Pleasure...Pleasure Ozone Land

As the summer season officially kicks in, everyone is posting pictures of crystal-clear seawater, bright blue skies, or people jumping into rivers with a big splash, making our travel glands tingle. But if it's not the sea... where should we go? Today, we'll find the answer with a Road Trip travel plan for the budget-conscious, or rather, for the mountains! :)

MIND Journey invites you to join us on a delightful journey to Wang Nam Khiao, the land of ozone. Let's rediscover happiness together.

: : Wang Nam Khiao District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

The southern region of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, located approximately 230 kilometers from Bangkok, borders the provinces of Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri. Wang Nam Khieo is renowned as a cool-climate town with mountains, waterfalls, agricultural tourism areas, and a variety of fruit farms. The area enjoys cool weather year-round, making it an ideal destination for relaxation and leisure. Notably, it boasts the 7th highest ozone level in the world!

When you want to return happiness [ to yourself ] to your lungs, you have to come here. "Wang Nam Khieo Switzerland, the land of Isan"

: : Traveling from Bangkok to Wang Nam Khieo District Take Mittraphap Road and then enter Thanarat Road [ Khao Yai Route ] Turn left to continue to Wang Nam Khieo District for about 80 kilometers.

Note: There are many other routes you can take, or you can take a van (which takes 3.5 hours).

After just over an hour's drive, we arrived at Khao Yai. But before reaching our destination, we decided to stop for lunch, which would take another hour or so. This time, we stopped at this place.

: : Krua Khao Yai: A Culinary Gem in the Heart of Thailand

Krua Khao Yai is a long-standing, family-run restaurant that offers a taste of authentic Thai home-style cooking. A must-try are their various hams, and today we sampled two: the 'Ham Son Nok', served in generous slices, and the 'Ham See Krong', a bone-in cut. Both were incredibly tender, flavorful, and boasted a delightful smoky aroma. The accompanying sauces perfectly complemented the hams. While other dishes we ordered, such as the beef curry, clear soup, and stir-fried broccoli, were good, they lacked the same standout quality as the hams.

Note: The restaurant is located on Thanarat Road, heading towards Khao Yai. It's a fairly large open-air restaurant with parking in front. If you're looking for a taste of home-cooked food, be sure to stop by and give it a try.

This is our first trip to Wang Nam Khiao. We left Bangkok early in the morning to take this route, which is longer than the others. We arrived at our destination a little late, but we think it was worth it.

From Khao Yai, you can reach Wang Nam Khiao by turning left before the Khao Yai toll booth. Then drive for about 80 kilometers, passing the Lam Phra Phloeng Reservoir, where a statue of a gaur stands as a symbol. It is a rest stop and viewpoint. Pass the scenic views of mountains, vineyards, and the route is mostly rolling hills, alternating with high plains.

It's a long drive with scenic views on both sides. Right now, there's nothing more 'enjoyable' than this. :)

They say that... Wang Nam Khieo is ranked 7th in the world for ozone levels. Research has found a type of fern that only grows in areas with high levels of ozone. The Khao Sakae Rat Research Station has made Wang Nam Khieo an oasis for city dwellers like us. We secretly hope to find comfortable air, breathe clean air, and restore happiness (to our bodies).

Indulge in the slow life for over 48 hours... to your heart's content :)

: : Bu-ngasari Resort is located in Khao Phang Ma, Moo 4, surrounded by large trees and thousands of flowers, providing both shade and beauty. The accommodation is in individual houses, each with its own privacy, and is arranged in tiers from the hillside to the plain below. The area is full of trees, making us feel open and airy when we arrive...

The Saree House where we stayed is a cream-colored house in Oriental style, slightly elevated from the ground. It has two bedrooms, a living room with a long sofa, and a private wooden balcony with a scenic view. The bathroom has an open roof and separates the wet and dry areas at different levels. It is quite spacious and suitable for family stays. The condition of the house and furniture is average, not new.

