Day 8, 30 October - Bueng Kan
No Matches!...... It's been a comfortable night at BK Place Hotel but as mentioned, this hotel is dated and worth only 600 baht. Now let's see if the breakfast lives up to the 1,000 baht we paid. Due to the Ok Phan Sa Holiday, they've arranged a buffet breakfast. Well, as we enter the dining hall, I see food warmers and start by examining the contents. Apart from this there is coffee, toast and fruit. The food warmers contain only Thai food which doesn't look that appetising and it looks like there have been many early risers. Regarding those burners, well it looks like they've run out of matches. So, a cold breakfast it is.
Furthest East...... Now let's try and get a good start to our exploring today which really demands one. We are attempting to make it around the hilly region to the east of the province in an area that contains the furthest districts from Bangkok. There are some iconic natural attractions here. We head east on Hwy 212, first locating another temple.
Wat Potheram (Wat Luangpho Phra Yai)...... Wat Photharam enshrines Luangpho Phra Yai, a Buddha image in a subduing Mara posture measuring 5 feet 4 inches wide across the lap sitting on a rectangular platform that was restored in 1994.
The Bueng Kan people organise the celebration of Luangpho Phra Yai twice a year, which are in the third lunar month merit tradition, called Bun Khao Chi. There are traditions of offering Prasat Phueng (wax castle) and bathing Luangpho Phra Yai, which will be held in the week after the Songkran Festival. People come to pay homage for their prosperity, career success, wealth, and safety. To worship, they will use flowers, joss sticks and candles and to ask for wishes, and they use Bang Fai (traditional rockets), and Talai (another kind of firework). Only men are allowed to pray inside the ubosot while women have to pray at the front door here.
A curious addition to this temple is what remains of a river streamer which might have been stranded here after a flood. Quite why such a wreck of twisted metal is preserved here I'm not sure. Perhaps it is a memorial to the loss of life. After checking out the Mekong River nearby, the next location is one of Bueng Khan's natural wonders to the southeast of the city.
Phu Sing Bueng Kan...... Arriving at Phu Sing it's immediately clear this is a popular attraction as the staff is busy finding parking spaces, issuing tickets and processing the crowd for truck rides to the Phu Sing attractions. The park entrance fee is 100 baht plus 500 baht for the truck. The truck will take up to 10 people and we join others to bring that cost down to a third of that. The tour takes around an hour during which we cover the main attractions in the park. These are: Phu Sing Stone, Tham Ruesi Viewpoint, Hin Sam Wan, Elephant Stone, Phu Sing Gate and Sang Roi Bor. All of these except the first offers amazing views. To add to the atmosphere of this place, our truck driver takes some amazing photos which I will treasure as a memory of this amazing attraction. It's taken a long time for this tour to come alive but then it's all over in a flash. At this point I'm feeling buoyant and look forward to the next attaction.
Namtok Chanaen...... Reaching Chanaen Waterfall things couldn't be more different. The waterfall is deserted apart from park staff. The waterfall here disappears over a ledge in front of which is a stone bridge which is passable with the correct vehicle. The feature is entirely natural and resembles the weathered rock at Hin Sam Wan in Phu Sing. The next location is also natural but within a religious context.
Wat Phu Tok...... Phu Thok meaning 'lonely mountain' in the Isan language, is a 359 metre high isolated hill in Na Sabaeng Subdistrict, Si Wilai District. Phu Thok is an emblematic sandstone outcrop that is both a local landmark and the symbol of the province of Bueng Kan. It appears in somewhat stylized form in the provincial seal. Phu Thok has two peaks, Phu Thok Yai and Phu Thok Noi. Wat Phu Thok, an important Buddhist temple, is in a cave near the top of the smaller peak. The summit of this massive rocky hill can be reached via a wooden walkway. The top has views of the surrounding flat countryside.
Reaching the temple, we appreciate the beauty of the landscaped area around Phu Tok. There is an ornate chedi here and a mondrop in the middle of a pond which is a museum containing wooden images of the Buddha but today I have to be content with this as I am unable to make the climb up Phu Thok. I'm just unable to climb the stairs and besides I have acrophobia. Also, this would take too much time which we don't have right now. So, let's try something else.
