The sight of Phu Soi Dao and the blooming Hong Naak flowers ignited a desire to witness them firsthand. After gathering information from online forums and the National Park website, I made a spontaneous decision to pack my bags and embark on the journey. My preparation was minimal, limited to the knowledge that the ascent was arduous and that no food was available at the summit, necessitating self-sufficiency. Anticipating the challenges ahead, I packed light, carrying only a backpack and a smaller bag for the hike. My adventure began on the evening of September 7, 2013.

Traveling to Phu Soi Dao

The travel coordinates are: Phu Soi Dao National Park, Huai Mun Subdistrict, Nam Pat District, Uttaradit Province. Phone number: 055 436 001-2. Travel information is available on the park's website and various tourism websites, such as:

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1. Traveling to Phitsanulok: Departing from Bangkok, aim to arrive in Phitsanulok by 5:00 AM. From there, take a connecting bus to Chat Trakan District. Upon arrival in Chat Trakan, a shared taxi will be available to transport you to the national park. However, this service operates only once daily, departing no later than 9:00 AM.

2. To Uttaradit: Travel from Bangkok to Uttaradit Bus Terminal, arriving no later than 5:30 AM. Then, take a bus to Nam Pat District. Upon arrival in Nam Pat, take another bus to the National Park. We chose this route because we wanted to visit Uttaradit. However, when we arrived in Nam Pat, there were no public buses going up to the National Park. A vendor suggested that we hitch a ride on a pineapple truck and wait at the intersection leading to the National Park, near Professor Chatree's grocery store. Upon arrival, we bought water and asked for directions. We were told that we could wait for a ride in front of the store. We waited for a long time, but eventually, the store owner, a respected professor in the area, helped us negotiate a ride with a customer for only 500 baht (compared to the 1,500-2,500 baht mentioned online).

3. Loei Province (less popular): Travel to Dan Sai District, Loei Province. There is only one bus company, Phetprasert Tour, that departs from Bangkok at 10:30 PM and arrives in Dan Sai around 4:30 AM. Then, wait for a large songthaew (shared taxi) from Dan Sai to Na Haeo, Na Jaren, and Ban Rom Klao. Finally, hire a car to take you to the national park.

We waited too long for the park shuttle, arriving at the park headquarters at 2:20 PM. The park ranger refused to let us enter, saying, "I don't think you'll make it back before dark. The last ranger has already left, and you won't be able to keep up." We decided to stay at the bottom for one night, as we didn't want to break the park's rules, which prohibit entry after 2:00 PM.

The previous night's stay at the bottom of the mountain allowed us to have the entire house to ourselves, which could accommodate at least four people. We got the "Soidao 104/1" house and realized that the 600 baht we paid was more than worth it (normally 1,200 baht). The accommodation was 2 kilometers away from the starting point for the climb to Phu Soiphung. Since we didn't have a car, the staff kindly gave us a ride on their motorbike.

The moment we entered the house, we unpacked our toiletries and placed them in the bathroom. After washing our faces, we took out the toiletries and placed them outside the shower bag, on the partition between the wet and dry areas. We then continued exploring the house. After a while, we heard a thud in the bathroom. We went to check and found that the facial cleanser had fallen. We picked it up and put it back in its place. A while later, we heard another loud noise. This time, it was the soap bottle that had fallen. We picked it up and put it back in its place. We went out to explore the backyard and heard another thud, even louder than before. We walked in to find that the entire toiletry bag had fallen, spilling all the toiletries. As before, we picked them up and put them back in their place. We then raised our hands in a wai to the spirit house located behind the park office (clearly visible from the bedroom window). After that, nothing else fell.

After exploring our accommodation, we ventured out to explore the area around the park headquarters. Near our house, Baan Soi Dao 104/1, there was a small cluster of wild ginger flowers.

Continue walking to enjoy the surrounding views.

