Hello friends, brothers and sisters of Readme, today I have the opportunity to review a tourist attraction after studying the good reviews from all of you. I would like to thank you for this opportunity.

Let's talk about this place, a place that not many people know about. Hey!!! Is there really such a place? It might be a new place for people who are looking for a tourist destination that requires a lot of heart and effort, like me and my boyfriend. That place is **"Phu Bak Dai"**, located in Phu Ruea District, Loei Province. In fact, most people who come to this district will head straight to Phu Ruea National Park, right? So, what is "Phu Bak Dai" like? Follow me! (It's like a classic TV show opening line, haha)


"Phu Bak Dai" is located in Phu Ruea District, Loei Province. It is under the care of the Pla Ba Community Tourism Promotion Club, which is responsible for the conservation of nature and tourist attractions by the community itself. The president of the club is Mr. Kamnan Choet (actually, his name is longer than this, but we always call him "Father Kamnan"). In addition to Phu Bak Dai, other tourist attractions in the Pla Ba community include Pla Ba Waterfall, Song Kon Waterfall, Macadamia Farm, and Phu Ruea Highland Agriculture. For more information on tourism, please contact the "Pla Ba Community Tourism Promotion Club, Loei Province" at 095 658 7113 and 087 866 8647.



Start your journey....

This trip to Phu Bak Dai took us 2 days and 1 night (not counting the night we spent on the bus) (January 2-3, 2016). There were four of us in total on this trip (me, my boyfriend, my sister, and her boyfriend). We traveled by air-conditioned bus from Bangkok to Loei Province. We arrived in Loei City on the morning of January 2nd.

  • Travel information: Bus route 999 / Air Mueang Loei Bangkok - Loei (We chose to come with Air Mueang Loei. Ps… When we arrived at the Pha Nok Khao bus stop, almost everyone got off the bus. There were only 4 of us left to go to Loei city center 5555)

: Route of Phetprasert Tour Bus - Phu Ruea (For those who want to get off at Phu Ruea District)

: Travel by plane, AirAsia / Nok Air

The four of us chose to land in the city center and then rented a car to drive to the Baa Fish Club ourselves. We rented a car from the airport for the convenience of stopping to buy things and take pictures.

** Car rental information: Located at the counter in front of Loei Airport. The price will depend on the model of the car we choose. The starting price is 1,000 baht or more. (But there will be a deposit as well.

Once we had the car, we set off for Phu Ruea District, following the Loei - Phu Ruea route. Enter via the Phu Ruea Highland Agricultural Station. There are 2 entrances: the one in front of the Phu Ruea District Office and the other is to drive towards Dan Sai District for about 8 kilometers. There will be Wat Pho Sawan on the left-hand side. The landmark is a huge Bodhi tree in front. Then turn left into a small alley. And of course, if one day that Bodhi tree is cut down, we're not sure if we'll be able to find our way there? 5555555

Let's take the convenient route according to the map I've tried to draft for you here.

First, the four of us stopped by to buy food as supplies for this trip. Then we drove along the route to the Pla Ba community, parked our car at the village headman's house, and changed our mode of transportation to "E-taek!!!!!" (Real, right?). But I have to tell you two important things before you go. First, there are no porters here. And another stressful thing is that there are no tents to rent here. And of course, there are no bedding. So we have to prepare ourselves and make everything as light as possible. Instant noodles are out of the question because we are too lazy to carry water. So the fish in the can, I choose you, hehe.... As for those who love taking pictures (just love taking pictures, whether they are beautiful or not is another story, 5555), you will have to carry almost 10 kilograms more than others. Knowing this, we left all the luggage that we thought would hinder our walking in the car. My boyfriend's lenses were all carried, but only the Fix 24 and 35 with tripod were brought up. The rest were left in the car.



* Travel Information: The cost of travel for 2 days 1 night, round-trip e-tag car, 700 baht per car (pickup truck service is also available, 1,000 baht per car), guide fee 1,000 baht (the guide is the driver of our e-tag car, but we can ask him to help carry some of our tents, water, or luggage), community maintenance fee 20 baht per person.