The weather here is not too hot, with a strong breeze blowing all day long. At night, it gets cooler and the morning air is pleasantly comfortable. The price is reasonable (around 2,800 baht during promotions) and can accommodate 3-4 people. The price is appropriate for the accommodation and the beautiful atmosphere.

For tourist attractions in Wang Nam Khieo district, it is divided into two routes: Khao Phaeng Ma side (Route 3052) and Thai Saman Ki Subdistrict side (Highway 304). Today, we will start from the Khao Phaeng Ma side first.

Whoever comes and goes... When you arrive at Khao Phaeng Ma, you should definitely stop by A Cup of Love, a tourist attraction, photo spot, coffee shop, and souvenir shop. Plus, there's also accommodation available here.

Just a short drive from the accommodation, following the same route back (Khao Phaeng Ma Road), we ordered fruit juice and fresh milk cake. The taste was good and we took photos from the coffee shop side. If you want to feed the flock of sheep up close, there is an entrance fee to cross the bridge to the inside.

Note: The price of snacks and drinks is quite high.

Note: The coffee shop and seating area are both Indoor & Open Air. You can sit and sip coffee while enjoying the riverside view for a different atmosphere :)

In the late afternoon, we spread out the map again. This time, we decided to leave the coast of Khao Phang Ma and explore the side of Tambon Thai Samakkhi (Highway 304). This road leads to Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The journey takes less than half an hour to reach the entrance. Then we will start looking at the map again.

: : Pha Keb Tawan at Thap Lan National Park is located in Thai Saman Ki Subdistrict, Wang Nam Khieo District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. It is a viewpoint for scenic views and sunsets.

The climb up the mountain isn't too steep, and it only takes a moment to reach the top. Once you get there, the first thing you'll see is a large, open parking lot. There's also a small shop, a treehouse, and the panoramic viewpoint we were looking for. I have to admit that the air is fresh and clean up here on this cliff, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the view is beautiful. Along the long wooden railing that serves as a barrier, there are slingshots attached. These are used to shoot plant seeds into the forest below. It's a great activity that allows everyone to participate in 'planting a forest' together. :)

Note: To reach Pha Kiew Ta Wan from Highway 304, make a U-turn and turn left onto the inner road (the entrance sign is very small, so keep a close eye out). This road is lined with resort signs, and it's windy and cooler than the Khao Phaeng Ma side because it's closer to the national park. It's also a great place to relax.

After descending from Pha Kiew Ta Wan at around 6:00 AM, following the food review, I arrived at this restaurant. The restaurant is located on the left-hand side (exit direction) and is a local restaurant called "Kruaton Sai."

Arriving at Wang Nam Khiao, you must order fresh mushroom dishes, stir-fried with oyster sauce, or fried with eggs until golden brown. Stir-fried Khorat noodles, chewy noodles, and rich tom yum soup. Every menu tastes good and the price is not expensive (very large plate). If you are visiting this area, don't forget to stop by and try it :)

P.S. Before heading back, stop by to buy souvenirs at affordable prices. There are a variety of processed mushroom products, fresh grape juice, grapes, and wine available here.

This morning, the weather was pleasant, with a cool breeze blowing intermittently. Before I even had a chance to wash my face, the staff brought breakfast to my room. We sat on the balcony, enjoying the private morning view while eating. Oh, 'blissful' is an understatement! :)

Near our accommodation on the Khao Phang Ma side, there is a vineyard where you can buy grapes to take back with you. After finishing breakfast, we were ready to continue exploring Wang Nam Khieo. "Baan Rai Khun Nai", which also offers accommodation, was our next stop. We went in to buy grapes, which were freshly cut from the vine and weighed. The grape variety here is a seedless black grape, the Black Opal variety, which is sweet and delicious (200 baht per kilogram).

