Long time no see. I haven't stopped traveling, but I've been so busy that I haven't had time to write. This trip was the last one of 2016, from December 17-19. I'm finally free to review it. The destination was Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei Province, a place everyone says you should visit at least once in your life. I've been to Loei many times this year, three times in the past six months. As I write this review, I've just returned from Phu Bak Dai and Phu Lom Lo. This trip was on a budget, as usual, and I spent only 2,500 baht. To save money, I didn't rent a bicycle. The total distance covered was over 50 kilometers. Let's go!

All photos were taken with a Nikon D5300 18-140 lens, traveling throughout Thailand.

This trip, there are no photos or videos from GoPro because I forgot to format the GoPro memory card. I thought I had downloaded it to my computer, but I was wrong. It's a real shame, but I'll have to take new photos and videos next time. However, I still remember all the stories and experiences vividly.

Please follow my small page. I don't have much time to update, but I will update it from time to time. Liem Travel Thailand

3-Day, 2-Night Itinerary

The original plan was to leave Bangkok at night and arrive in Loei in the morning. This time, we will try our luck again to see the sea of fog at Phu Tok Chiang Khan. Then we will have Khao Piek Pak Ma in the city. Then we will go to Phu Kradueng. On the first day, we will walk to the camping site and then walk to Pha Mak Duak. On the second day, we will wake up at 5 am to watch the sunrise at Pha Ngern. Today, we will walk another 30 kilometers, collecting various waterfalls and looking for maple trees. We will stop to eat at Sa-Ano-Daad, then walk along the edge of the cliff, stepping on the clouds - Pha Daeng, and finally Pha Lom Sak. We will walk back with the stars full of the sky. On the third morning, we will walk to Pha Ngern again and then walk down.

This trip took place on December 17-19, 2016. We started our journey on Friday night, as usual. There were six people on this trip, but we all met up at Phu Doeng. Two people were in Khon Kaen, and two others left in the evening to sleep near Phu Doeng. As for me, I drove all night, as usual. 555 But on this trip, I had to sleep to gain some energy, so I left early in the evening. I arrived at the PTT gas station in Chiang Khan at 2:20 am and slept to gain some energy. I was determined to catch the sea of mist at Phu Tok. This was my third attempt, and this time I drove many more kilometers. But in the end, I still failed. I woke up at 5 am and rushed to climb Phu Tok. I waited until almost 6 am, but there was no sign of the sea of mist. So I went down without waiting for it to get light, as I had already taken photos at sunrise twice before. So I stopped to have breakfast at the walking street in Chiang Khan.

Parked the car next to the temple and walked across the alley to the walking street. On this trip, the local Vios came to greet us again, but he declined to go hiking at Phu Kradueng, saying he had already been there. We'll see him again on the Phu Bak Dai trip.

Finally leaving Chiang Khan, I was able to try Khao Piek Pak Ma after hearing about it for so long. Every time I came, I slept in on Saturday morning and the shop was closed, so I missed it. This time, I came early on Saturday and was able to eat. This shop is in the city, it's not hard to find, but I'm not sure exactly where it is. I followed my brother there.

The two-shop house restaurant was adorned with photos of celebrities who had come to enjoy the khao piak.

The text describes a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup called "kway chap" (ข้าวเปียก). The writer praises the dish's soft and chewy noodles, flavorful broth, and perfectly cooked poached egg. They encourage readers to try it if they have the opportunity.

Bidding farewell to the locals, we'll meet again on our next trip to Phu Bak Dai. We visit this place more often than we go to Paragon. It feels like it's just around the corner! 555

Departing from the city center at around 7 am, it took just over an hour to reach Phu Kradueng National Park.

Upon arrival, I completed my morning routine and packed my belongings. I then handed my backpack to a porter for weighing. For this trip, I opted to let the porter carry most of my belongings, distributing the income and allowing me to walk more freely. The porter's fee was 30 baht per kilogram.

With everything prepared, it's time to get started. We begin at 9:30 AM.

The first section is 9 kilometers long.

The 9 kilometers are divided into different points as shown in the figure below.

Each porter carries at least 50 kilograms, which is truly remarkable.

The 1-kilometer stretch leading up to Sam Haek is moderately steep, but not overly challenging. The trail is wide and easy to navigate, allowing for comfortable breaks along the way.

With ample time, there's no need to rush and shoot. The camera won't overheat, and even a short walk will leave you breathless.

After a tiring walk, sweat oozing from every pore but not yet soaking our backs, we finally arrived at Sam Haek.

According to the map, we have already passed the steepest sections. The final climb will be at the last waterfall.

Walk to the right side near the sign, where a large crowd awaits. Beautiful views welcome you.