A stream flows from the side of our house and reaches a bridge that leads to the convenience store. The store offers a wide variety of food, snacks, and drinks at regular prices, without any markups. Additionally, there is a fuel pump for dispensing gasoline.

Continuing on, you will find a nursery for various seedlings. If you brought your own car and took your own garbage from the top to dispose of elsewhere with better waste management, you will receive a seedling as a souvenir.

Continuing on, we reached the entrance road to the park headquarters. Naturally, we had to take a picture of the sign.

We continued taking photos until the sun began to set, marking the arrival of our favorite time of day.

As the sun set, the air instantly turned cooler. We hurried back to our accommodation to shower and prepare dinner. However, upon arriving at the house, we found guests waiting for us. We greeted them and chatted for a while.

While taking a shower, be aware that the water heater here is a gas system. There may be some odor while showering. After showering, the air becomes much cooler. We then went out to prepare dinner that we had ordered from a restaurant before coming to the park. This meal was just plain fried rice, but the atmosphere was great, with the sound of running water all the time.

Satiated, they hurried back inside as the air grew increasingly chilly. As night fell, they retired to rest, the sound of heavy rain a lullaby.

The next morning, we ventured out for a walk and took some photos. The weather was perfect, with clear blue skies. We were fortunate that it didn't rain.

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After a breath of fresh air, I returned to prepare a pre-made breakfast with complimentary coffee from the guesthouse (at that time, I didn't bring my own coffee).

After a satisfying meal, we packed our bags, showered, and settled the accommodation bill. While waiting for the staff to take us to the starting point of the Phu Soi Dao trek, we continued taking photos.

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After paying our respects to the national flag, we rode a motorcycle with an officer to the registration point for climbing Phu Soi Dao. We arrived first with the officer, registered, and paid a tent rental fee of 250 baht, a sleeping mat fee of 20 baht, a sleeping bag fee of 30 baht, a tent deposit of 1,000 baht, and a park entrance fee of 40 baht. We hired a porter because we wanted to be comfortable. The porter's fee was 30 baht per kilogram, with a minimum of 20 kilograms. Our two bags, all the rented sleeping equipment, and two bottles of water weighed exactly 20 kilograms. After registering, we went to find provisions by buying fried rice at the same shop. We prepared to climb Phu Soi Dao, but before we did, we took a picture at Phu Soi Dao Waterfall.

It's time to set off. The auspicious time is 8:45 AM. We stopped to pay respects at the shrine on the left-hand side before climbing the iron stairs (we always believe that when we go somewhere, we must ask permission from the owner of the house first).

After paying respects, we started climbing the iron stairs. It was time to ascend.

Strolling leisurely, without rushing, as many have warned of the challenging terrain ahead. Conserving energy while capturing the scenery and enjoying the views.

As soon as they started walking, they began to feel hot and took off their sweaters, leaving only their tank tops on, and continued on their way.

Some sections of the trail have iron stairs. We asked the officials and learned that the stairs were built during the time when climbing was required for the visit of the Princess after Mother's Day in 2009. During the rainy season when we visited, some sections were very muddy. We understood why they suggested wearing thick-soled shoes, but we only had thin-soled Converse shoes, and the mud seeped into our shoes soon after we started walking.

We arrived at the farewell hill, where those who couldn't continue would often ask to return to the starting point. (I asked the staff again.) My hands were shaking so much that I couldn't take a focused picture.

No need to rest yet, let's keep going. I want to push myself further before taking a break.

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Just a little further and you'll find the Devil's Dip.

Sweat was dripping down my head, soaking my clothes and leaving my pants completely drenched. The path was truly brutal, and I finally reached the forested hill.

We will continue for a short while until we reach Tiger Hill. Let's rest here for 5 minutes as there is a cool breeze.

After the sweat had dried a little, we continued on to Death Hill. Just the name is fun.

The Death Slope was the most challenging part of the climb. Our porters caught up with us at the slope, and they took a break. We continued walking because we were enjoying ourselves. We started to see the views along the way, and we began to enjoy everything around us, forgetting our fatigue.

