After several months of absence from hiking, I was obsessed with my new motorcycle. I decided to start hiking again during the rainy season. I had heard about Phu Soi Dao for a long time, but the timing was never right. Finally, this year, it was perfect. I wanted to see the beautiful "Naga's Crest." So, I gathered a team of experienced hikers, five of us in total. It doesn't matter how many people there are, as long as we are ready to go together. Let's go!

The journey began with an impressive image of an elephant. Before arriving, I had no expectations of seeing stars, as my primary goal was to admire the Rafflesia flowers. Previous trips had been plagued by rain and overcast skies. From the moment I entered Phitsanulok, rain accompanied me all the way to the park and continued relentlessly until I reached the campsite. However, there were many aspects of this place that exceeded my expectations. There are numerous hidden corners rarely mentioned in reviews, waiting to be discovered and experienced firsthand.

This trip program departs on August 16-17, 2017.

Departing on Friday evening as usual, arriving at the park headquarters at 3 am. In the morning, we will hike through the rain to Phu Soi Dao.

After exploring the surrounding area of the mountain on Sunday, we descended and stopped by the Phra Buddha Chinnarat temple on our way back to Bangkok.

All photos were taken with Nikon D7200 18-140 fix50 1.8 and Gopro 4silver.

Our ride today is not a Vios or CRF, but a big brother VIGO 4*4 3.0. It's a lot of fun to drive, not our car, but the car of a friend who went with us. A little change of plan, two friends who were going to go with us canceled. Before that, we took the Vios to the garage for a paint job, so we ended up taking our friend's car. The fuel cost will be a bit high, but it's a lot of fun to drive and very confident. We must have one in the future. Hehe.

Photo of the front of the park on the day of return

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Rainy Season

The scene cuts to the next morning. After picking up a friend who arrived by bus from Khon Kaen at the Phitsanulok bus terminal, we continued driving through heavy rain all the way. The rain was especially intense as we turned off the main road towards Chat Trakan. The road was dark and the rain was so heavy that it was still raining when we arrived at our destination around 3:00 AM. We couldn't even get out to pee. It was so intense that we all had to sleep huddled together in the car. Luckily, there were only four of us. Another sister was coming from Lamphun to meet us in the morning.

The rain continued until 8 am, and it seemed to be getting even stronger. It was a back-and-forth of light and heavy rain. I went to wash my face and brush my teeth, and then I registered with the officials who were preparing to weigh the children's loads.

Once you have received your weighted bag tag, you can start your hike. There is a shuttle service that will take you to the starting point, which is about 2 kilometers away.

It's time for our adventure to begin. The rain shows no signs of stopping, and the raincoats we brought are already being put to use.

Let's hop on the e-taek and go!

Front or back, as you wish.

We have arrived. Let's take a group photo with the sign for good luck.

With a distance of 6.5 kilometers, we will only go to the pine forest and camping area. The highest peak of Phu Soi Dao will be open during the winter season due to the dangerous and challenging trails.

Another picture of the entrance. We started walking at 9:30 AM. Let's see what time we will reach the meadow. The waterfall is currently strong and red due to the rain all night. It's scary.

The initial section before reaching the farewell hill is a gentle, alternating flat and slightly uphill path, approximately 2 kilometers long.

Upon entering, I encountered a passerby. The question that immediately came to mind was, "How are things? Is it much further?" I chuckled, realizing I had just arrived myself.

I asked everyone how they were doing up there. Most of them said it was great and they were feeling good. With such positive feedback, let's keep going!

The heavy rain prevented me from using the large camera, as I was afraid it would get wet.

Phu Soi Dao is a relatively easy mountain to hike. While some sources claim it is challenging, I found it manageable. The initial section before reaching the "Sending Relatives" slope is mostly flat with minimal elevation changes. This serves as a warm-up, allowing your body to prepare for the steeper sections ahead. Unlike other mountains where you encounter steep inclines right from the start, Phu Soi Dao provides a gradual introduction to the more challenging terrain.

After reaching the "Sending Relatives" hill, the difficulty of the trail increases significantly. This section is particularly challenging due to the presence of stairs. While the stairs are easy to navigate, they can be strenuous on the knees. I personally dislike stairs, as they tend to cause pain in my upper calves and knees. In comparison, steep uphill sections are less tiring.

The photos may not be complete as it rained throughout the hike. We took breaks to avoid getting drenched. The climb to the "ส่งญาติ" point was quite challenging, but the "ปราบเซียน" section was not as difficult. The trail was steep but not too long, making it an easy climb.

The next section is a forested hill called "Khao Pa Ko". Please note that the image does not accurately depict the hill. I don't remember the exact path, but it was similar to the previous one and not too challenging. The trail is easy to follow and leads directly to the top.

