Readme before you journey
Oh, it's so far! Why go there? It's going to be a real pain!
!!! Oh my, Umphang! A thousand curves, I'm about to puke!!!
Will there be water in the waterfall if it hasn't rained for several days?
Regardless of the reason, we decided last year that in 2023, we must visit the heart-shaped Pitukrok Waterfall.
Following our unforgettable trip to Tee Lor Su Waterfall and the refreshing air of Umphang in 2016, we immediately planned a visit to the Heart-Shaped Waterfall for the following year. We gathered information from various sources, including Pantip, articles, and local porters in Umphang. We learned that Pitukroh had only recently become known and opened to the public as a natural tourist destination within the past 2-3 years. Upon hearing this, we were determined to visit this hidden gem.
We visited Umphang during the Buddhist Lent period, which coincided with our trip to Ti Lo Su last year. However, this time we extended our leave to cover both the beginning and end of the festival (July 6-11, 2017). As before, we started our journey by taking a bus from Mo Chit 2 to Mae Sot Bus Terminal (approximately 8 hours), followed by a 3-4 hour ride on a shared taxi to Kanyapak Resort.
We arrived at the resort around 1 pm on July 7th. We checked into our room, unpacked, showered, and then borrowed a motorbike from the resort to go eat and buy supplies for our trip the next day. While riding the motorbike back after we finished eating and shopping, my phone rang!
Aunt Pint: Are you there yet? I'll pick you up at the resort this evening for dinner.
Sure.
(If you've read "Tee Lor Su: When You Want to Go, You Have to Go," you'll know that Aunt Pint is a very kind aunt. She rode with me back to Mae Sot when I missed my bus.)
[Click to reveal spoiler]
Lunch had barely settled when dinner time arrived. Aunt Pint came to pick me up as promised. This time, her husband, Uncle Sak, was the cook. It was here that I had my first taste of chili paste with fermented fish sauce. Delicious!
The next morning (July 8th), Arm (the owner of Kanyapak Resort) arranged for us to meet at the car around 9 am. Since we were alone, Arm took us to another resort with Ae, who would be our guide and porter. We got in the car around 10 am and drove to the starting point (Mae Jan Subdistrict) for about an hour and a half. This year was the first year they charged an entrance fee (20 baht). The money collected allows us tourists to have a bathroom to use on the mountain. After paying the entrance fee, Ae took us to eat the rice he had fried for us and we started walking to the camping spot.
The idyllic image of a rice field can be deceiving. As you walk through it, you may encounter unexpected obstacles.
Slightly drier, haha.
The distance from the starting point to the campsite was not measured, but it took approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach. The trail included water puddles (less than half a shin deep), muddy paths where it was difficult to pull your feet out, and a dense forest with dry bamboo. Although the distance was not long, the trail offered a variety of terrains.
The dry ground makes walking much easier. ^^
There may be some clutter in certain areas.
We finally arrived at the campsite. The sound of the waterfall was close to our ears. There were four toilets, two upstairs and two downstairs. They were made of galvanized iron with water taps and squat toilets. The doors were locked with rubber bands. The toilets were clean and free of reptiles or insects. Our porter and guide, Brother A, stretched a rope and hung a blue tarpaulin as a flysheet. He then started to pitch the tent, but before he could finish, it started to rain. It was a rather wet welcome. Brother A, our ever-reliable guide, told us to sit and rest while he took care of everything. Little did he know that we had been looking forward to playing in the rain like this for a long time.
The sound of raindrops on a simple flysheet is incredibly soothing and enjoyable.
The rain intensified, making it impossible to remain outside. Seeking shelter in the tent, the view became limited.
After all, they've been on many trips together.
After taking a shower, Mr. A built a fire, cooked rice, boiled hot water, and made instant noodles for us to eat. The delicious meal was a success. Before going to bed, we sat and talked with Mr. A. From a taciturn man, Mr. A suddenly became talkative. At around 10 pm, we asked to go to bed. The weather was cool, not too hot or too cold. Snuggling in the sleeping bag was really nice.
