The title may seem a bit cruel, but believe me, the path where we have to sacrifice something to reach our destination is often more valuable than the path strewn with rose petals. Because we use our bodies to write stories at that place, not just photos or memories through the brain...

Man Daeng Waterfall at Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park

The starting point of the long weekend trip (Man Daeng Waterfall, Pum Stone Field >> ???????)

After being rejected from several places during this rainy season, the lottery has finally landed on these two locations in the last few days. But no matter where we go, there are always good things waiting for us ahead, even if it doesn't meet our expectations.

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We set off at midnight on Friday to reach Phu Hin Rong Kla early in the morning. We took the Saraburi-Phetchabun route to catch the sunrise from the sun at the intersection of Phu Thap Berk, where we encountered fog. The good weather was a bonus along the way. Seeing the golden light like this, we had to stop the car and take pictures.

My eyes were opened wide by the sight before me. The fatigue from driving vanished in an instant. The clouds and fog weren't too thick, but they were enough to reveal the view of the mountains, which looked perfect together. The fog crept onto the road, covering it completely, making it feel like I was driving on top of the clouds.

Not long after driving from the Thap Berk intersection, I arrived at the Man Daeng Waterfall office. I went to contact the officer who I had called to inquire earlier.

If you are interested, you can contact this number 091-040-0774. The name should be something like "Pi Chamnong".

At this point, phone and internet signals are no longer accessible (I'm using the green network). For those who are social media addicts, don't expect to be able to post or do anything. It's best not to bring your phone into the forest unless you really need to use it to take pictures.

I arrived around 7 am. The officer told me to go get something to eat and come back at 9 am to wait for another group of members to arrive. With time to spare, I drove around to find some food to fill my stomach.

Driving out of the office towards Phitsanulok, you will reach a three-way intersection at the end of the road. Turn right and you will find a small community with a shop selling grilled pork. It's a good idea to buy some provisions for lunch at the waterfall, as we will be having our midday meal there.

After eating, I drove back to the office to wait. I took a nap because I had been driving for several hours.

When the appointment time arrived, I woke up and packed my bag for the water fight. I wore long pants, gaiters to protect against leeches, and was ready to go. However, the other group members I was supposed to meet hadn't arrived yet. Only two other people from Phuket were there. So, it turned out that the forest was all ours today. 555

Ready to go, the officer led the way through the forest. Without a guide, one could easily get lost. On the way back, I took the lead and got lost several times. The officer had to shout directions several times.

The initial part of the trail is relatively flat until you reach a bridge, which is essentially a wooden plank laid across a stream. After that, the path mainly descends, as the waterfall we are heading to is located below. By the way, this waterfall has a total of 32 tiers, with the 1st tier being the highest. The park rangers will only take us up to the 8th or 9th tier.

Hiking during the rainy season allows us to experience the lushness of the various trees. This place is home to a hidden gem: wild orchids. I can't remember the names of any of them, but the park rangers were kind enough to point them out to us. You can see some of them in the accompanying photos. Some of the orchids, according to the rangers, have never been found by botanists who have come looking for them.

Giant mushroom

This one had to go through the thicket of thorns to take a picture. It's so cute.

This is the one they said is very rare. I don't know it at all. I read it.

Giant mushrooms

For flower lovers, this is a must-visit. Macro photographers will also find it ideal.

But this beauty comes at a price: blood!!!!

This little creature is talked about in every forest during the rainy season. "Leech", there are both green leeches and brown leeches. Even though the officials said that there weren't many of them this time, but when I took off my shoes and pants, my fingers weren't enough to count the number of wounds.

Some of them I saw sucking blood with such gluttony that they burst and died. And stopping the bleeding from a leech is difficult. Just wash it with water and put a plaster on it, and that's it.

Along the way, it's like I was born with these leeches, clinging mostly to me. I tried to pick them off and crush them, but they wouldn't die. Their bodies are soft, and the bigger ones have a hard time getting into our pants or shoes. But these small ones, they sneak in without us even realizing.

After walking for a while, about three kilometers, you will see a sign for the first level of the waterfall. Go down a bit and you will see the starting point of the waterfall from this point.

Man Daeng Waterfall, Level 1

Man Daeng Waterfall, Level 2

The third tier of Man Daeng Waterfall

Man Daeng Waterfall, Level 4

Man Daeng Waterfall, Level 5

The fifth tier of the waterfall is actually the highlight of this place, as there will be dragon tongue flowers blooming in front of the waterfall. But I came too early, so I didn't get to see them. The staff said that they would probably bloom around Mother's Day, so I only got to see these white flowers.

Please guide us, officer.

The best time to visit Man Daeng Waterfall is towards the end of the rainy season, when you can see dragon tongue flowers, maple leaves, and various wild orchids.

We arrived at this level at noon and took a break to eat our packed lunch. We also soaked our feet in the water to wash away the blood.

You can either play in the water here, or relax and listen to the sound of the water hitting the rocks. It's a different kind of fun. But I have to tell you, the water is very cold and clear. The park rangers even drink water from this waterfall instead of bottled water.

After a short break, it was time to continue the journey. The officer asked if we wanted to continue, as the return trip would take longer. If we continued, we might not arrive back until evening. But having come this far, it wouldn't be right to turn back now. So we pressed on.

Man Daeng Waterfall, Level 6

To get to the 7th floor, you'll have to wade through some water. Don't worry about getting wet, though, because by the time you walk back up, your shoes will be dry.

The 7th tier of Man Daeng Waterfall

And the last floor we reached, and I like this floor the most, because it looks more beautiful than any other floor. The gradation of the rock layers is impressive.

