Hello, we are Gowithgu, a group of friends who are addicted to adventure and the beauty of nature. We dedicate our physical strength, mental strength, and financial resources to sleeping in tents in the forest, carrying backpacks up mountains, and diving into the sea.

Anyone who loves adventure, both on land and underwater, both Thai and foreign, can like the Facebook Page Gowithgu.

If you can't decide whether to go to the sea or the mountains, come with us and we will take you to both the mountains and the sea.
#4teenpeenkhao #2taoteefin
Mon Tu Le, wandering around Mon Kluy http://pantip.com/topic/34878685
Diving in Thai, just near Prachuap Khiri Khan http://pantip.com/topic/35000023
Solo trip, Chumphon travel, diving, eating and sleeping like an islander http://pantip.com/topic/35021089



The other day, a friend sent me a clip of "He said" by Sunny and Madame Mod at Haad Chom Dao. When I watched it, I both laughed and smiled. I laughed because the clip was cute, and I smiled because I was reminded of our trip. Our trip was just as tough, exciting, and funny as Sunny's, I'll tell you.



We had a three-day weekend, so our friends invited us to visit Sam Phan Bok. Since we had just conquered the peak of Mo Ko Chu together last month, we asked our friends if we could take it easy this time. We didn't want to carry any heavy backpacks, we just wanted to relax. We wanted to pitch a tent on Sam Phan Bok, grill some marshmallows, sip some beer, gaze at the stars, and just take it easy. We sent our friends some reference pictures to show them what we had in mind.



Three Thousand Bends - Stargazing Beach


This is the Grand Canyon of Thailand, located in Ubon Ratchathani Province, on the Mekong River, the border between Thailand and Laos. The reason why there are so many rocks is that during the rainy season, these rocks are actually part of the Mekong River. However, during the dry season, there is no water left, so only rocks are left. The name "Three Thousand Bends" comes from the Isan language, where "bog" means "pool of water". Since there are many pools here, it is called "Three Thousand Bends".

Prepare for your trip

Once we know the exact date, we can look at pictures on Google to get excited and do some basic research on the journey. The distance is 700 km, which takes about 10 hours to drive from Bangkok. Then we can plan where to stay.



The best time to visit Three Thousand Bends is during the dry season because the receding water allows us to see the bends most clearly. It starts from November to May, which is the driest time of the year.



Rough plan:

Day 1:

  • Drive from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani.

Day 2:

  • Explore Ubon Ratchathani, including Sam Phan Bok and Hat Chom Dao.

Day 3:

  • Visit Sam Phan Bok, Kaeng Tana, Khong Chiam, and Pha Taem.

Day 4:

  • Travel from Pha Taem to Ubon Ratchathani, visit Prasat Hin Phanom Rung, and return to Bangkok.

Estimated expenses per person:

  • Fuel: 4,000 THB
  • Accommodation (own tent): 0 THB
  • Food: 2,800 THB
  • Snacks and alcohol: 1,600 THB
  • Park entrance fees: 200 THB
  • Total: 8,600 THB
  • Per person: 2,150 THB

Camping at Sam Phan Bok:

We originally planned to camp by the river at Sam Phan Bok, but we later learned that it's not a national park and there are no designated campsites. Most people stay in resorts or guesthouses. However, we were determined to make our dream a reality. We contacted the TAT Ubon Ratchathani office and asked if we could camp with our own tent. The officer warned us that it's dangerous because there are no park rangers on duty, but they said we could camp at our own risk.

Our journey begins:

We left Bangkok at 10 pm, aiming to reach Ubon Ratchathani in about 10 hours. We took turns driving, chatting, and singing along the way. The time passed quickly, and we only felt a little stiff from sitting for so long.

We arrived in Ubon Ratchathani at 8 am as planned. The city was bustling with activity, and we saw Robinson and Central department stores. Our friend suddenly craved fried eggs, so we found a restaurant called Sam Chai. After a hearty breakfast of fried eggs, boiled eggs, and Vietnamese bread, we felt energized and ready to continue our journey. But first, we needed coffee to truly wake up.

A hipster ghost possessed us, making us crave a slow-life coffee experience. So, we searched for a cozy cafe in Ubon Ratchathani. Luckily, we stumbled upon Goose Cafe, a small coffee shop and hostel decorated in a modern Isaan style. It was absolutely adorable! They offered a wide variety of coffee options. The zombies spent some time indulging in the slow-life vibe and successfully summoned their souls back into their bodies. Now, we're finally ready to hit the road (for real this time).



Having learned from Google that Ubon Ratchathani is a province with a long history, we decided to switch gears and experience some cultural tourism by visiting various temples.