Gather around, conquerors of Phu Kradueng.

Take a break and enjoy the view. Food, water, and drinks are available at every rest stop. Feel free to purchase what you need.

The stunning view deserves a good pair of shoes. For hiking on Phu Kradueng, regular sneakers with good grip are sufficient if it's not the rainy season. However, if you're going during the rainy season, studded hiking boots are a better choice. On this trip, the shoes provided excellent grip and helped brake on the descent.

Continuing from the relaxing trail at Sam Haek, the path gradually ascends without any significant inclines, allowing for a leisurely walk and exploration.

After a short walk, we arrived at another resting spot. There were too many resting spots along the way, and we were easily tempted to take a break even though we weren't tired. However, once we saw a resting spot, we couldn't resist the urge to take a break. As a result, we ended up taking breaks at almost every resting spot, which wasted a lot of time.

After reaching Sam Khok Don, we stopped for lunch. Food prices increase with altitude. This particular Sam is not too expensive, with dishes costing around 50-60 baht.

The cool breeze was so comfortable that we sat and ate for a long time, almost an hour. We almost fell asleep because of the cool breeze.

The journey continues. The final stretch of the road is quite congested due to the influx of tourists descending from the mountain.

We finally arrived at Pha Pok after a 4.15-hour trek. While the hike itself wasn't particularly challenging, we took frequent breaks and stopped for a one-hour lunch. For those who maintain a steady pace without frequent stops, the journey can be completed in under 3 hours.

Take a break to enjoy the view and rest before continuing. There are still 3.5 kilometers of flat road ahead.

The breathtaking view is worth the effort.

Show me the map on Phu Doeng.

Continue walking for 3.5 kilometers on flat terrain.

The vendor informed me that the bunch of bananas weighs exactly one kilogram from the back of the pickup truck.

After walking for almost an hour, we arrived at the tent camping service center. If you need to rent anything, please contact them directly.

The vast camping area can accommodate a large number of people. Although it was crowded, there was still enough space. We brought our own tents, so we had to wait for the food vendors, who we didn't know when they would arrive.

We waited and waited with hope, but our porters still didn't arrive. We asked another porter, who told us that they had gone to watch the sunset and would arrive in the late afternoon.

Start of the second section, 4.5 kilometers ahead.

After a 9-kilometer round trip to Pha Mak Duk, the fatigue had disappeared, but my legs were starting to ache a little. 555

The sun sets around 5:00 PM, casting an orange glow over the cliffs.

The view is decent.

After waiting for a while, I realized that I probably wouldn't see the sunset today because there were too many clouds. I decided to walk back because we hadn't set up our tent yet, and we wouldn't have anywhere to put it.

Upon returning to the campsite, I was greeted by a breathtaking golden light.

And the sky explodes like this, wow, so beautiful.

The sky is incredibly explosive.

After meeting the vendor and paying, we set up our tent. Once the tent was set up, it was time for the highlight of the trip: a delicious hot pot meal. The cool weather was perfect for enjoying the hot, savory broth and fresh ingredients. The hot pot options ranged from 300 to 500 baht, and the portions were generous. I even brought an extra kilo of marinated pork from home. After a satisfying meal, we turned in for the night, knowing we had to wake up early the next morning at 5 am to visit the swallow cave. Unfortunately, the sky was heavily clouded that night, preventing us from seeing any stars.

Day two, 27 kilometers today.

This morning, the first group of people went back and forth to Pha Nok Aen, a distance of 4.5 kilometers. This morning, there were a lot of people waiting to see the first light of the day.

The first light has arrived this morning.

There is a thin layer of fog in the distance.

The yolk is coming.

The thin morning mist was refreshing as I walked back to eat and prepare for another 30 kilometers.

Back to the tent. Why is our tent so pitiful? But let me tell you, the 199 baht tent I bought from Big C has been used for 5 trips and 7 nights now, and it's still working well. It's worth it. This trip, I used a tarpaulin to cover it, but I didn't stake it properly. In the middle of the night, there was a strong wind that blew it open. But at least it didn't leak, it was just soaked around the tent. Hehe.

After completing my morning errands, I stopped by my usual breakfast spot, Auntie's restaurant. Today's breakfast consisted of two curries for 70 baht. While the price was a bit steep, the portion size and flavor were generous. I also ordered a sticky rice and pork dish for lunch, which cost 60 baht and was equally satisfying.

We are ready to go on an adventure! To save money on this trip, we decided not to rent bicycles, which cost 350 baht each. However, two of my friends decided to rent them and meet us at the Big Cave Waterfall. It's important to note that if you want to see all the waterfalls, you won't be able to ride your bike all the way. You'll need to walk in and then back out. However, if you choose to walk, you can complete a circular loop around the area.