The rain has started to ease around the hills of Pa Ko, but the cold wind is strong.

The temperature in my body started to rise, so I took off my raincoat and started walking. I think it's a good thing that it's raining because it makes us less tired. Hiking in this forest feels less tiring than many other mountains.

Coincidentally met a friend from junior high school. We were both walking around. The world is truly small.

After leaving the forested hill of Khao Ko, the trail to Sue Korng Hill offers increasingly scenic views. However, due to the rain, the area was often shrouded in fog, occasionally revealing glimpses of the landscape before closing in again.

This is a scenic viewpoint.

Dense fog.

The solo opening and closing were absolutely amazing.

After this viewpoint, the trail becomes more challenging, requiring some scrambling and, at times, the use of all fours.

We then arrived at Khao Suea Krong and had lunch. The fried pork prepared by my sister from Lampang was delicious.

After a hearty meal, we continued for another kilometer to reach the pine forest.

The terrain rises sharply for approximately 200-300 meters from the straw mat to the Death Slope.

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However, currently there are no views due to the fog and light rain. During this period, the trail will be steeper and more dangerous, but it is still accessible with stairs in some sections.

The weather was highly unpredictable at that time, with brief moments of clear skies allowing for photography, followed by sudden showers that forced the camera to be put away quickly.

I'd be glad to translate the sentence:

Original Text:

ไม่รุ้ว่าน้ำตกอะไรอยู่ใกลๆ

I don't know which waterfall is nearby.

The camera is still being hit by raindrops.

After passing the Death Hill, the trail becomes relatively flat and easy to navigate.

After a 4.15-hour trek, we finally arrived at the pine forest clearing. The rain, I believe, aided our quick pace by preventing the ground from becoming slippery. The cool air kept us comfortable, and because we hired porters this time, we weren't burdened with our belongings.

Done.

The rain has just stopped at Lan Son, and the fog is covering everything in white.

While the number of blooming Crinum latifolium flowers has decreased, they are still present in clusters rather than covering the entire field. Overall, more than half of the flowers are still in full bloom.

Exquisitely beautiful, heartwarming, and fatigue-relieving.

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We continue walking for a while and will reach the camping ground soon. We need to wait for the porters as they haven't arrived yet.

While you're choosing a campsite, make sure to announce your arrival at the park office. Then, take some photos of the Sesbania flowers before setting up camp. The Sesbania field is located right next to the camping area.

As I walk here, the rain has started to fall lightly, and I can still see individual raindrops.

You can walk in and take pictures, I asked the staff. The crested naga flowers are not in full bloom, and there is space to walk in. The flowers bloom in clusters.

To capture the full grandeur of the spider lily field, position the camera low to the ground, aligning it with the level of the flower tips. This perspective will showcase the abundance of spider lilies carpeting the landscape.

Raising the camera slightly reveals a large gap, but it's still beautiful and to my liking. During my visit, the flowers were about 65% in bloom.

Winter

The winter season arrived after the porters had ascended, as if the heavens were on our side. The raindrops gradually subsided and finally ceased, allowing us to pitch our tents without getting wet. The cold began to set in.

This trip, we finally set up our new tent, which we bought in Chiang Mai but never used before. We usually use a lightweight 199 tent, but our needs have changed since we started traveling by motorcycle. While the 199 tent is great for its weight, it doesn't offer much protection from rain, and we've accumulated more gear that can't be stored in the motorcycle like we used to in a car. Therefore, we were looking for a new tent that was lightweight, could comfortably sleep two people, had storage space for our belongings and helmets, and most importantly, was affordable.

I got this Naturehike Professional 3 tent. Initially, I wanted the K2, but it was out of stock everywhere. Then I found the Naturehike, which has a similar design and a price around 2,000 baht, depending on the store. The specs are roughly: aluminum poles, 2.3 kg weight, 3000 mm waterproof, and short poles, making it compact when packed. The specs are almost identical to the K2 Adventure P3. (However, my girlfriend didn't like the green color, so after returning from a trip, we bought a new K2 Adventure P3. It came with free poles and a flysheet, so we went for it. K2 told us it was manufactured in the same factory as Naturehike. I don't know how true that is, but they are really similar. Now I have two tents. In terms of materials, I think these two brands are very similar, almost indistinguishable. But I prefer Naturehike. The following week, after Phusoidao, I went to Phu Thap Boek. It rained all night, but the green Naturehike held up well, and I slept comfortably. There was only a little water leakage at the zipper seams. As for the K2 Adventure P3, which I bought recently, on the latest trip I just returned from in Nan, Suan Ya Luang, I pitched it on the mountaintop. It didn't rain, but there was heavy dew. The K2 Adventure P3 had some moisture on the inside fabric, which felt wet when I touched it, but it didn't drip onto my head. I haven't tested it in the rain yet. I'll update after I do. Anyway, I'm happy with both tents. However, the K2 has an advantage: it has loops on the sides for pulling it taut, which the Naturehike doesn't have.)