(Wat Jaeng)



(Nong Bua Temple)



We only visited 2-3 temples and realized that visiting temples and palaces wasn't our style. We needed something more raw and wild! So we all decided to drive to Sam Phan Bok.



Sam Phan Bok is about 120 km from Ubon, a 2-hour drive.



As we approached Sam Phan Bok, we saw a fork in the road with signs for Sam Phan Bok and Sam Phan Bok Restaurant. We chose the restaurant route because we read in reviews that the Mickey Mouse rock formation, where many people take pictures, is accessible from this side.



We arrived at Sam Phan Bok at noon. It was hot, scorching hot. The sun was beating down, and the heat reflected off the rocks, making it twice as hot. To make matters worse, the rocks retained the heat and radiated it back out. It was like a triple whammy of heat!



Since we arrived at the wrong time, we decided to take a break and eat lunch at a restaurant near Sam Phan Bok. We had papaya salad, spicy minced meat salad, and grilled pork neck. It was delicious!



After a while, we still weren't ready to go find the Mickey Mouse rock formation in the blazing sun. So we decided to look for a place to sleep. Next to the restaurant, there was a sign that said "Camping area 50 baht." However, we had to sleep next to it, on a hill overlooking Sam Phan Bok. We couldn't sleep on the rocks themselves, as we had dreamed. Sigh. So we asked the staff if we could pitch our tent on Sam Phan Bok. They insisted that it wasn't possible, that it was dangerous. But they didn't explain how it was dangerous. What could we do? It was too hot to go sightseeing, and we couldn't pitch our tent on Sam Phan Bok. So we decided to go somewhere else.



We drove on, but not far. We drove for another 20 minutes and reached Had Chom Dao (Stargazing Beach). Be careful! There aren't many signs here, so it's best to keep Google Maps open the whole way. Even the sign for the turnoff to Had Chom Dao was an old, rusty sign that was barely legible. We had to use all eight eyes to find it and barely managed to brake in time.



When we arrived at Had Chom Dao, the sun was starting to set, and it was very private. We could see two other groups of tourists in the distance. So we started our photo shoot.



As we stepped into the vast expanse of the field, we felt dwarfed by its immensity. The sky and the boulders loomed large, stretching as far as the eye could see.



Here, the sky is blue. The kind of blue that city dwellers rarely see. The kind of blue that they say no technology can replicate.



This place is really amazing. It's so relaxing and perfect for camping, stargazing, and enjoying a beer. We have to sleep here! After we finished taking photos, we met the owner of a restaurant nearby. Before we could even say anything, she said, "You can camp here. The governor even slept here the other day." Thank you, ma'am, for making my dream come true.



We ordered food from the owner and then rushed to set up our tent on the Three Thousand Bends of the Mekong River. The owner was so kind and helpful. She sent her children to help us set up the tent, carry things, find firewood, and light a fire. We showered at the owner's house and then had dinner with the children in front of the tent.



After dinner, dreams come true. Tent by the river, grilling marshmallows, sipping beer, watching stars.



This text is already in English and does not require translation.

Stargazing Beach, as its name suggests, is perfect for stargazing. The sky is full of stars, and there are no city lights to disturb us. There are only the stars and us.



To be honest, I've never seen so many stars. Maybe it's because other places aren't as dark as this. And most importantly, I feel like we're so close to the sky, so close to nature. There's nothing here but us. We can't see anything else.



This trip, no matter what happens next, tonight has made me feel that this journey is worth it.



Day Two


As soon as we opened our eyes and opened the tent, we saw the sun slowly rising from the horizon. We took photos, ate breakfast, said goodbye to the children, paid for the food to the aunt, and then continued on our journey.



-Stargazing Beach, a name we had never heard before, but it left an unforgettable impression on us.-

Today, we started by visiting the highlights of Sam Phan Bok, including Mickey Mouse Rock and Dog Head Rock. We recommend going early in the morning before the sun gets too hot, as the walk is quite long. It's also a good idea to have the young tour guides help you navigate, as Sam Phan Bok is quite large and you might not be able to find Mickey Mouse Rock on your own. We didn't spend too much time walking and taking pictures because it was hot and we felt that after a while, the rocks all started to look the same.



With Mission camping by the river, grilling marshmallows, sipping beer, watching stars, taking pictures with Mickey Mouse waving, climbing the dog's head rock Completed, the remaining 1 day is considered a bonus.



Nearby, there are interesting natural attractions such as Pha Taem, Soi Sawan Waterfall, and Kaeng Tana. Pha Taem National Park has a tent site. We agreed to sleep at Pha Taem at night, so we will drive to visit Soi Sawan Waterfall first, then visit Kaeng Tana, and then return to Pha Taem in the evening.



