Readme before you journey
Don't let the rain stop you: Exploring the wonders of Phu Bak Dai during the rainy season
Contrary to popular belief, the rainy season is an excellent time to explore the forests of Thailand. One such hidden gem is Phu Bak Dai, a new tourist destination in Phu Ruea district. While many may associate this location with the winter months, venturing into its depths during the rainy season offers a unique and exhilarating experience.
The highlight of Phu Bak Dai is the "deceptive cliff," a natural wonder that plays tricks on the eyes. Before embarking on your journey, it's crucial to gather information and prepare adequately to ensure a safe and enjoyable exploration.
1. The summit of Phu Bak Dai lacks restroom facilities.
The parking lot is located at Ban Klang, Phu Ruea District, Loei Province. To get there, travel from Phu Ruea towards the agricultural highlands, passing by Pla Ba Waterfall and Song Kon Waterfall. The distance is approximately 20 kilometers from Phu Ruea District. Upon reaching Ban Klang, turn left and proceed straight. The house of the village headman, Cher, will be on the right-hand side, adjacent to the temple wall.
3. Advance booking is required. Please contact Kamnan Choet at 087-866-2648 or 095-701-3139.
And Ms. Saengduan 096-415-1467
4. Parking is available at Wat Ban Klang, near the house of Kamnan Choet, or directly in front of Kamnan Choet's house.
5. The service fee is 3,000 baht per vehicle, which can accommodate 6 people. This price includes:
- Pick-up and drop-off by taxi
- Luggage and food carrying service
- Campfire service for cooking
- Firewood finding service
- Guide service
- Safety supervision
- Community tourism maintenance fee
Items to Bring for Slug Protection:
We have prepared the following:
- Calcium oxide
- Salt
- Softal mosquito repellent spray
- Cold powder, which is used by people in the village, can also be used.
- Leech socks
- Note: When encountering leeches, apply the aforementioned solution. The leeches will gradually detach, allowing for their removal.
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Meet at Mo Chit Bus Terminal at 8:00 PM. Purchase a bus ticket for the 10:00 PM departure with Phetprasert Tour for 349 Baht. The ticket booth is located on the lower floor of Mo Chit, and the bus departs from platform 130, next to the food court on the lower right-hand side. Please note that Phetprasert Tour is the only bus company offering direct service from Bangkok to Phurua. Be prepared for the possibility of encountering unfriendly ticket booth staff.
The Phetprasert tour bus is not as bad as you might think. The seats recline comfortably, and there are water, snacks, and large blankets provided for a comfortable sleep.
The bus will terminate at Phu Ruea District Municipal Market. Please disembark there. The bus departs from Bangkok at 10:00 PM and arrives in Phu Ruea at 6:00 AM.
If you get off at this point, you can call someone from the village to pick you up. The fixed price is 1500 baht for a round trip.
Fresh food for cooking at the mountaintop can be purchased here before heading to Baan Klang.
The journey from the market to Baan Klang was delightful, with scenic views of mountains and winding roads.
The journey from the municipal market to Ban Klang village takes approximately one hour.
Upon arrival, please contact the village headman, Mr. Cherd. The driver, Mr. I-Taek, will be waiting for you.
Prepare to climb the mountain. Wear leech socks properly. Your bag will be taken care of. Whether you can walk or not, the equipment must be secure first. We'll see if it helps or not later. Haha.
This type of tuk-tuk can accommodate 5 people per vehicle, with 3 in the front and 2 in the back.
Three strong and muscular women on this trip!
Everyone is ready, the rain is starting to fall, so get your raincoats ready!
Our first driver, Phi Lamphang, was an excellent driver. The road was muddy, steep, and treacherous, but he safely navigated us up and down. He took care of us all night, staying awake even though it rained heavily throughout the night. He kept watch to make sure the water wouldn't flood our tents!
The initial section of the trail is relatively flat and easy, passing through fields where locals cultivate dragon fruit.
Pre-climb condition: Shoes and gaiters are clean and tidy.
The villagers' cassava fields provided picturesque backdrops for intermittent photo stops.
Truly healed by the green forests and mountains. So refreshing!
The rain jacket from Huya store provides excellent rain protection and comes in vibrant, eye-catching colors.