Returning to the topic of Phu Soi Dao, a week before our trip, someone posted a video on the campsite at Phu Soi Dao with the caption "I thought it was Center Point." This suggests that the place was very crowded. When I saw the video, we even considered changing our destination because it seemed like it would be too crowded and chaotic. However, after thinking it through, we realized that we had wanted to visit Phu Soi Dao for many years, so why should we be afraid? We decided to come and see for ourselves what it was like. If there were a lot of people, that's okay. After all, everyone wants to travel, so why should we worry?

However, after arriving, many of my initial thoughts dissipated. While it may seem crowded, the actual number of people is not excessive. The campsite's layout is not particularly organized, allowing campers to pitch their tents wherever they choose, which can create a sense of disorder. Nonetheless, I believe the overall number of visitors is significantly lower compared to other locations. In fact, the surrounding area on Phu Soi Dao is vast, and while walking to take photos, I rarely encountered other individuals. The limited space for tent pitching is the primary cause of the perceived crowding. Nevertheless, there are numerous peaceful and secluded spots to be found on Phu Soi Dao.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

The bathroom area is another highlight, offering a classic experience. Guests are encouraged to fetch water themselves from the nearby stream or the water tank provided by the staff. Water dippers and buckets are available for rent at 10 baht per set.

The nature here is still beautiful, and development is not yet widespread. There are still many charms waiting for everyone to experience. Oh, it sounds like it's about to end, but it's not yet!

After setting up the tents and changing clothes, we started our dinner at 4 pm. We enjoyed hot barbecue.

After a satisfying meal around 5 pm, we decided to take a walk to the back area leading to the highest peak near the kilometer marker. There was another vast open space where we could walk.

The fog is so thick that the peak is obscured from view.

The vast lawn stretches as far as the eye can see, offering a breathtaking view.

The AIS phone signal is excellent. Even before reaching the first kilometer marker, there was already a signal. True has 3G, but it's unusable, constantly dropping in and out. As for DTAC, it's completely dead even before entering the park at the bottom.

Walk around for a while, not too far. Come back in the morning and walk again to reach the main road.

The group returned to their respective areas and continued their conversations in a jovial manner. It was observed that all groups maintained good etiquette, with tents remaining close to each other but respecting individual boundaries. Noise levels were kept to a minimum, and there were no instances of loud or disruptive behavior. After 10 pm, the atmosphere became quieter, with those who remained awake engaging in quiet conversations or enjoying drinks. Overall, everyone adhered to the established rules and demonstrated a high level of respect for others.

I returned before going to bed that day after it had been raining all day, so I didn't expect to see any stars, assuming the sky would be overcast as usual. This was because during my previous 4-day trip to Chiang Mai, I had intended to take beautiful pictures of the stars, but the sky was cloudy every night. 555

At 8:30 PM, the elephants came out, and I looked up at the sky. The elephants were very clear, and the stars were extremely bright. I quickly found a good angle and took a picture of the elephants. I didn't expect to get such a beautiful and large picture. The 18-140 lens was not long enough to capture the entire elephant.

This passage describes an observation of a white elephant with remarkable clarity, exceeding previous sightings. The text emphasizes the exceptional visibility of the elephant, noting that it was "clearly visible to the naked eye" and "more distinct than any previous sighting." The use of the phrase "white and prominent" further underscores the elephant's clear appearance.

He then walked in the direction of the main kilometer marker, looking for new angles to shoot from.

After a while, the clouds drifted like elephants, opening and closing. I took many photos, but only a few were usable. 555 My skills are not good yet, but this is already beyond my expectations. I went back to sleep and shivered until morning.

The morning air is still crisp and cool, a refreshing change from the previous night's rainless weather. The stars were particularly beautiful in the clear, cloudless sky, but I was too tired to take any pictures.

This morning, I enjoyed a steaming hot cup of instant noodles, slurping the noodles with gusto. It was truly a satisfying experience.

This morning, I didn't walk to see the sunrise because it was far away, so I walked to see the fog at the sunset point instead.

The fog is thick and rolling in.

After packing up and leaving everything with the porter, we walked around the area, aiming to descend by 10 am.

We then delivered the goods to the peddler around 8 am and walked back towards Lak Kilo.

The tree planted by His Royal Highness

How many kilometers to the main road in Thailand?

Turning back, it is Laos.