Tick. . . Tick. . . Tick. . .
6:30 AM on July 9th, I woke up groggily and dozed off for a bit longer. When I woke up again, my brother had boiled hot water for our cup of porridge, our breakfast. Around 7 AM, we changed our clothes and prepared to walk to the 'Thirty Thousand Mangoes' mountain.
Far!
The short sentence really hurts my heart. It was early in the morning, and the food was not digested well. I had to walk up a steep hill. If it weren't for the Pimsen Tra of my mother, I wouldn't have survived. Haha. The more I walk, the steeper it gets, and the higher I go, the stronger the wind gets. 1 hour from the tent to the first viewpoint passed well. The reward for early risers here is not the sunrise view, but the heart-shaped waterfall pattern with the gentle mist. I want to stay there for a long time. I want to sleep here for another night.
Is it true that the water level is low these days? Why does my heart feel so heavy? Are we going to waste our trip?
Thirty Thousand Mango Mountain
You: Are we at Doi Ma Muang Sam Wan yet, brother?
Brother E: Yawn! (Pointing to a mountain that makes his heart ache) See that one? That's thirty thousand.
We : Is it much further to walk?
Brother A: Far!
We: (We sigh! In our hearts, we ask again) How many hours?
Brother E: It will take another hour, but it's much steeper than the way up.
We: ... (I'll go, but let me stay still for a moment.)
Brother E: Since you're already here, let's go up and see. It's cold and drizzly up there. I forgot to tell you to bring a raincoat.
We: Let's go (exhausted, haha).
It would be somewhat heartwarming.
Following our guide, we trekked for about an hour, navigating both steep and flat terrain. Upon reaching Doi Mamuang One Wan, we were greeted by strong winds and thick fog that obscured our vision. The surrounding area was a vast expanse of white. Pointing ahead, our guide informed us that Doi Mamuang Two Wan and Three Wan lay beyond, offering similar obscured views due to the dense fog. We unanimously agreed to spare ourselves further exertion and instead opted to explore a nearby waterfall to ascertain its water level.
The more you walk, the thicker the fog gets.
Is this considered dense fog?! If not, watch the clip below.
Another view I particularly enjoyed on the way to the waterfall.
The hike from Doi Mamuang to the heart-shaped waterfall takes approximately one hour. The trail is steep and slippery, with a constant descent. Each point of interest is roughly one hour apart.
The path was overgrown with moss, lichen, and tangled vines, creating a lush and humid environment. As we walked, the sound of the waterfall grew louder, building anticipation. We wondered if the water flow would be strong and if the pool would form the heart shape seen in the pictures. With a mix of excitement and trepidation, we continued our journey.
The extent of the water's reach remains unknown, but its current volume is already令人印象深刻. From above, it appears as a thin ribbon, but as you descend, its heart shape becomes evident. The water flows with force, and the sound of the cascading water is truly captivating.
After relaxing by the waterfall for a while, it was time to head back to our tents. The walk back took less than an hour, and along the way, our guide, Mr. A, picked some wild vegetables that he washed in a nearby waterfall. Little did we know that these vegetables, known as "phak kood," would become our afternoon snack. After lunch, we packed up our tents and left the forest, using the same path we had taken on the way in. This trip could truly be called a "blistering feet" adventure! The walk back was slightly faster than the walk in, and then we got back in the car and headed back to the resort to relax at our leisure.
The text describes a scene where the speaker forgot to show the viewer a waterfall near their campsite. They mention that they use the water from the waterfall for cooking and drinking, and that a person named "พี่เอ" assured them it is safe to drink.
Here's the translated text:
I forgot to show you the waterfall near our campsite. We use the water from here for cooking and drinking. "พี่เอ" told me that the water is safe to drink, and that it has been researched.