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Lost in the fun, we arrived at the playground.

Our "Khun Off" porter, who was having a lot of fun taking pictures, looked fierce but was actually very kind. He quickly walked past us.

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We continued to have fun taking pictures. Looking at the time now, it's 12:00 p.m. We've been walking for a total of 3 hours and 15 minutes. We're tired but happy.

And then we met the heroine of this trip, a field (my phone camera could only capture this much).

After taking photos for nearly 15 minutes, we continued walking to the campsite to greet the officers. The officers and Mr. Off (our porter) set up the tent for us, choosing the location and completing everything, even digging a drainage channel around the tent. This was our good fortune, as we seemed incapable of doing anything.

After setting up the tent, we moved our belongings inside and went out to rent a gas stove to boil water for coffee. The rental fee was 80 baht, and the gas cost another 80 baht. We used a pot we bought from a shop for 60 baht, which was light and convenient.

Park officials and Mr. Off informed us that we could call them at the guesthouse at any time. After boiling water for coffee, we proceeded to brew the jasmine tea we had brought with us. Our lunch consisted of the same fried rice with egg and pork as before. After we were full, we started to get restless and went to ask for directions at the tourist information center on the pine lawn. We were told to go behind the staff guesthouse and walk around to the left, which would bring us back to the pine lawn. We then asked how to get to the Sai Tip Waterfall sign. Mr. Off replied that we could walk down behind the sign we saw, but we could only go down two levels because it was slippery due to the rain. He warned us not to go down if it was dangerous. He also suggested wearing sneakers if we were going to the waterfall, but we could wear sandals if we were just walking around the pine lawn. Since we were already there, we decided to give it a try. We walked back almost to the sign for the Pine Lawn Conqueror, where we found the sign for the Sai Tip Waterfall.

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The descent to the waterfall is not too challenging, but the first tier has little water. However, it appears as if someone has laid a green carpet over the entire waterfall.

The adventure continues beyond the first level. As you descend, the path becomes more challenging, requiring you to navigate through dense foliage. However, the scenery becomes increasingly breathtaking with each step.

We have descended two floors as instructed by Off, but the descent continues. The path becomes increasingly challenging, requiring both climbing and clinging. However, the sight of a path motivates us to continue our descent. We are eager to discover what lies ahead. The scenery is breathtaking, with lush greenery contrasting against crystal-clear water. Our mobile phone camera captures the beauty to the best of its ability.

The mischief continues, and I request to proceed to level 4.

The adventure ends here as it is difficult to proceed further. Injuries and the possibility of being stranded are real concerns. Therefore, I turned back and walked back to the campsite. Following the instructions of the park rangers, I continued on the designated path. The journey resumed with the main attraction of the trip, the beautiful wild ginger flowers in full bloom.

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Walk in a clockwise direction to find the spot where the Princess Royal presided over the return of wild orchids.

A little further on, you will find the silver button grove.

Continuing on, you will encounter the Thai-Lao border marker and a sign indicating a tourist spot spanning two countries. You can walk across the border. The officials said you can go in for 1 kilometer. If you just want to make a phone call, just walk to the mound of trees over there. The only networks that work are AIS and DTAC (now it should be all three networks). We didn't walk very far before we saw Lao soldiers in the distance.

A short walk further will lead you to the helicopter landing pad.

As you approach the end of the path, you will see a sign prohibiting you from going straight ahead. Instead, turn left to visit the Rumaklao Battlefield Bunker.

During the early rainy season, the grass was very tall and there was water in the holes. I walked past and saw red flowers growing on the trees. I still haven't found out what they are called.

Continuing on to Station 7, there are chairs to sit on. This is another spot with excellent phone reception (for AIS users). We waited here to watch the sunset. It felt like there was more to the scene than just the setting sun.

Looking back at the foggy rain camping ground again, it's full. I love this angle so much.