And this is our vehicle of travelaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….

The journey by e-taek takes about 1 hour - 1 hour and a half, depending on the road conditions. Next will be a photo post. You, the viewer, are amazing.


The first part of the journey on the e-taek is through the village of Pla Ba. The red dirt road is like a natural hair dye salon, beautifully and naturally styled. Over there, over there! The mountain peak with the clouds covering it is where we are going (I forgot to mention that Phu Bak Dai is a mountain with a flat peak similar to Phu Kradueng. It is a place where mountain cows are raised. Yes, mountain cows or mountain buffaloes! Which are the local animals here. And another local animal that we don't want to meet is "leeches", but luckily we went during the dry season, so the leeches are hiding from the air.)

The next section of the path will be a rubber plantation (we're not focusing on the price, right? Moving on!). Then, it will be a vast grassland as far as the eye can see.


Do you see the top of the hill? That's the path we need to take. Oh my! I see the local wildlife. I am here as a tourist, not to invade your territory. Please don't look at me like that.



After riding an e-taek for over an hour, I accidentally fell asleep on the e-taek twice (huh... I can sleep). The day we went, the sky was very beautiful. It wasn't a clear, cloudless sky, but there were scattered light clouds. The sun was strong, so if you have a hat, you should bring it. Otherwise, your ears will turn black and your face will turn into a pot... Oh!!


We have arrived at the parking lot and are about to walk to the top of the hill. We are so excited that we forgot to take a picture!

The hike to the top of the mountain was about 200 meters. It wasn't very far, but the path was quite steep. Because we had been sitting in the back of a pickup truck for a long time, we didn't have a chance to warm up before we started climbing. As a result, the first 50 meters were very difficult. It was probably also because we arrived late, the weather was hot, and the path was steep and full of obstacles. The path wasn't a proper trail, but rather a path that had been cleared through tall grass. Of course, we needed a guide to lead us up. Luckily, on the day we went, there were some people from the Phurua area who were also going up to visit. The village headman was kind enough to guide our group. Once we passed the 200-meter mark, we reached a flat area that stretched for about 2 kilometers. (The headman told us it was 1 kilometer, and we believed him! We ran excitedly, happy and carefree. After a while, we were out of breath! We asked the headman, "Headman, why is it so far? Why is 1 kilometer taking so long?" The headman replied, "Uh, it's just a little further." Meanwhile, my boyfriend and the others were walking leisurely, as if they had already warmed up from the difficult path we had just taken. "Okay, I won't be so cocky anymore. I'll just walk normally." ... It was much better. I wasn't tired anymore, and I could walk steadily.


The view here is of bare mountains, it's true, but the sky is beautiful and clear.

As the evening approached, clouds began to gather and the light that shone through them gave the scene a sense of depth and vibrancy. For us hikers, this is a familiar sight.


The vast clearing before reaching our destination is a place my partner and I adore. Photos don't do it justice; it evokes the breathtaking vistas of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. As any nature enthusiast knows, capturing the true essence of a scene with our eyes is a near-impossible feat.


And we have arrived at our destination (note: the picture is from the next morning because, of course, I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture. I'm such a bad reviewer TT_TT)


This place is called "Pha Hoei Kha", the highlight of Phu Bak Dai. It's another beautiful sunset viewpoint (Note: This place is higher than Phu Luang, so it's cold and very windy). The first thing that happened after I arrived was... I was hungry! I hadn't eaten anything since morning when I started my journey until I reached Phu Bak Dai. So, I'm going to eat, I mean, I'm going to have dinner with the sunset. Oh, are you jealous?


(Spoiler...Revealing the faces of the fellow travelers)

And when we're full, we'll sleep. No, no!!! We came all the way here, so we have to take pictures and enjoy the atmosphere, right? (Please allow me to post a group photo of us, please bear with me for a bit.)


We were joined by members of the local community from Phu Ruea. They told us, "We've been living here for a long time, but we just found out about this place!" (The village headman is standing handsome and smiling, wearing a hat, looking cool on the left side of the picture ^_^)


And here we meet the hero of this place, "The Cliff Hanging Legs" (My legs are actually shaking, the wind is so strong and it's very cold).