I encountered this flower while walking back. It seems to be a ginger lily.
The next morning, around 7:00 AM, the resort's wake-up call came knocking on the door to prepare for breakfast and wait for the car to leave around 8:30 AM. However, during this trip to Umphang, we hardly ate at the resort. For example, for this breakfast, Pin's aunt took us to eat breakfast at her house as usual. Uncle Sak was still the cook, as always. We then prepared to get on the resort's car to leave Umphang. If we had taken a public bus (a shared taxi), we would have had to make arrangements in advance because the buses only run until noon. If we missed that, we would have missed the bus. However, the resort's car would take us to the attractions along the way, and we could ask the driver to stop if we wanted to take pictures.
As the group that had been visiting Thi Lo Su was returning during this trip, we decided to join them. Everyone was incredibly friendly, and we were able to talk to each other without feeling awkward, even though it was our first time meeting. Thanks to these new friends, we learned that we could travel to Myawaddy, Burma, while waiting for the bus back to Bangkok. However, before embarking on our international adventure, we stopped by Pha Charoen Waterfall, which is located on the way to Mae Sot. Don't forget to bring your national park passport to get it stamped!
Pajeerin Waterfall (Phop Phra District, Tak Province) is a small, beautiful waterfall with cascading tiers. However, caution is advised as the rocks can be slippery.
After visiting Pha Charoen Waterfall, we arrived in Mae Sot after about half an hour. We stopped for lunch before heading to our neighboring country, Myanmar. To enter Myanmar, our driver, Mr. Ya, asked for our ID cards and 220 baht each for the car fare to his friend who would take over and show us around Myawaddy. In just a short while, we entered Myanmar at 4:30 p.m., which was the time for the flag-raising ceremony here (we saw everyone standing at attention). It was raining non-stop. I guess it's the rainy season.
This trip to Myawaddy was not particularly interesting to me, as I am not particularly religious or interested in culture. It was more of a 2-hour mini-trip to visit four temples (Giant Crocodile Temple, Giant Rock Temple, Standing Buddha Temple, and the last, most beautiful temple, whose name I don't remember). However, I did appreciate the artistic design of the temple roof edges (which housed relics of the Buddha). Below are photos of the temples, without captions as I don't remember which photo corresponds to which temple.
The journey to Myawaddy, Myanmar, took approximately two and a half hours. Before leaving Myanmar, the driver stopped at a gas station as the car was running low on fuel.
A rustic gas station, perfect for a photo op.
The living conditions in Myawaddy are not much different from those in Thailand. 4G mobile phone signals are still available in Myawaddy, and there are many mobile phone shops.
Around 6:30 PM, we arrived at Mae Sot Bus Terminal. It was very close to Myawaddy, so we could have continued our trip there if we had another hour. The end of our trip had arrived. We said goodbye to our 10 travel companions and waited for the 8:00 PM bus back to Bangkok. Looking back, there were many things that exceeded our expectations on this trip. We didn't think or suspect that the path to the waterfall would be so steep and require so much walking (we initially thought we would take a rubber boat!). The second surprise was that we didn't think our new friends would be so friendly. Every time we meet new people, we tend to feel tense. Thank you all so much for helping us continue our journey. The third surprise was visiting Burma. Although it's not our usual style, it felt strangely good. What we did expect and knew we would encounter in Umphang was the continued kindness and friendliness of the people there. Most importantly, we want to thank the family of Uncle Sak and Kanjanaphak Nissorn for everything over the past few days.
A high-angle (not too high) view of Myawaddy.
Goodbye.
:: Booking information for car and accommodation is as follows: ::
Website for booking bus tickets: http://www.pns-allthai.com/pns_bs/index.php
Website for accommodation and trips to Ti Lo Su Waterfall: http://www.kanyapaktour.com
Tel: 081-972-7973 (Contact: Arm)
prinnparinada
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 11:22 AM