Today's program is 30 kilometers, starting from the Buddha of Mercy statue to the Phaeng Phob Waterfall, then to the Phaeng Phob Waterfall again, and then to the Tham Yai Waterfall to find the red maple. Then, we will continue to the Tharn Sawan Waterfall, Sa Ano Dat, Pha Hieab Meuk, Pha Daeng, Pha Lom Sak, and finally walk back along the cliff to Pha Moke Dood and return to the camping point. Just seeing the program makes my legs weak, but I'm here, so I have to go for it.

Follow the red line on the path today.

To pay respects to the sacred objects, one must walk a full 30 kilometers without their legs falling off.

Turn right and collect all the waterfalls on this side. At this point, bicycles are not allowed. If you want to go, you have to park here and walk in. It is recommended that if you want to go to the waterfall, park at the Big Cave Waterfall and then walk to the newly discovered Phet Phon Waterfall and then turn back so you don't have to go back and forth twice.

The trail on Phu Kradueng is mostly flat and easy to walk, with only a few short climbs and descents near the waterfalls. The challenge lies not in the terrain, but in the distance.

Capture every moment.

Take your time, there is plenty of time. Walk slowly.

The waterfall was starting to dry up when I went, but I still managed to get some beautiful red maple leaves. I'll share some pictures with you later.

The attempt to create a heart shape ended up looking like Medusa.

And then I found the red maple.

Diligent, collecting fallen leaves and throwing them away.

The most leeches I encountered on my trip were on the trail leading to Tham Yai Waterfall.

It took over an hour to reach the waterfall at Tham Yai.

Upon reaching Tharn Sawan Waterfall, we were unable to descend further and therefore did not capture any images.

We have finished exploring the waterfall zone for today. There are more waterfalls, but we will not be able to visit them as we will be focusing on exploring the cliffs.

The next destination is to have a meal and visit the Sano Daed Reservoir.

The journey is surrounded by savanna grasslands, isn't it? It's magnificent, but the sun's heat is scorching. However, the wind is cool.

Cyclists streamed past, one after another.

No problem, we have a Bluetooth speaker to play music and make the walk more enjoyable. It helps us walk faster, sing along, and have fun. We'll be there in no time.

Not only walking, but even bicycles have to stop and rest.

We have arrived at Sa-Ano-Daad pond.

Let's recharge!

After a satisfying meal, they strike a pose for a couple's photo.

We then continued our journey to Pha Hieap Mek.

The savannah continues to be as beautiful as ever.

After a short walk of about 8 songs, we arrived at Pha Hiab Mek, thanks to our good timing, arriving just after 1 pm.

We bought a large bottle of Pepsi for 60 baht at a shop, which came with a free mat. We took the opportunity to lie down and rest, as the food had been digested. Good children should take a nap in the afternoon for a strong body. Hehe. We slept until after 2 pm, then woke up to take pictures and continue our journey.

The views from each cliff are similar, but they differ in the unique features of each cliff.

The photo taken at Pha Hiep Mek looks like you are really stepping on the clouds, it's beautiful.

Next is the red cliff. This spot has many large trees, and the view is similar to the previous one, so I didn't take any pictures.

We arrived at Pha Luam Sak around 4 pm, and it was quite crowded.

Upon arrival, we enjoyed coffee and the famous desserts at Pha Lom Sak.

After taking a break and discussing, they realized that the place was too crowded. If they waited for the sunset, it would be even more crowded. So they decided to take pictures at Pha Lom Sak and then walk back to watch the sunset at Pha Hiab Mek. This way, they could return to their tent before it got too late.

The queue to take a photo with this iconic landmark stretched far and wide.

Successfully reached the top of Phu Kradueng.

The group then briskly walked back, with just over an hour to reach the Cloud-Treading Cliff to watch the sunset.

The light gradually fades with each step.

Fortunately, he ran and walked, and finally arrived just in time. The red egg appeared for less than 5 minutes and then disappeared into the sky.

After the sun had set, the spacecraft remained to pick us up.

The light is truly beautiful this evening.

This angle is perfectly timed.

As the cold light fades, the night sky darkens, revealing a myriad of stars. The stars are exceptionally clear tonight, and the sky is free of clouds. I attempted to capture the Milky Way, but for some reason, I was unable to capture it effectively. I believe it should have risen around 7 pm during my visit, but I only managed to capture this much. A novice Milky Way hunter, haha.

Fortunately, there were many tourists around, as the path was quite dark and eerie. Thankfully, there were cyclists passing by at intervals and several groups of hikers with headlamps who overtook us.

