With Valentine's Day approaching, many people are seeking out romantic destinations. As traveling to the north of Thailand is inconvenient due to the distance, we searched for "Thai sakura" or "Tiger Flower" (Butea monosperma) and discovered a nearby tourist spot called "Phu Lom Lo." Located approximately 250 kilometers from our home (Khon Kaen-Phetchabun-Phu Thap Boek-Ban Long Kla-Phu Lom Lo), this destination offers a convenient and picturesque escape.

With all the information gathered, we decided to travel on January 20, 2017, driving ourselves with two people. We arrived at our destination, Ban Rong Kla, around 3 pm. Since we didn't expect a large crowd, we didn't book accommodation in advance. We had to find our own accommodation, which was a community homestay. We searched for a while, driving around the village, but everything was fully booked. Initially, we planned to sleep in a tent, but luckily, we found a place to stay called "Phu Lom Lo Eden" thanks to a customer's cancellation. Now that we have accommodation, let's take a look around the village.

The Rongkla Tourist Service Center is the designated starting point for all visitors. Vehicle rentals are available at 1,000 baht per vehicle, with a capacity of 10 passengers. Visitors are encouraged to share rides to reduce costs. Please note that private vehicles are not permitted within the park.

Every house in the Rong Kla Village is surrounded by an atmosphere of Dok Phaya Suea Krong flowers.

Wandering around the village, I started to feel hungry. I decided to stop for a bite to eat. The menu offered a variety of dishes, all priced at 40 baht per plate. The recommended dish was Tom Yum Seafood Fried Rice, which I rated a perfect 10 for deliciousness.

After a satisfying meal, let's take a short walk around the neighborhood. The evening air is pleasantly cool, with temperatures hovering around 18-19 degrees Celsius.

One day has passed.

Awaiting the dawn on the second day at Phu Lom Lo.

We set off from our room at 5 am to watch the sunrise. The hotel we stayed at offered a car rental service for tourists who wanted to see the sunrise and the fields of tiger lilies. So we went with the hotel, with the car picking us up at the hotel at 5:30 am. We chose to share the car with other tourists. Initially, there were 8 people, and the car rental fee was 1,000 baht. Along the way, two more people asked to join our group, bringing the total to 10. So we ended up paying 100 baht each for the car rental service. Let's go on a journey together...

Dawn breaks over Phu Lom Lo.

Tourists flock to experience the chilly atmosphere and witness the sunrise.

The service car is ready.

After witnessing the first light of day, everyone will continue their journey to the Phaya Sua Krong Tiger Park by shuttle bus. Please be advised that food and drinks must be brought along as there are no vendors available. Fortunately, we brought bottled water and bread to keep us going.

The distance between Phulomlo peak and Phaya Suea Krong tiger park is approximately 2 kilometers.

A valley teeming with tiger lilies.

Breathe in the fresh air deeply.

The last stop before returning, where everyone must visit, is the Phu Lom Lo sign.

I have returned from a journey that began at 5:00 AM and ended at almost 11:00 AM. The journey was filled with the beauty of the sunrise and the pink fields, which were 7 kilometers from the service point. Along the way, it is recommended to wear a hat and a mask due to the large amount of dust. Since it was Saturday, the Ban Rong Kla community held a student market to generate income for students in the village, teach them about saving money, and promote household income. We therefore supported the community products from the students.

Arrived at the accommodation around 11:30 am. Packed my things and headed home. See you next year, beloved Phu Lom Lo.