Leaving the vineyard, continue to the Thai Samakkhi sub-district, where you will find the largest mushroom farm in the Northeast. Take the same route as the path up to Pha Kiew Ta Wan, but you will reach it slightly earlier. There is a sign, so it's not difficult to find.

: : Mister Mushroom Farm (Wang Nam Khiao) is a cold-weather mushroom cultivation center that offers mushroom-based processed products, health foods, medicines, and fresh mushrooms such as shiitake, Japanese pine mushrooms, and monkey head mushrooms. They also offer tours of their organic mushroom farm. Outside, there is a coffee shop, a relaxation area, and a traditional medicine pavilion with old medicines, posters, and advertisements that you may recognize from the past.

Travel back in time to your childhood and take a relaxing trip to the Sheep Farm. Drive on Highway 304, make a U-turn, and drive past the entrance to Pha Khep Ta Wan. The entrance will be on your left before the PTT gas station. Drive a short distance and you will reach a large open parking lot. Opposite is our destination.

Montana Farm: A nature-based tourist attraction, accommodation, and photo spot frequented by tourists. Before entering, visitors must pay an entrance fee of 50 baht per person. The entrance ticket can be used as a discount coupon instead of cash. It offers a 10 baht discount on drinks, a 20 baht discount at the steakhouse, and a 30 baht discount on the entrance fee to Alpaca Land. (This is a privilege per ticket.)

In Montana Farm, there is a large outdoor area with various activities such as a game zone, a sheep house, and many photo corners, flower beds, and fountains. It's called... 'fun' to take pictures. We spent a long time here. When we were hot and hungry, we stopped by the coffee shop and steakhouse.

Let's go have fun taking pictures inside! :)

: : For dinner tonight, I entrusted my stomach to "Krua Ming Mai", a Thai restaurant located right across from my accommodation, within walking distance. It's a two-story Thai-style house surrounded by nature and trees.

The restaurant offers a wide variety of Thai dishes. We ordered the shiitake mushrooms baked in soy sauce (don't forget to squeeze some lime on it, it's delicious!), the soft-fleshed fish with chili sauce, the hot mushroom curry, and the crab dip with a large shrimp on top, served with fresh, crispy vegetables. Overall, the food was delicious and the prices were very reasonable. We will definitely be back next time! :)

Evening...

The delightful moments of strolling through the scenic views, especially during the cool breeze of the afternoon, with the cool wind blowing against your face, the green flowers and leaves swaying in the wind, as if beckoning you to walk on, taking in the fresh air, capturing the beautiful atmosphere, and storing the happiness of the day during the slow walk that will make you remember and return to Wang Nam Khieo.

...again

Thank you friends for following the trip until the end Wang Nam Khiao | Fun...Fun Ozone Land

Saying goodbye for today with a picture of the sunset and beautiful sky from the balcony of my room. Bye :)

: : Read our 'Travelogue' here (click) : :

Weekend Getaway | Scenic Views, Delicious Prawns, and Artistic Delights | Ayutthaya and Singburi Trip

Coffee Tripper | 'Escape the Heat' and Relax at...WOOD Cafe'

Over a Million to the Land of...Phu Langka The End | Northern Trip Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Phayao Nan

Over a Million to the Land of...Phu Langka Part 1 | Northern Trip Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Phayao Nan

Chanthaburi Trip | When I accidentally fell in love with 'Chan'

Stay Alive!! Stay tuned... Life on the 'Island' | Sailing the Andaman Sea, enjoying the breeze and chilling out in Phuket - Krabi

Sapa, the city that made us fall in love with 'him' Part 1 | Vietnam Trip: Ha Noi - Sapa EP#1

Sapa, the city that made us fall in love with 'him' Part 2 | Vietnam Trip: Ha Noi - Sapa EP#2

Sapa, the city that made us fall in love with 'him' Part 3 | Vietnam Trip: Ha Noi - Sapa EP#3

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HAPPY SUN SET | MIND JOURNEY