After returning to our tent, let's take a look at the condition of my shoe heels. Apologies for the lack of decorum, but many people suggested I just cut them off. Wearing flip-flops caused them to wear down quite a bit. After arriving, my legs were in excruciating pain, as if they were about to detach. After resting and eating, when I tried to stand up and walk, I could barely take a step. It was truly incredible, a real pain in the neck.

After arriving at the tent, I walked around looking for a place to eat. For lunch, I would like to change it to a dipping sauce.

This set for 500 is enough to satisfy your hunger.

After not showering yesterday, I walked all day today and really needed a shower. I was willing to endure the cold, but it was only cold at first. Once I started showering, it felt good. After I finished, I felt warm. Hmm, maybe I have a fever? Haha, no, it's fine. The cold water was refreshing, but why is it always so hard to wash off the soap when I shower on the mountain? Is it because I'm at a high altitude? If anyone knows, please let me know. It's especially difficult to wash off in the cold, and it takes a long time.

We chatted until almost 11 pm before finally going to bed.

After 48.5 kilometers, no one will go to Pha Nok Aen tomorrow except me. I want to go anyway, since I'm already here. Maybe there will be beautiful fog tomorrow. After arguing with my girlfriend for a while, I found a friend to go with me. 555 In the end, we went together, but a little late, the sun was already high.

Morning of the third day, this time another 4.5 kilometers

We woke up at 6:30 AM, hoping to catch the sunrise. However, the early morning light was difficult to photograph due to its glare. We continued walking until the sun was higher in the sky, arriving at our destination around 7:30 AM.

As expected, today the sea of fog is denser and clearer than yesterday. Moreover, there are significantly fewer people than yesterday, and when I arrived, most people were already leaving.

Although it is a bit low, it is still quite beautiful.

The streets were deserted by 8 am, making it easy to take photos.

Along the way back, I took photos of this and that.

I found footprints of some kind of animal.

Let's gather the tents and belongings and quickly take them to the porters. The earlier we can get them, the better, as we will be faster than the porters on the way down. We may have to wait a long time.

After delivering the goods to the peddler, our delicious breakfast was, as always, instant noodles with canned fish, the main sponsor of all our trips.

The final 9 kilometers

It's time to say goodbye to Phu Kradueng.

Descending the same way is simple: just turn on some music and walk down to the beat. However, I prefer running down because it's more enjoyable. Additionally, if you take it slowly, you'll have to brake frequently, which can cause knee pain. It's better to run down in spurts and rest at intervals. This is also faster. It's important to wear shoes with good traction to avoid slipping and falling. The faster the music, the faster you'll descend, but stick to a moderate tempo. If the music is too fast, you'll get too tired.

Relax and enjoy the journey, as the porters will take a long time to arrive. Stop for a meal at Sam before continuing to Sam Haek, which will take over an hour. Don't worry, the wait for the delicious and satisfying food is worth it!

The kind uncle gave me extra fruit, probably because it was old.

Safely descended, knees are a bit sore, haha. Completed 54 kilometers on Phu Kradueng.

After showering, we waited for hours for the porters to arrive. If you plan to hire porters, I recommend grouping your belongings into as few bags as possible. Some porters may split your belongings among two or three people, causing delays. My partner and I used a single bag with a rainbow-colored tag for easy identification. This approach helped us avoid unnecessary waiting.

After collecting all the bags, it was time to part ways and return to our respective homes. I headed back to Don Mueang, the middle lane conveniently taking me to Khon Kaen. The right lane headed towards On Nut. We came from diverse backgrounds but shared a common destination. Until next trip!

Departed from Phu Kradueng around 4 pm and drove straight to Bangkok. Arrived home around 11 pm. Everyone is safe and sound.

The estimated expenses are as follows:
- Hair for 2 people in a Vios:
- [List of other expenses, if available]
Please note that this is an approximate estimate and actual costs may vary.

Fuel and gas cost 1800/2

Hilltop fee + breakfast 150/2

The cost of a porter is approximately 300 baht per person per leg, or 600 baht round trip.

The first lunch cost around 80 baht per person.

The first dinner on the mountain was a hot pot with grilled eggs, costing around 200 baht per person.

Breakfast + lunch + water = 70 + 60 + 50 = approximately 180 per person.

The cost of a Pepsi and snacks at a tea shop in Phu Lom Sak during the day is approximately 80 baht per person.

The second dinner costs around 150 baht per person.

Breakfast on the 3rd day: instant noodles with plain water, approximately 50 baht per person.

Lunch is around 70 baht per person.

The total cost for my girlfriend and I was approximately 2,500 baht each, including miscellaneous expenses. The majority of the cost was for transportation and porters, with minimal additional expenses.

See you again with the traveling couple. The next trip is still in Loei Province, Phu Bak Dai. See you again. Goodbye.