Phitsanulok: A Journey Through Nature and Adventure

Phitsanulok, a province in Thailand, boasts a wealth of tourist attractions, encompassing cultural, natural, and adventurous experiences. Our focus, however, lies in the realm of nature, specifically the captivating landscapes of Phu Lom Lo and the rugged terrain of Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park.

With only two days at our disposal, we embarked on a journey to Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, opting to leave our personal vehicle behind. Our return trip presented a unique challenge: a lack of transportation. However, fortune smiled upon us as we encountered two kind-hearted individuals from Bangkok and Phetchabun who offered us rides, transforming our journey into an unexpected adventure.

Accommodation options within the park cater to diverse preferences. Visitors can choose to bring their own tents, rent one on-site, or opt for the comfort of a resort. Given the popularity of the park, advance booking for resort stays is highly recommended. Our initial plan involved camping, but unforeseen rain forced us to seek alternative lodging. Fortunately, we secured a room for 1500 baht after the downpour subsided.

January 20, 2018

We had to wake up at 5:00 AM to go up to Phu Lom Lo. We rented a 4WD vehicle because personal vehicles are not allowed. We shared the cost with another group, which came out to 100 baht per person. The total cost for the vehicle was 1,000 baht, but if there are more people, it might be cheaper.

If you plan to visit Phu Lom Lo, it is recommended to come during weekdays as there will be fewer people. It is also best to come at the beginning of the month when the flowers are in full bloom.

(I wish I were that woman, everyone wants to take pictures of her. Hehe, actually, they are taking pictures of the trees.)

We arrived during the period when the flowers were about to fall completely. (Even though the flowers are about to fall completely, they are still this beautiful.)

No matter which angle you take the photo from, there are always people in the frame. But I want to say that this is precisely what makes it charming for me.

I thought I was in Japan.

You've been busy taking pictures of the trees, haven't you? Did you forget to take a picture of me?

Wow!

Wooowwwww

No matter the angle, it's beautiful from every perspective.

Although the tree has no leaves, it still has its own unique charm.

Next, we will head to the viewpoint.

Even though we are surrounded by people, if we can design our own angle, every picture can turn out beautiful. For this picture, I have to thank the photographer for making it possible.

And then it was time for us to leave Phu Lom Lo and head to Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park. But our challenge was to hitchhike there, and we weren't sure if any cars would stop. But we decided to give it a shot and flagged down the first car, and to our surprise, the driver stopped. He was from Bangkok and was originally planning to hitch a ride with the park's shuttle, but it was taking too long, so he decided to hitch a ride with tourists instead.

- He asked us where we were going, and we told him we wanted to hitch a ride to the park. "Get in, then," he said. We were so happy! But then he stopped at a souvenir shop. By chance, we looked to our right and saw a military village, so we asked the driver if we could just get out here. We wanted to see the maple leaves. (He was so kind, and his whole family was too.)

"So classic!"

Notes:

• The original text uses informal language and elongated vowels, which are typical of online communication.
• The translation aims to capture the meaning while using a more formal and concise tone.
• The exclamation mark is preserved to convey the enthusiastic tone.

Instead of admiring the maple leaves, we made a sudden change of plans when we came across the historical structures built by ancient warriors. They were incredibly beautiful.

The atmosphere here is relaxed and uncrowded, allowing for comfortable photography from any angle.

Beautiful

I think the picture would be even more beautiful without me.

And then it was time for us to hitchhike back to the city. The first car that stopped was for someone else (not me, because if I had flagged it down, they probably wouldn't have stopped). The driver was from Phetchabun and asked where we were going. Someone in the back of the car shouted, "Wherever you're going, we're going there too!" I looked back and said, "Wow, really?" But the driver was kind enough to take us all with him, and best of all, it was free!

The first place they visited was Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park.

There are many photo spots here, including fields of paper flowers and various cliffs. Singles can take photos at the "Love Cliff".

Wow, beautiful!

Beautiful again.

The second place our guide took us to was Hin Pum Rock. To get there, we had to hike about 2 kilometers. (I was so angry at the photographer, I told him to hurry up and take the picture. I was exhausted! 555)

The view is about this (legs shaking, it's soooo high). Then we had to walk for another almost two kilometers to get to the parking lot.

And then it was time for us to leave. The elder brother was very kind and said he would take us to Nakhon Thai. But in the end, we met a policeman at the police box at the Nakhon Thai intersection who told us to go to Ban Yaeng to catch a bus, as there would be many buses passing by. The elder brother was still kind enough to drive us there without charging us a single baht. When we arrived at Ban Yaeng, the bus had just left and we missed it. We asked at a restaurant, and the people there were very kind and told us the details and the time the bus would arrive. In addition, a man came to keep us company. Wow!

This is truly Thailand Only. There are still many good people in our Thai society.

*** I would like to thank everyone who joined this trip. Thank you to the students from Thammasat University who helped share the cost of the car (Koy Notiya). Thank you to the elders in both cars who let us hitch a ride and took us sightseeing.

Thank you to Uncle, Aunt, and Na who shared the cost of the car to go up Phu Lom Lo.

Thank you to the elders at the restaurant near the bridge at the Ban Yaeng intersection who cheered us on and told us when the bus would arrive.

Finally, thank you Koy Notiya for giving us beautiful pictures.

*** Summary of approximate expenses ***