The initial path was easy and breezy, with the wind blowing gently. Brother Somphoj even fell asleep and had a dream.
After passing the cassava field, Lamphang and Jorn stopped to put chains on their wheels. The road ahead was rough, muddy, steep, and difficult.
The road was muddy and slippery due to the rain. The car got stuck in a pothole and we had to get out and push it up.
Get off the bus, it can't go up. Walk first, the traffic is bad.
The car was stuck so deeply that one wheel was completely submerged. We had to use a shovel to dig a path so it could get out.
Not even halfway there, we stopped to rest the car. My guide from Lampang warned me that the road ahead would be rougher and steeper than before. Get ready, both physically and mentally!
It was almost noon, but we were still far from halfway. We stopped for lunch and bought grilled chicken with sticky rice from the market. And voila!
We have KFC that we brought from Bangkok. Haha, who says that people in the jungle don't eat well? Who says? We're eating KFC here.
Had lunch, beaming with a smile, ready to face the road ahead. Let's go! ++
The forest is beautiful, but the plants are not edible.
After a grueling journey, you will reach a point where vehicles can no longer proceed. You must park your car and continue on foot. Be prepared to encounter leeches along the way.
The rainy season brings leeches out in full force, lurking in every corner. As you walk, you can't help but feel a sense of apprehension, constantly scanning your surroundings. Every time you spot one, you let out a shriek, tearing your mouth open in a silent scream. Your companions, growing weary of your antics, suggest letting the leeches suck your blood. After all, what's a little blood loss compared to the peace and quiet it might bring?
During the break, please stand by the rock.
A leech is currently in a leech-proof bag, having already drawn blood. The sensation is a sharp, stinging pain, similar to an ant bite.
The gecko is stuck again! Don't try to brush it off with a stick, it won't work. You need to spray it with Softel and then gently remove it with a stick.
No matter how afraid you are of leeches, smile and fight. No matter how thick the fog is, no matter how closed the sky is, smile and fight!!
To rest, you must find a rock to sit on. Don't sit on the ground, or you'll get leeches in your butt, haha.
No matter how heavy the backpack, how cloudy the sky, or how many leeches, we smile and fight on!
We are almost at the deceptive cliff, but the sky is not open. The wind is very strong.
We have arrived at the deceptive cliff! It truly lives up to its name, as we cannot see anything at all.
Accursed mist, accursed sky, accursed rain, accursed storm!
Amidst the misfortune, a glimmer of hope emerged for a fleeting two seconds. The heavens briefly parted, offering a narrow escape from the impending rockfall. However, the respite was short-lived, as the sky closed once more, leaving the individual in a precarious situation.
On top of Mount Bak Dai, there is a Buddha statue. Another person prayed for the sky to clear, but it did not.
The cliff is truly deceptive, incredibly deceptive. But when you stand there, your legs tremble, and with the strong wind, your body could easily be blown away.
A precarious pose on a treacherous cliff.
Sitting in the cool air, enjoying the mist and the cold breeze, until my nose runs.
Since the sky isn't cooperating, let's go pitch our tents and cook some food instead.
The tent was set up and covered with a flysheet. It was placed near a flowing stream. At night, a heavy downpour occurred, causing water to enter the tent. The occupants were unable to sleep and had to move the tent under a tarpaulin at 8:00 PM.
After setting up the tent, we sprinkled quicklime around it to prevent slugs. We sprinkled it carefully, but the rain washed it away. The quicklime disappeared with the rain.
Look! Who says living in the forest means going hungry? Don't be silly! We carried two kilograms of pork up here and are having a delicious barbecue. It's amazing!
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Having our fill of grilled pork, we returned to the treacherous cliff, hoping for a glimpse of the sky. However, our hopes were soon dashed.
Don't lose hope, wipe away your tears, and go back to your tent to rest!
The rain started at 8 p.m. and continued throughout the night, making it impossible to sleep. The tent leaked, and the sleeping bag got wet. We moved the tent at 10 p.m., but the situation only worsened. The rain became heavier, and another person brought a hammock. We couldn't sleep at all. Even the tent was wet, so what chance did the hammock have? Haha. To make matters worse, leeches entered the tent. We suffered until 5 a.m., unable to sleep.
