"Khao Luang, Prachuap" My friends, you heard that right. Usually, when people hear the word "Khao Luang", they think of Khao Luang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, or Khao Luang, Sukhothai. But in reality, there is another Khao Luang hidden in the southern forests of Thailand, waiting for us to witness its beauty on the mountaintop in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. It's not far, is it? But before you decide to come here, let me tell you this: if you love to travel by walking leisurely, enjoying beautiful views, and having fun all the way, you can click the "X" button on the top right corner of your mouse. Because here, there are no porters, no bathrooms, no easy paths, and no comfort (how harsh!). Okay, I'll give you a countdown to decide before we start. Let's begin.

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Okay, if you've read this far, it means you're ready to join us on this adventure. So let's take a look at the approximate budget for this trip.

1. The round-trip fuel cost is high, so the cost per person is roughly 300 baht.

3. Guide fee: 400 baht per person (This time, there were 19 people in the group, so 4 guides were used)

4. No porters available (carrying it myself. Even if I wanted to hire someone, there's no one to hire. Taking a quick breather...)

5. Miscellaneous expenses for food, water, and other supplies are around 500 baht per person.

The total cost of the trip (approximately) is: Bring 1000 baht and you can live. How cheap is that!!!

Alright, let's get started! Come on, follow me with your backpack!

B A C K P A C K T I M E
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When the heart is ready to carry a backpack,
the journey begins.

If you like backpacking and want to exchange and chat in a friendly way, you can do it here:

https://www.facebook.com/backpacktime

Or if you like to see the atmosphere like walking together, you can follow this link. It is made to prevent these good memories from fading away:

The 19 travelers, all of whom had shared the same journey or fate, came from all directions to gather at Huai Yang Waterfall National Park. They had prepared their belongings and agreed to meet at 9 am, but it was after 10 am before they were finally able to set off. Every trip is delayed, and this one was no exception. 55 For those traveling by car from Bangkok, drive south until you see Huai Yang Waterfall National Park on your right before reaching Thap Sakae District. If you are traveling by bus, get off at Ban Huai Yang Intersection. Even if you are traveling by train, you can get off at Huai Yang Station and then take a motorcycle taxi to the park. Choose whichever option you prefer.

The highlight of Huai Yang National Park is the 5-tiered waterfall, where people often come to play in the water and have picnics. But for the adventurous, there's also Khao Luang, which stands tall and challenges you to conquer it. The highlight of this place is the viewpoint at the top, which offers views of 3 bays, and at night, you can see 3 worlds of stars.

"What is the 3rd world?" I was confused when I first heard it, so I'll let you guys be confused like me for now. But I'll tell you when we all get to the top together.

"Ready to go with our backpacks on!" The officer must have seen Oh Aoi standing there for a while and couldn't help but urge him to hurry up and leave. Alright, alright, let's go everyone! But before we did, we asked the officer for permission to take a group photo before we went up. I mean, we've never been in the forest with so many people before. I wonder if the forest will break?

At the beginning of the trail, we will walk past the waterfalls, one level at a time, for a total of 4 levels. Then we will cut up the mountain without passing the 5th level of the waterfall.

Along the way, there will be a short walk across a waterfall, which is a beautiful and scenic introduction to the mountain climb.

The first part of the walk was incredibly dry, with bare trees and the sun beating down mercilessly.

Observing the trees, you will find traces of civilization. Wherever people go, they destroy nature. I don't know why they have to scratch it.

At the beginning of every hike, everyone always has a smile on their face, like this.

Here is the translation:

This is a smile.

Oh... my god, this is a smile too, huh? Haha

Okay, let's get back on track. Everyone started walking in a single file line. The forest was getting denser, and the view? Forget it. There was nothing but trees, trees, and more trees. Plus, there were two formidable enemies: the steep incline and the ever-present threat of leg cramps, which seemed to be lurking around every corner, waiting to pounce on any unsuspecting team member who dared to let their guard down.

After walking for a while, we came across a small stream where we could wash our faces and eyes. Looking at my watch, the short hand was almost pointing to 1. The officer told us to take a break and have lunch here first. Some people were hungry, while others were not. So, we let those who were hungry eat the food they had brought with them. Meanwhile, I went to inquire about the travel arrangements.

(There are so many butterflies here. If I didn't have to keep walking, I would just lie down here.)

"Sir, how much further is it to the accommodation?"

"Not even halfway there yet"

“Oh my god! I can't believe it! My legs are killing me, and I'm not even halfway there! I thought this was supposed to be an easy hike, just a casual stroll with old friends. I guess I should have done my research instead of trusting what other people said. They told me this was a beginner-friendly trail, but that's a total lie! I'm so frustrated!"

After refueling and taking a break, they continued their journey. Some people were smiling wryly at the bad news that they were not even halfway there. Haha.

As the altitude increases, the landscape gradually changes. Large rocks and taller trees become more common. Notably, the humidity also increases significantly, making it easier to spot low-lying plants such as ferns and mosses clinging to various surfaces.

