I saw a road sign and Google Maps also showed that location.
You won't need a flash- or a head-light, but it makes walking easier.
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq ... uDgzOJ.jpg
All further hiking ideas appreciated.

it's a bit farther out but the Na Yung Nam Som Forest Park about 90km northwest of Udon is a great place to go.. The waterfalls there come off a high ridgeline so now in the rainy season they should be spectacular. The trails up to the several falls have concrete paths and stairs built with a couple of gazebos to stop and rest.. You can buy snacks and food near the park headquarters at the foot of the hills. When I visited it was the dry season so the falls and river should be really roaring now...

Location: https://www.google.co.th/maps/@17.92427 ... a=!3m1!1e3

park website: http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/st ... d=239&lg=2

This park is directly east across the valley from Wat Phu Pa Kon, a famous attraction in Udon Province..
The temple grounds are quite huge with the Temple itself on the hillside facing east and a large Buddha statue about 700 meters from the temple.. There is a small restaurant in the temple area and places to buy snacks on the grounds.

Location: https://www.google.co.th/maps/@17.91772 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Looks like motorbike is the best means of transportation for Na Yung Nam Som Park. I go a little easier on the throttle than some Thais, but the visit can probably be made in a day.

The park comes up as "closed" on Google Maps, but not elsewhere. Good to know food is available and on motorbike one can probably find restaurants easily.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq ... GnfKG2.png

A trip out to Phu Chaw Fa would be a good way to spend a day....on a motorbike along with some hiking.
The mountain is on the border of Udon/Nongbualamphu provinces and at 1687ft, it's about as high as you can go in this neck of the jungle. Along the way, enjoy some of the best duck soup in the area along with my long time favorite grilled chicken and somptom. A bonus is the jungle market that offers a smorgasbord of items you won't see in traditional city markets. If you haven't had your fill of temples, Wat Tam Klong Phen is one of my favorites. Besides the temple in the cave, you can see some very interesting huge rock formations and chill out on the trees that grow along some of the boulders.

You'll head southwest from the airport, toward Nongbualamphu. The duck soup shop is on the right (as you're heading toward NBLP) at 171823N 10238E. There's a white duck statue in front of the shop, alongside the road. Open from early morning until about 2PM.

Saijai's Chicken (สายใจ ไก่ย่าง) is on the left a few km down from the duck soup place at 171800N 1023745E. There's a large statue of a chicken alongside the highway in front of the shop. Open early morning until about 2PM.

There's a steak house/coffee shop at 171602N 1023537E. I haven't had their steak yet, but their noodle soup and Thai dishes are very good. It's just off the highway on the right hand side. This would be a good place to go on your way home from Phu Chaw Fa.....but it'll be on the left as you head back to Udon.

The turnoff for Wat Tham Klong Phen is at 171442N 1023212E. Turn L at the statue with a huge bolder over it. Continue a km or two to 171351N 1023153E.

The jungle market is at 171442N 1023134E on the right hand side. If you're going to head to Phu Chaw Fa, grab some fruit at the market before you go.

If you're going to Phu Chaw Fa, you'll turn right immediately before the jungle market (3 way intersection). You can ride your bike most all the way to the top of the mountain.......and hike the final few hundred meters along a trail to the top at 171724N 1022755E. If you're into exploring mode, there's another cave temple just off the road that goes up to the mountain.....maybe a km or two or five from the 3-way intersection. Several years ago a monk lived there (alone or with one or two others)......he spoke pretty good English. When you get to the top of Phu Chaw Fa, try and figure out the bizarre rock formations.......lots of bright orange algae (I think) that forms on some of them. It's about 15km from the 3-way intersection to the top of the mountain. You should have great views from the top of the mountain. There's a plaque at the top of the mountain, near the parking area, that gives some interesting history of the communist rebels that hid out in the mountain area back in the 70's.

Be careful coming down the mountain......I maxed out (foolishly but safely) at 58kph on my bicycle several years ago.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%E0%B8% ... Dw&dpr=0.9

Enjoy!

Considering the good food I will probably overeat when I go to Phu Chaw Fa. Always a risk for me in Thailand.

The coordinates will not copy directly into my phone but I think the mountain top is here on the screenshot. The map has an attraction marker called Phu Hin Lat Cha Fa close by.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lq5ot8jspygy9 ... 3.png?dl=0

Looks good. May try it. Thanks for all suggestions that have come.

your penultimate "hike" should be up the Phu Khradung plateau in southern Loei Province.. But, it will have to wait until the rainy season is over.. The plateau at nearly 1400 meters has an alpine climate with a unique forest.. It is a stiff hike up with stairs and rest points.. Watch your dates when you plan it though unless you want to be tangled into the thousands of Thai high school students who go up as groups later in the cool season... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phu_Kradu ... ional_Park I've had friends do this hike but I've not done it yet.. It is most assuredly on my Thailand "bucket list"..

Phu Kradueng is a good challenge. I did it last year and you should allow a full day to go up and down. Most camp on the summit (where I think there are also chalets to rent) so do over 2 days. I am pretty fit and did the ascent and descent in about 5 hours from memory. I was held up by Mrs Samster for the first part and she gave up due to a bad knee halfway to the summit leaving me to do the rest alone. Got back to the base and found her having a massage which was very welcome. I loved every minute of the walk and met many friendly Thais (including several perspiring females) en route. Good footwear is essential and there are several refreshment points on the way up.

Pu Cha Fa has nice nature and is little exploitated for tourism. Thanks for good suggestion. First I turned right and left the tarmac in Pupankam and ended up in impenetrable rubber plantations. The workers told me the right way, just follow sealed road and continue on bike as far as you feel comfortable when the tarmac ends. Small detour and approach from SW. I intended to leave the bike at the parking where the tarmac ends, but a Thai lady encouraged me to keep driving.

BBQ rats, fresh frogs, cow skin and many other specialties at the jungle market. About 3-4 hekto fried silkworm @ Baht 100. A bargain I guess Great experience, might go back there.

Lunch was steamed shredded coco, pumpkin and a sliced white tuber (?) they called gooi. I didn't recognize that. Wonder what it is?

The red, green and yellow wrapped in styrofoam and plastic I did not recognize either.

http://i.imgur.com/OTAqBuC.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rG4VuFw.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KbY6iDy.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/aWOvNih.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0I8W8S3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bLFm1KY.jpg

I had better add a warning. Some Thai friends recognized the white tuber I had for lunch and presented a photo of, above. It's name is glooi (กลอย) (I missed the "l" when I wrote it.)

Some parts of the plant and tuber seem to be highly poisonous and others have medicinal effects. I think the locals peel the tuber, slice it and then leave the slices in the river for a couple of days before steaming it for food. Maybe that is part of a detoxifying process.

So it should only be cooked by those who have experience of it. As I understand you can die by eating it, if you don't prepare it right.