Man Daeng Waterfall, 8th tier

Taking pictures and soaking up the atmosphere, I wish I could pitch a tent and sleep right here. Every angle looks spectacular, but it's time to head back before it gets dark. Remember, we only walked down on the way here, which means the way back is all uphill. Uphill all the way. T_T

The path is slippery due to the rainy season, so we slipped and fell several times. We need to be careful.

There were some sections with long, continuous uphill climbs. I didn't notice them on the way up, but on the way back, I realized how far I had come down. I felt moderately tired.

I walked out to the office around 3 pm. The total distance to and from this forest is 7 kilometers. I lost a lot of energy.

They came out to meet another group of tourists who were camping in front of the office, preparing for their journey the next day.

Before leaving, I gave a small tip to the officer, because without him, I would have definitely gotten lost in the forest. (There is no charge for guiding here.)

I then continued my journey to Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park to set up my tent for the night. Since the park ranger who rents out tents was not available, I went to eat at the Rang Thong restaurant in the park, which had delicious food. I asked to charge my phone, but the power was out. I felt sorry for the people who had rented cabins, as they probably didn't have electricity either. As for me, I was comfortable because I was sleeping in a tent anyway. It wasn't until several hours later that the power came back on.

After inquiring about tourist attractions for this evening, the staff at the restaurant recommended watching the sunset at Hin Pum Viewpoint, which is said to be the most beautiful. However, it is quite far, about 2 kilometers, and we might not make it back before dark. Therefore, it is recommended to go to Hin Taek Viewpoint, which is closer. We can visit Hin Pum Viewpoint and Pha Chu Thong tomorrow morning.

Okay, the tent is set up, so let's decide where to go next. After setting up the tent, I looked at the sky and it was still bright. I still had some time, so I decided to try going to Pha Chuthong first. I was told it wasn't far away, so I rushed to drive there immediately. I carried my belongings and prepared to take pictures of the sunset. In my haste, I forgot to look at the map that was posted in front of the entrance. So, my excitement was born from a mistake at this point.

Alright, the sun is about to set, we need to hurry up a bit. Passing by tourists walking out, I asked them which way to Pha Chu Thong. They told me to go up and turn left, if I turn right I will go to Hin Pum. Okay, thank you.

As I walked, I came across a sign. "Huh? Why does the sign tell me to turn right to Pha Chu Thong?" I thought to myself. Following the sign, I walked past various rock formations and entered a forested area. After a long time, I still couldn't find the sign for Pha Chu Thong. "Well, since I'm already here, I might as well go to the Button Rock Field," I thought. There were only signs for the Button Rock Field. At this point, I started to run because the sky was starting to change color.

Before reaching the stone button field, you will encounter these flowers blooming everywhere. They are very beautiful. They are called "Perak Phu".

Finally found it, the Pha Chu Thong sign. Is it further than the Hin Pum field? Let's stop by the Hin Pum field first then.

The weather is amazing, with a cool breeze blowing gently. Walking along the edge of the cliff was a bit scary, but the large, knobby rocks were incredible. It's truly a remarkable sight.

Show the power to separate the rocks from each other. Uh, no, that's not right.

It's so late in the evening that there's no one around because everyone has already left. This makes the atmosphere very peaceful, and there's no need to fight for a photo with anyone.

I watched the sun set for a while, but the clouds didn't cooperate and completely blocked the sun's rays. But even the mountain view here is worth it.

There isn't much time left. The question arises in my mind, should I continue or turn back... Well, since I'm already here, I might as well go a little further. It's only 500 meters to the flag cliff. I brought a flashlight, so let's keep going.

I don't remember what kind of flowers they were, but they were beautiful and lined both sides of the road.

The view on the way to Pha Chu Thong actually has its own name, but since our destination was Pha Chu Thong, we didn't pay much attention to it.

And then it finally arrived. I quickly took a picture. The picture above wasn't taken in time because the light was gone. I had to hurry back. It was time to turn on the flashlight.

I walked back the same way, brother and sister. When I got outside, I realized that I could walk in a circle. I was shocked. In the end, I had to walk back and forth for almost 5 kilometers. T_T I'm tired.

On the way back with the dark forest, it was good that there was some moonlight, but it still looked scary and eerie. The sound of small animals, birds chirping, came gradually at intervals. I hurried out because I didn't want to meet any big animals at this time.

Stepping out of the closed forest zone, I felt a little relieved until I reached the stone platform near the entrance. Suddenly, I heard the sound of trees swaying in the distance, no more than two hundred meters away. I stopped dead in my tracks. What the hell?! Three white things ran past into the bushes.

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.

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My muscles twitched, ready to run the Olympic 100 meters at any moment... I stood still for a while, the sound disappeared, so I slowly crept past. When I got closer to that point, I ran as fast as I could to get out of there. Until I saw the light of the shop at the entrance, I felt relieved. I didn't wait, I walked and ran at the same time.

Driven by curiosity, I immediately went to ask the shop owner.

Me: What kind of wild animals are there here?

Shopkeeper: Oh, no, I don't have any. I've never seen it.

Me: I just saw something white, three of them, running past me.

I : #@%#&%#*%#*&#@$$*

Whew, I thought it was something else. I'm going to go back and make some beef soup. 55 Now that I can breathe again, I'm going back to the tent to rest. Today, I've traveled more than 10 kilometers. I'm exhausted. I'm going to rest and watch the moon with the rain. Good night, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park.

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I don't recommend hiking in the dark because we don't know what's out there. Visibility is also reduced. When going to different places, you should look at the map in front of the entrance first, or maybe take a picture to keep as information. Because if something really happened to me that day, no one would be able to help me in time. And this is a lesson.

Tomorrow, I have to travel to another location more than a hundred kilometers away because I have an appointment with a group of friends I've never met before. This will be another memorable experience.

.......at Phu Soi Dao

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