As the sun sets, the light shines, I don't want to hold a camera to take pictures, I want to keep the atmosphere in front of me ^__^


After watching the sunset, the first thing we looked for was warmth from the campfire. Of course, we are "moths" .... It's another highlight of hiking, isn't it? Campfire!!!! The temperature on the day we went was a single digit at 7-8 degrees. Measured from the village headman's thermometer, our iPhone measured 4. It's cold!!! The wind was so strong that the campfire was the only thing that shouldn't be extinguished!!


And there are constellations to keep us company all night long ZZZzzz


Good night, see you in the morning (ps... will I be able to sleep? It's sooooooo cold). It's morning already... still cold. Plus, it's windy (you're fanning me like there's no tomorrow, like you have nothing else to fan. I'm cold!). The morning temperature should be around 6 degrees, not including the wind chill. Brrr!!!!


At Phu Bak Dai, you can also watch the sunrise. If you're lucky, you'll see a sea of fog. But I wasn't lucky, lol. The morning atmosphere was still very beautiful.

Strike a hip pose for a photo.


And of course, you have to jump to keep warm. Let's go!!!!!


Oops!!!! Not ready? Let's try again. We also have cool poses, you know.


After a fun and exciting jump, it's time to pack up. We packed up our tents, sleeping bags, collected garbage, cleared grass, dug soil, plowed and sowed. Oops! Just kidding, we just collected garbage. Then we prepared to go back. Before leaving, we took some more pictures.


The sub-district head arranged for the group of local people from Phu Ruea, our fellow travelers, to return the way they came up. But the sub-district head told us, "We still have energy left, let's go down another way. It's beautiful." The sub-district head himself would be our guide. And that was the beginning of the whole story... (Oh, it's not the introduction to a horror movie, because this is real horror!!!!!!)




As you might be wondering (are you wondering? 55555), why is this place called "Phu Bak Dai"? Well, it's actually a place where villagers raise their cows and buffaloes, letting them roam free (please don't ask how the villagers catch their cows and buffaloes, because I don't know either. The village headman said they just let them go). And when the cows and buffaloes walk, they always tread on the same paths, creating uneven, stepped-on ground. This means we can actually walk on the steps made by the cows and buffaloes. It's fun! So much fun that I forgot to take pictures. Great!!!!!!

In this picture, you can see that the ground is uneven and bumpy. But the path we walked on was deeply rutted. I would like everyone to come and visit to see for themselves what it is like. (This is an excuse because I forgot to take a picture TT_TT)



We walked back the same way we came. Look at that vast field. It is home to ferocious wild animals such as cows and buffaloes. We must be careful. We must be wary of their traps. That is, shit (sorry for being rude, haha) their droppings are scattered all over the field to trap us and they are hiding behind the bushes laughing!!! (makes a bear sound, Giew, Thai accent)

We then reached the starting point. The Phu Ruea team had already gone down earlier because we were walking slowly and enjoying the scenery along the way. The village headman then led us to a fork in the road, another downhill path that led into a bamboo forest and some trees (I don't know what kind). I wasn't paying attention.


And the cliff!!!!!! Yes!!! Our way back, we went into the forest for a while, and then the village headman led us through the cliff!!!!!


That's a "chasm," folks! The shortcut along the cliff edge, with a chasm on the right and a thicket of thorns on the left, is a grassy path less than a meter wide. (It's like Khao Chang Puak, where you think, "Oh no! My leg is twisted!" and you stumble and fall down the mountain, but there's still something to grab onto and you slide down at an angle, so you might just break your leg. But at Phu Bak Dai, it's like, "Oh no! My leg is twisted!" and you fall down the cliff with a scream. You get it, right?) Let me show you a picture to confirm.


Confirm again.


Just to confirm again.


Hey!!!! There's the team from Phu Ruea. They've reached their destination! It's so high up, I had to zoom in to see them. 55555 We shouted, "Beautiful!" (with trembling voices, because we were so scared). Then we said, "Let's go, father village headman!"