Namtok Chet Si...... Chet Si Waterfall is a beautiful natural attraction located in Seka district. It is also known as the Seven Colours Waterfall because of the rainbow colors that appear when the spray of the waterfall reflects sunlight. The waterfall originates from a stream of Huai Ka-am and runs along a towering sandstone cliff to spread out into a long line.
The waterfall requires a 20-minute detour from the main road to Bueng Khong Long plus the time it takes to reach the waterfall on foot. There appears to be a park fee of 200 baht but there is no staff at the gate. Unfortunately, under the circumstances I decide not to take the 700 metre trail to the waterfall.
Namtok Tham Phra...... Namtok Tham Phra requires yet another detour and time is running out. Namtok Tham Phra is also located in Seka District. It is also known as Tham Phra Waterfall or Tham Phra Phu Wua Waterfall. The waterfall is situated in the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary and is a large 3-tiered waterfall that flows from a large sandstone mountain. It is a recreational attraction for tourists who come to see the beauty of the waterfall.
We reach the pier where boats take you through the gorgeous limestone scenery but learn that the Phu Wua Park is closed now. Besides, the fee to enter is a whopping 400 baht for me (40 baht for the wife). It's another disappointment and after a good start to the day, I'm getting frustrated. It's now after 5.00pm and we still haven't reached Bueng Khong Long. Katoon continues chasing shadows and we finally get our first views of the massive Bueng Khong Long Lake.
Bueng Khong Long...... Bueng Khong Long is an ecotourism attraction and a large source of fresh water. The reservoir is narrow and long with an area of 8,064 rai and the average water depth of 0.05-1.0 metres. The water origin of Bueng Khong Long is Phu Wua and Phu Langka. Formerly, it was a narrow stream flowing into Lam Huai Hi and going into the Songkhram River and finally to the Mekong River. In 1977, His Majesty the King initiated the project to create a reservoir for agriculture for the Irrigation Department to implement, which was completed in 1980. In 1982, it was announced to be the Bueng Khong Long Non-hunting Area and registered as the World's Wetland of International Importance No. 1,098 in 2001.
The best I can do now is find a viewpoint to take some photos. There are plenty of options as almost everywhere there are boat trips arranged for you for 300 baht. It seems better value than the Tham Phra Waterfall but there's not enough time left now. We head on into the town to visit what has to be the last attraction today.
Pu U Lue Shrine...... The Pu U Lue Shrine is a place to visit if you are interested in local legends and history. Another popular attraction in the area is Don Pho Island, which is believed to be the Phaya Karat Palace according to legend. You can take a boat from the pier behind Pu U Lue Shrine to reach the island. The boat fee is 100 baht per person, and the journey takes about 30 minutes. As dusk falls this is another missed opportunity.
Haad Somboon...... From here we head up the west side of the lake back towards the city over an hour away. On the bank of Bueng Khong Long is Haad Somboon, and area of beach with lakeside restaurants but there is no beach here during high water levels. We arrive back in the city just after 7.00pm and secure some takeaway food to eat back in the room. Already a post mortem is underway as to what went wrong today and how we missed so many opportunities. It's clear I have totally underestimated what there is to do here but the root cause of the problem is the Ok Phan Sa long weekend without which I would not have booked the extra night at BK Place. We could have stayed around Bueng Khong Long and continued where we left off in the morning.
Well, that's hindsight now so tomorrow we pick up the pieces and do what we can to visit the remaining attractions and it looks like we can exit Bueng Kan later in the day, setting up our return to Bangkok.
Next Page.
No Matches!...... It's been a comfortable night at BK Place Hotel but as mentioned, this hotel is dated and worth only 600 baht. Now let's see if the breakfast lives up to the 1,000 baht we paid. Due to the Ok Phan Sa Holiday, they've arranged a buffet breakfast. Well, as we enter the dining hall, I see food warmers and start by examining the contents. Apart from this there is coffee, toast and fruit. The food warmers contain only Thai food which doesn't look that appetising and it looks like there have been many early risers. Regarding those burners, well it looks like they've run out of matches. So, a cold breakfast it is.