After capturing our own sunset photos, we continued to Station 8, the designated sunset viewing point set up by the park. We took a few more photos there as well.

After enjoying the sunset and chatting with a small group of people, we rushed back to take a bath. The water had to be drawn from the stream, which was very cold. We drew two buckets, one for washing our hair and one for bathing. We then hurried back to prepare dinner. We boiled water for jasmine tea and warmed up some instant rice. We were so hungry that we ate two servings of dinner. We ate while looking at the stars, which were plentiful. The park rangers and porters had all turned off their lights and gone to sleep. I forgot to mention that the porters sleep on the mountain if you are only staying one night. They say that they go down with whoever they come up with. However, if you are staying for more than one night, they will go down and come back up at the agreed-upon time. We crawled into our tent to sleep after the dew became heavy and a story about a ghost, accompanied by the screams of a large group, came from the other side of the campsite. I don't know when I fell asleep, but I woke up to the sound of heavy rain. I woke up to check the tent for leaks, but we were lucky that the park rangers and Off (the porter) had set it up for us in a spot where they had dug drainage channels around the tent. We went back to sleep feeling relieved. We found out in the morning that our tent was the only one that didn't leak.

The next day, we set an alarm to watch the sunrise, but we forgot that the viewpoint was blocked by a mountain, so we could only see the beauty of the small sea of fog, as it was just starting to get cold. We stopped to check the thermometer in front of the ranger's house, which read 17 degrees Celsius, a mild temperature.

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After a refreshing morning walk, it was time to pack up, have breakfast, and inform the staff that we were leaving. The staff came to collect our tent, and we asked Mr. Off to arrange a car to take us to Chat Trakan District, as we didn't want to stay another night. Our travel quota was exhausted. We waited for them to pack everything, and then we started walking ahead at 8:25 am. There were many people leaving today, including the noisy group. So, we decided to leave early. On the way back, it rained intermittently, and we had to wear raincoats. We stopped to take a picture at the sign before leaving.

We were taking pictures when Off, the hawker, came over and told us that we were lucky to see the sea of mist so still today. Usually, it's windy, but today there wasn't much wind, so we took some more pictures.

We began our descent, a process that required us to brace our legs and dig our toes into the ground. We took our time, stopping frequently to take photos. The wind and the view were both enjoyable.

We arrived at the bottom at 10:45 AM, taking 2 hours and 20 minutes to descend. Upon arrival, we returned our belongings, paid the porters, and received our deposit refund. The officer asked us how we were doing, and we replied that it was tougher than we expected. He said that this was the only place left that was like this. After getting our money back, we took a shower before heading to Chat Trakan. The car that Off found for us belonged to a village health volunteer (VHV) here. We talked the whole way. We told him that we were going to Bueng Kan next, and he said that his house was in Bueng Kan. We learned that there is a queue system for porters here, with a total of 300 queues. Everyone must deliver to the hirer within 6 hours, or else they will be deducted 20 baht per kilogram. The most convenient way to get to Phu Soi Dao without a car is through Phitsanulok. If you don't want to hire a car on the way back, you have to stay at the park for another night. The shared taxi leaves here at 6 AM, only once a day. When we arrived in Chat Trakan, we had to wait for another 2 hours for the bus to Phitsanulok. We also encountered a sweet and cold car. We ended our trip by taking a bus from Phitsanulok to Bangkok, sleeping all the way.

This trip was enjoyable as I saw everything I had hoped for. Although I was unable to reach the summit of Phu Soi Dao, which requires an additional 2.5-kilometer hike from Lan Son, it is only open during the winter season. The park ranger informed me that the roundtrip hike takes 8 hours. Knowing this, it certainly challenges me to return to Phu Soi Dao again.

Note: The photos I took are not very clear. My hands were shaking from exhaustion.

P.S. 2 Please, do not walk through the field of sunflowers to take photos. You may get a beautiful picture, but you will break many flowers. Please help preserve them for future visitors.

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