The path isn't entirely along the cliff edge, there are sections where you can take a break from the adrenaline and enjoy a more relaxed walk.


"Let's go!!!! Get off now" The village headman called .... Mr. Goat, yes!!! Mr. Goat, Mr. Goral, Mr. Wild Horse, invite all ungulates to come and sit on the body.


The ground is dry and dusty. The village headman told me that this is the path where elephants slide down the hill, so the soil is a bit loose. Be careful... As soon as the local's warning ended, I slid down the path like an elephant twice in a row. Good job!!!! My boyfriend's laughter echoed through the forest. Yes!! My boyfriend, of course, laughed the loudest, followed by a chorus from the village headman and the younger ones. Thank you all.


(There was a video of the slide, but I'm not allowed to watch it. Boo!!!!) And then we reached the flat ground. Looking back, did we really come from that point? I'm pretty good, huh? I dusted off my butt with my hand. Poof!


Sure, let's take a commemorative photo.


The village headman said that he had a gift for us. The village headman took us on a ride on an e-taek.


At this point, the village headman said it was a high-angle photo spot, no need to climb like Phu Bak Dai, just walk up a little (not another trick, right?). It's a large rock where you can sit and relax and take pictures. It's called the "Golf Course Lawn".


Climbing up, once you reach the top, you will see the surrounding scenery.


And then we took another picture as a souvenir.


This is a rare photo. He doesn't usually like to take pictures, but because the view was so beautiful, he asked for one himself. My boyfriend is so cool (please skip this photo quickly if you feel nauseous).


Travel Summary


The travel expenses to Phu Bak Dai do not include travel expenses from Bangkok. The cost per person is 945 baht, which is divided into:

- Car rental fee 2,000 baht

- E-taek car fare 700 baht

  • Staff fee 1,000 baht (On the day of the visit, there were many staff members who helped our group, so we gave them a little extra tip each. It was up to us how much to give.)

- Community maintenance fee 80 baht.

Note: This does not include the fuel that needs to be refilled when returning the car, which is approximately 900 baht.


• This place is considered easy to moderate in terms of difficulty. You will only get tired when walking uphill. And for the downhill section, we recommend taking a different route, but please be careful as it is dangerous. However, it is more scenic than the original route. For photography enthusiasts, this is an interesting tourist attraction. However, the tourist management system here is still in its early stages, as it is a new tourist attraction managed by the local community. This allows us to see the friendliness of the local people. As for transportation, you can use the services of local villagers who have "e-taek" cars to take you there. This is also a way to distribute income.

• Regarding luggage, you need to manage it well because you have to carry it all yourself. The guide may help carry a little, but not much (there are few guides). During the rainy season, there are a lot of leeches, so many that you don't even have to chase them away, just let them suck. You can stay here for either 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights (Tad Lai Waterfall route). On the other night, we have to sleep at the waterfall. However, on this trip, we didn't go because we thought we weren't ready to carry the weight. So we thought we'd come back and fix the waterfall next time... I promise on my honor as a Netnarin woman. Oh, or maybe a Junior Red Cross member, I forgot! But we have to manage the things we need to prepare ourselves.

• The journey by car is not difficult to reach. The scenery is beautiful, with the Phu Khok Bak Dai mountain range constantly calling out, "Come on, come on, come on!"

• Some of the photos were taken with a mobile phone because I had to use my hands to climb and hold on.

• For information on tourist attractions, please contact the "Pla Ba Community Tourism Promotion Club, Loei Province" at 095 658 7113 or 087 866 8647.


Thank you for the pictures from me (haha, thank myself 555) Beautiful pictures from my girlfriend and Pantip ID for their review as well. Xienfong, Q and Yoda are here too.


"Sometimes I don't take photos because if I like something, I just want to look at it. I don't want the lens to get in the way of what I want to see, so I can stay in that moment for as long as possible."

-ฌอน โอคอนเนล- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Thai dub) Thank you for following. If you have the opportunity, try visiting Phu Bak Dai. ^_^

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