Waking up at 5 am, we washed our faces, brushed our teeth, and packed up the tent. For breakfast, we had fried rice made with leftover pork from the previous day. We followed a recipe that didn't use oil, but instead used water. It may sound strange, but it was surprisingly delicious and we all enjoyed it.
For those who haven't brought cooking equipment, there are pots available on site. You can build a fire and cook, but be aware that the pots are a bit blackened. This is because the pots need to be "real" and fit in with the forest environment. Haha!
Let's help each other pack up the tent. Thanks to the top tarpaulin, we were able to avoid the rain last night. The wind was strong, and the tarpaulin almost blew away, shaking violently.
On the way back down, all the leech-proof equipment was soaked. The leech-proof bags were all wet. It rained the whole way back. Don't expect to avoid leeches. They were waiting to greet us, all the time, all along the way.
The protagonist of our trip may not be Nui, but rather the slug.
The path is slippery. Be careful, especially if you're wearing shoes without good traction. You might end up sliding down on your bottom. Don't worry about getting dirty; the more you fall, the more experience you'll gain.
The car reached the rest stop, and our driver, Phi Lamphang, had already prepared large logs to prevent the car from sliding. This was very helpful, but I must say that the downhill section was treacherous. The car slid quite a bit, and I had to brace my legs the entire way. The monk chanted prayers the whole time, fearing that we would slide off the road. The descent was so steep that the brakes wouldn't have been enough to stop us. If it weren't for the logs, the car would have definitely overturned.
Which way is steeper and more slippery? Looking at the situation, one tree won't be enough, we definitely need to cut more. It can hold a lot of weight.
At this point, there is a stream. You can take off your shoes and wash them.
Ms. Mint's shoes were completely covered in cow dung, haha! Let me tell you, there's a lot of cow dung on top of Phu Bak Dai. Plus, with the rain like this, the smell and texture are indescribable. It's a mess, and stepping on it is a real treat for the nose, haha!
Bearish trend, messy or not, I don't know. But what I do know is that the leech socks, leeches can get in and suck blood. Haha.
You are welcome to take a bath at the village headman's house, Mr. Cherd. You haven't had a bath for a night, so please feel free to take a bath and relax.
On the way back, we boarded the bus in the city center. Before leaving, I recommend a papaya salad restaurant called "Men selling shellfish". The papaya salad is delicious, but it contains a lot of chili. When ordering, don't forget to write "not spicy". The price is reasonable.
Bus Terminal Loei City, last bus at 22:00.
Return by Sunbus coach for 605 baht. They say it's a VIP, the best coach in town.
However, we believe this is not the case. We will explain why!
The seat reclined normally, but the snacks were limited to two pieces of candy and one bottle of water. We were seated in the last row next to the toilet, which emitted a strong odor. The toilet door opened and slammed shut, leaving it slightly ajar. The blanket provided was too small to cover us comfortably. Additionally, the bus made strange rattling noises as it traveled.
For travel to Phu Ruea, we recommend taking the Phetprasert Tour bus. In our opinion, it's a better option with a significantly lower price (almost half the cost). Additionally, it offers direct service to Phu Ruea, unlike the Sun Bus, which doesn't reach the destination.
The Sunbus call center also provided inaccurate information.
However, the advantages of Sun Bus include the availability of charging ports, personal screens for watching movies and listening to music. That's all, really.
Thank you to all my friends and colleagues who joined me on this trip.
Although we didn't see the beautiful views we had hoped for, we had a lot of fun along the way. I don't regret not seeing the views, because the friendship and journey were more exciting than the destination.
I arrived back in Bangkok at 5 am and was able to go straight back to work.
Trip Summary
Travel:
- Outbound: Bus from Bangkok to Phu Ruea, Mo Chit Bus Terminal, Platform 130, 349 Baht
- Return: Bus from Loei to Mo Chit, 605 Baht
- Food: 356 Baht
- Transportation: 2 Isuzu D-Max trucks, 3,000 Baht each (total 6,000 Baht) / 8 people = 750 Baht per person
Total Trip Cost:
2,060 Baht
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Wednesday, February 26, 2025 5:28 PM