In fact, you can walk much further along the meadow path towards the 2000 peak, but we walked in a circle instead.

There is a winding path that leads to the sunset viewing point from this morning.

I'd love to see some cool, stylish wooden furniture in this space.

The vast grassland is breathtakingly beautiful. The surrounding areas are another highlight, offering stunning views that are rarely mentioned. It was truly an eye-opening experience.

Some of the images may be blurry due to the damage sustained by the 18-140mm lens during the Chiang Mai trip.

Vastest

After walking to the end of the path on the other side, there is a sign that forces you to turn left and prohibits going right. I don't know where the right goes, but I followed the sign and turned left, walking along the path to return to the camping ground. When I walked to the edge of the cliff, I was greeted with another beautiful view.

The sky stretches vast and boundless.

The sentence is already in English and does not require translation.

Upon reaching the pine clearing, we took a detour to admire the cascading Tipya Waterfall.

The descent was short but steep. We were only able to go down a short distance as the water level was low. There was a path to continue the descent, but we did not go down as one of our friends had a sore leg and their shoes were biting. We walked back up to prepare for the descent.

Summer

After two seasons, I thought it would end in winter. I walked down the mountain in a cool and relaxed way. But as soon as I passed the pine forest, the sky opened up and the temperature in my body immediately rose. The sun was shining brightly. We started walking down at around 10:30 am.

However, this kind of weather is good because we can see the view that we couldn't see yesterday.

The view is very expansive.

The scorching sun beat down on the female porters, who were drenched in sweat as they took a break at the start of the treacherous descent. The weight of their burdens must have been a significant factor in their exhaustion. Despite our own fatigue from simply walking, we couldn't help but feel sympathy for them. Each individual's path to survival is unique. They carry our belongings for a fee, while we, in turn, use our wages to pay them. This cycle continues, reflecting the diverse ways in which people navigate their lives.

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The deeper you go, the hotter it gets.

The scorching heat was unbearable, forcing me to remove my shirt and expose my small belly to cool down.

After two hours of descending to the farewell slope, my body started to give out, not from the heat, but from hunger. The instant noodles had worn off, and I could barely lift my feet. I hadn't prepared anything to eat along the way.

The waterfall today is beautifully clear and white, cool and refreshing, washing my face and feeling happy.

We successfully exited with a descent time of 2.15 hours.

On a hot day like this, a Pepsi with ice is so refreshing. I'll sit in the car and head back to the parking lot for a while longer.

The porters have arrived and the expenses have been settled. Remember, there is a refundable garbage deposit. Initially, we were asked to carry our garbage down to help maintain cleanliness, and we received a refund.

Afterward, I had a delicious stir-fried dish with a fried egg at the park. I was very hungry, and it was a satisfying meal. After eating, I took a shower and felt refreshed and ready to travel back.

Goodbye, Phusoidao. I hope to have the opportunity to come back next winter and climb to the highest peak.

Departing from the park, we separated from our sister and headed back to Lampang. We drove along the same route towards Chat Trakan District. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, with mist clinging to the mountains after the earlier rain.

However, our big Vigo has a large turning radius, making it difficult to find safe and scenic spots to stop for photos. The winding roads also pose a challenge.

To conclude this trip, we paid respects to the Phra Buddha Chinnarat.

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We saw our friends off on a bus back to Khon Kaen, and the three of us drove straight back to Bangkok. We arrived home safely after a relaxing two-day, one-night trip.

The approximate cost of this trip was not recorded.

The price of Big Vigo's oil is almost 3,000 baht for a distance of approximately 1,100 kilometers.

The remaining food costs only a few baht per person. We bought all the ingredients ourselves, prepared the equipment ourselves, and brought our own tents.

The porter's fee is only 30 baht per kilogram, but the uphill climb is very strenuous. I bought a lot of bottled water, 63 kilograms for 1890 baht. The downhill journey should only be around 40 kilograms.

The total cost for porters and food was approximately 900 baht per person. The remaining amount was used for fuel.

My girlfriend and I spend around 1500-1700 baht each. If we could fix the car, we could save a lot of money.

Another trip has come to an end, exceeding expectations. When we don't expect anything, we often receive more than we could have imagined. Conversely, there are times when we have high hopes, but things don't turn out as we planned. Life is unpredictable.

Stay tuned for our next adventure, where we'll be hitting the road on motorcycles again. The destination remains a secret for now, but we'll reveal it soon.

Notes:

• The original text is already in English, so no translation is necessary.
• The text consists of only HTML tags, which do not require translation.

Additional Information:

• I am a large language model, trained on a massive dataset of text and code.
• I am able to translate between many languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese.
• I can also generate text, answer questions, and summarize information.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.