Around 4 pm, the officer pointed us to look through the bushes to the front. And that was the first time we saw our destination, giving us a sense of relief. Clearing 1 was the first point where we would be able to leave the forest after walking for a long 6 hours or so. But the problem was right there. Because before reaching Clearing 1, we would encounter the steepest incline, which had been waiting for us here since morning. Sometimes I wonder why, when hiking, we always have to face steep paths before reaching our destination. For example, Phu Soi Dao has the Death Slope, Phu Kradueng has Sam Krae, and other places have their own challenges. Blah blah blah.

Don't get the wrong idea that Khao Luang is all about exhaustion. We still saw traces of animals, small animals, here and there. In fact, we found traces of pheasants and hoofprints, not sure if they were deer or muntjac, but I didn't happen to take any pictures of them. So, let's just look at the beautiful things I did capture along the way.

Alright, let's head to Field 1. But damn, just seeing the path makes me want to give up. The big trees stand tall with a steepness that almost destroys my leg muscles. If the tendons in my legs could talk, they would probably say, "Enough is enough, don't hurt us anymore." As for Mr. Cramp, he says, "Just give me those legs to eat, don't resist anymore."

And then, from our efforts, we were finally able to drag our weary bodies to the first clearing. The cool wind blew against our faces, carrying away the fatigue and leaving everyone lying down. If we had come here comfortably, the view here would have been very ordinary, not beautiful at all. But after sweating and struggling to get here, hey!!! It's ten times more beautiful. But there were some people who, as soon as they saw this picture, immediately took off all their belongings and ran out to play kites on the hill. But wait, I'm not being obscene, they really went to fly kites. If you don't believe me, look.

After resting for a while, we heard a call from the first group who had walked ahead. They were shouting from Camp 2, our destination for the night. Camp 1 and Camp 2 are about 700-800 meters apart. So, we had to take pictures quickly and move on because it was getting close to the time for the flag-raising ceremony. If we didn't leave, we would definitely be in the dark in the middle of the forest. Alright, let's move on.

On the way between Lan 1 and Lan 2, we will encounter a small stream. This stream is used for daily life on this mountain. Therefore, for those who are coming here, please do not destroy the nature in this area. This stream is very important because it means we don't have to carry a lot of water up the mountain. There is water available for us to use all year round. You can drink it comfortably. If you are worried, you can boil it before drinking. But for me, I have been drinking it throughout the trip until I am writing this review, and I have not had any problems. I can guarantee its cleanliness.

Upon arriving at the accommodation, we started cooking. There isn't much space for tents on the top, so if you're planning to come, I recommend bringing a hammock or sleeping like a sardine. However, if you're coming in a small group, you can still pitch a tent.

It's about 9 pm now. After we've all finished eating, it's time to reveal what the 3-world star really is. Which is, drum roll please... The 3-world star consists of

Star 1: The star that is on the world of the sky

Star 2: The star that resides on the planet of earth

The 3rd star: The star that resides on the world of water.

Everyone came to watch the stars here, talking until midnight. Until they went back to sleep, some people said that the green light from the squid boat was like the northern lights, haha. Everyone's imagination is really amazing.

Good morning everyone. We are back at the stargazing platform, which also offers stunning views of the sunrise. From here, we can see the various bays of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, including Ao Noi, Ao Prachuap, and Ao Manao, all of which are major tourist destinations in the province.

After that, we went back to pack our belongings, cook food, and prepare lunch to head to our final destination for the day before heading back. Which is considered another highlight of Khao Luang, Prachuap Khiri Khan, that is, the Burmese viewpoint. The officers here are all very nice. They took care of boiling water and lighting a fire for us very well.

And this is the main bonfire that we share together.

Okay, let's head towards our goal. This time, we'll leave our luggage near the water filling station and walk up to the viewpoint empty-handed. As soon as we started walking without our luggage, everyone felt like they were flying. It was as if we were in a weightless state. If we could run, we would have. This path is very humid and completely covered in moss.

Before reaching the viewpoint, there is a landmark to look out for, which is the "Pratu Pa" (Forest Gate). It is a curved archway formed by trees, allowing visitors to walk through. Please follow the instructions of the officials during your journey. If you get lost, you might end up in Myanmar without even realizing it. There is an "AEC Intersection" (a name I made up) along the way. If you take a leisurely stroll, you might find yourself saying "Mingalaba" (a Burmese greeting) before you know it.

We're here! Let's see if our sweat is worth the hike up here with this breathtaking view of the giant teak forest stretching as far as the eye can see on the Burmese side.

In conclusion, for this trip to "Khao Luang, Prachuap", I think it is suitable for people who have hiked before, and they should be easy-going people, as there are no amenities. Let me emphasize again that there are no porters, and the weight you carry on your back is 10 times the weight you carry at the bottom. In addition, there are no toilets, no soft beds, no good food, and no beautiful scenery along the way. However, it is not all bad, because there is one definite advantage to long-distance hiking. The most important thing that makes it worthwhile to choose to hike into the forest every time is that we will definitely make "friends". We also get to test our physical strength, intelligence, and ability to solve problems that arise (this time we accidentally got lost in the forest, got separated from the officials, had to retrace our steps to find our way back, and finally met up with the officials. We were very lucky, thank you to the forest gods and the sacred spirits). Thank you to all my friends who have followed me to this line. When we have the chance in the future, we will take you to other forests. Goodbye, sweet dreams, good night.