Furthest East...... Now let's try and get a good start to our exploring today which really demands one. We are attempting to make it around the hilly region to the east of the province in an area that contains the furthest districts from Bangkok. There are some iconic natural attractions here. We head east on Hwy 212, first locating another temple.
Wat Potheram (Wat Luangpho Phra Yai)...... Wat Photharam enshrines Luangpho Phra Yai, a Buddha image in a subduing Mara posture measuring 5 feet 4 inches wide across the lap sitting on a rectangular platform that was restored in 1994.
The Bueng Kan people organise the celebration of Luangpho Phra Yai twice a year, which are in the third lunar month merit tradition, called Bun Khao Chi. There are traditions of offering Prasat Phueng (wax castle) and bathing Luangpho Phra Yai, which will be held in the week after the Songkran Festival. People come to pay homage for their prosperity, career success, wealth, and safety. To worship, they will use flowers, joss sticks and candles and to ask for wishes, and they use Bang Fai (traditional rockets), and Talai (another kind of firework). Only men are allowed to pray inside the ubosot while women have to pray at the front door here.
A curious addition to this temple is what remains of a river streamer which might have been stranded here after a flood. Quite why such a wreck of twisted metal is preserved here I'm not sure. Perhaps it is a memorial to the loss of life. After checking out the Mekong River nearby, the next location is one of Bueng Khan's natural wonders to the southeast of the city.
Phu Sing Bueng Kan...... Arriving at Phu Sing it's immediately clear this is a popular attraction as the staff is busy finding parking spaces, issuing tickets and processing the crowd for truck rides to the Phu Sing attractions. The park entrance fee is 100 baht plus 500 baht for the truck. The truck will take up to 10 people and we join others to bring that cost down to a third of that. The tour takes around an hour during which we cover the main attractions in the park. These are: Phu Sing Stone, Tham Ruesi Viewpoint, Hin Sam Wan, Elephant Stone, Phu Sing Gate and Sang Roi Bor. All of these except the first offers amazing views. To add to the atmosphere of this place, our truck driver takes some amazing photos which I will treasure as a memory of this amazing attraction. It's taken a long time for this tour to come alive but then it's all over in a flash. At this point I'm feeling buoyant and look forward to the next attaction.
Namtok Chanaen...... Reaching Chanaen Waterfall things couldn't be more different. The waterfall is deserted apart from park staff. The waterfall here disappears over a ledge in front of which is a stone bridge which is passable with the correct vehicle. The feature is entirely natural and resembles the weathered rock at Hin Sam Wan in Phu Sing. The next location is also natural but within a religious context.
Wat Phu Tok...... Phu Thok meaning 'lonely mountain' in the Isan language, is a 359 metre high isolated hill in Na Sabaeng Subdistrict, Si Wilai District. Phu Thok is an emblematic sandstone outcrop that is both a local landmark and the symbol of the province of Bueng Kan. It appears in somewhat stylized form in the provincial seal. Phu Thok has two peaks, Phu Thok Yai and Phu Thok Noi. Wat Phu Thok, an important Buddhist temple, is in a cave near the top of the smaller peak. The summit of this massive rocky hill can be reached via a wooden walkway. The top has views of the surrounding flat countryside.
Reaching the temple, we appreciate the beauty of the landscaped area around Phu Tok. There is an ornate chedi here and a mondrop in the middle of a pond which is a museum containing wooden images of the Buddha but today I have to be content with this as I am unable to make the climb up Phu Thok. I'm just unable to climb the stairs and besides I have acrophobia. Also, this would take too much time which we don't have right now. So, let's try something else.
Namtok Chet Si...... Chet Si Waterfall is a beautiful natural attraction located in Seka district. It is also known as the Seven Colours Waterfall because of the rainbow colors that appear when the spray of the waterfall reflects sunlight. The waterfall originates from a stream of Huai Ka-am and runs along a towering sandstone cliff to spread out into a long line.
The waterfall requires a 20-minute detour from the main road to Bueng Khong Long plus the time it takes to reach the waterfall on foot. There appears to be a park fee of 200 baht but there is no staff at the gate. Unfortunately, under the circumstances I decide not to take the 700 metre trail to the waterfall.