(On the way, I met a group of young punks in the middle of the alley)



(Since it's on the way, let's stop by and take a selfie with the Chalermphrakiat Bridge.)



(Not afraid of the heat, but afraid of not being hot enough! Haha, just kidding.)



Sor Sai Waterfall is about 50 kilometers from Sam Pan Bok. It takes about an hour by car to get there. We just visited the dry and hot rocks, now we want to play in the cool waterfall to our heart's content. As soon as we arrived, one of our friends changed into a swimsuit and said she had to swim. Another friend quickly spread out a ground sheet and said he would lie down and relax by the waterfall.



(A family of three holding hands walking to a waterfall, so cute)



We walked in the sun for a while and reached the waterfall, but where is the waterfall? Where is it really? The shower at home might be stronger. We forgot, it's the dry season! Will there be water in the waterfall!!!



(The child's ankles are still higher than the water)



(It's so hot, I can't take it anymore. I'm going to sleep.)



After our waterfall fail, we drove on to Kaeng Tana, passing through Khong Chiam district. We stopped to see the two-colored river, "Khong Si Poon, Moon Si Kham". It's hot, it's so hot. Why didn't we come in the evening? Oh well, let's drive on to Kaeng Tana.



Keng Tana has two nature trails: Tham Phra and Lan Phueng. From the names, Tham Phra must be cooler than Lan Phueng, so we went to see Tham Phra. Tham Phra has only a cave and a Buddha statue, as its name suggests. But for some reason, we were impressed by this cave. It felt strangely mystical. We were so impressed that after we got back in the car, we had to Google it to find out more about its history. We found out that it's 1,300 years old! Wow... that's many generations ago.



After leaving the cave, we came to take pictures with the suspension bridge. We didn't expect that we could get cool pictures of a suspension bridge without having to go to the bridge over the River Kwai.



We were done, so we stopped by Khong Chiam to buy supplies for the evening and drove straight to Pha Taem.



There is a camping ground at Pha Taem. We found some rocks to make a circle around the campfire, gathered firewood to build a fire, took a shower in the park's bathroom, pitched our tents, roasted marshmallows and corn, sipped beer, and since we were in Isan, we couldn't miss out on grilled sticky rice.



Traditional grilled sticky rice recipe

Shape the sticky rice into bite-sized pieces.

Skewer them on a skewer.

Dip them in egg.

Grill until the egg is cooked.

Result: The egg will be cooked, golden yellow, and crispy. The sticky rice will be smooth and soft (because it has been shaped by hand), warm, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, hot, and with a hint of smoke. The atmosphere of the countryside comes alive.



(I just found out today that my friend is studying engineering. He's in the grilling engineering program. Out of nowhere, he just built a grill.)



(A good stove is half the battle)



Day 3


We woke up and drove to see the sunrise at Pha Taem. It was a bit crowded, as expected for a popular tourist spot. Then we drove all the way to Ubon Ratchathani city to eat Vietnamese food.



We don't understand it either. Ubon Ratchathani is next to Laos and Cambodia, but why is the Vietnamese food at the restaurant we ate at so delicious? We ate at a Vietnamese restaurant called Indochine. We arrived a little before the restaurant opened, but the staff let us in to eat. The food was delicious. We recommend the Vietnamese pancake, the dough is very soft. The price is not too high either.



And since we are coffee addicts, we had to have some coffee. So we went to Saloon Coffee and Bar. This shop has raw coffee beans, very hipster and slow life. When you come to Ubon Ratchathani, how can you not buy fermented pork sausage as a gift for your family? So we asked the staff at the coffee shop. They recommended the Mae Hai fermented pork sausage shop. We bought some as a gift for our family. They were very happy and said that the taste is different from what they eat in Bangkok.



After we were done fooling around, we continued on to Phanom Rung Historical Park. We drove straight from Ubon Ratchathani using Highway 24. We drove until we entered Buriram Province. There will be a large intersection, turn onto Highway 219. Drive for a while and you will reach the castle.



The name Phanom Rung Historical Park comes from the Khmer language, which means "the great castle". When we went there, it was as grand as its name suggests. There were a lot of people too, but it was also very beautiful.



And then we drove straight to Bangkok. Oh, we're not giving up easily. We stopped for a final meal of rice porridge in Saraburi.



After eating, we drove straight to Bangkok. We arrived in Bangkok around 8:30 pm. The next day, we were ready to work.



On this trip, we intended to visit Sam Phan Bok. But in reality, we only spent a few hours at Sam Phan Bok because we encountered things along the way that attracted us, such as the Stargazing Beach, Ubon Ratchathani, Kaeng Tana, and the Phanom Rung Stone Castle. This made us realize that sometimes the destination is not the most important thing, but the journey itself is what is truly memorable.



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