Namtok Tham Phra...... Namtok Tham Phra requires yet another detour and time is running out. Namtok Tham Phra is also located in Seka District. It is also known as Tham Phra Waterfall or Tham Phra Phu Wua Waterfall. The waterfall is situated in the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary and is a large 3-tiered waterfall that flows from a large sandstone mountain. It is a recreational attraction for tourists who come to see the beauty of the waterfall.
We reach the pier where boats take you through the gorgeous limestone scenery but learn that the Phu Wua Park is closed now. Besides, the fee to enter is a whopping 400 baht for me (40 baht for the wife). It's another disappointment and after a good start to the day, I'm getting frustrated. It's now after 5.00pm and we still haven't reached Bueng Khong Long. Katoon continues chasing shadows and we finally get our first views of the massive Bueng Khong Long Lake.
Bueng Khong Long...... Bueng Khong Long is an ecotourism attraction and a large source of fresh water. The reservoir is narrow and long with an area of 8,064 rai and the average water depth of 0.05-1.0 metres. The water origin of Bueng Khong Long is Phu Wua and Phu Langka. Formerly, it was a narrow stream flowing into Lam Huai Hi and going into the Songkhram River and finally to the Mekong River. In 1977, His Majesty the King initiated the project to create a reservoir for agriculture for the Irrigation Department to implement, which was completed in 1980. In 1982, it was announced to be the Bueng Khong Long Non-hunting Area and registered as the World's Wetland of International Importance No. 1,098 in 2001.
The best I can do now is find a viewpoint to take some photos. There are plenty of options as almost everywhere there are boat trips arranged for you for 300 baht. It seems better value than the Tham Phra Waterfall but there's not enough time left now. We head on into the town to visit what has to be the last attraction today.
Pu U Lue Shrine...... The Pu U Lue Shrine is a place to visit if you are interested in local legends and history. Another popular attraction in the area is Don Pho Island, which is believed to be the Phaya Karat Palace according to legend. You can take a boat from the pier behind Pu U Lue Shrine to reach the island. The boat fee is 100 baht per person, and the journey takes about 30 minutes. As dusk falls this is another missed opportunity.
Haad Somboon...... From here we head up the west side of the lake back towards the city over an hour away. On the bank of Bueng Khong Long is Haad Somboon, and area of beach with lakeside restaurants but there is no beach here during high water levels. We arrive back in the city just after 7.00pm and secure some takeaway food to eat back in the room. Already a post mortem is underway as to what went wrong today and how we missed so many opportunities. It's clear I have totally underestimated what there is to do here but the root cause of the problem is the Ok Phan Sa long weekend without which I would not have booked the extra night at BK Place. We could have stayed around Bueng Khong Long and continued where we left off in the morning.
Well, that's hindsight now so tomorrow we pick up the pieces and do what we can to visit the remaining attractions and it looks like we can exit Bueng Kan later in the day, setting up our return to Bangkok.
Next Page.
Bueng Khan Province
Wat Potheram (Wat Luangpho Phra Yai), Mueang Bueng Kan District
Mekong River, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Phu Sing Bueng Khan, Khok Kong,
Mueang Bueng Kan District
Phu Sing Stone, Phu Sing National Park,
Khok Kong, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Tham Ruesi Viewpoint,
Phu Sing National Park, Khok Kong,
Mueang Bueng Kan District
Hin Sam Wan, Phu Sing National Park,
Khok Kong, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Elephant Stone, Phu Sing National Park,
Khok Kong, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Phu Sing Gate, Phu Sing National Park,
Khok Kong, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Sang Roi Bor, Phu Sing National Park,
Khok Kong, Mueang Bueng Kan District
Namtok Chanaen, Ban Tong, Seka District
Wat Phu Tok, Na Sabaeng, Si Wilai District
Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, Bung Khla,
Bung Khla District
Namtok Tham Phra, Sok Kam, Seka District
Bueng Khong Long,
Bueng Khong Long District
Pu U Lue Shrine, Bueng Khong Long,
Bueng Khong Long District
Haad Somboon, Bueng Khong Long,
Bueng Khong Long District