A city of mountains and seas, the coldest in Siam, with beautiful flowers in three seasons.

The winter season is coming to an end.
Some areas may already be hot, or experiencing alternating hot and cold weather.
For those who enjoy the cold weather, there's nothing better than going up to the mountains to experience the cool air.
This trip, I would like to invite you to join me on a mountain adventure.
Because the air up there is much better than the air at home.
It's good for the eyes to see beautiful views, and good for the heart of someone who might be tired of work.
Tired of life, going out to open your eyes and ears.
It will probably help your body and mind feel better.

This trip is a 3-day, 2-night journey for 3 members.
Starting from Korat - Loei, staying in Chiang Khan for 1 night.
(Two spouses Guesthouse, got a free voucher for 1 night, 1 room, and booked an additional room, paid for it myself)
From Chiang Khan - Khao Kho, staying in Khao Kho for 1 night.
(Rarmkawe Khao Kho, paid for 1 room + extra bed)
Traveling from February 1-3, 2017.
Departing from Korat around 2:00 AM.
I have a rough itinerary for you to see.
Some things can be done, some cannot, adjust according to the situation.

Distances:

• Korat - Phu Pa Po: 312 km
• Phu Pa Po - Suan Hin Pha Ngam: 8.5 km
• Suan Hin Pha Ngam - Huai Krathing Reservoir: 81.3 km
• Huai Krathing Reservoir - Kaeng Kut Ku: 70.6 km
• Kaeng Kut Ku - Grandma's Garden: 1.9 km
• Grandma's Garden - Song Phua Mia Guesthouse: 3.9 km

Round Trips:

• Song Phua Mia - Phu Tok: 9.3 km (each way)
• Song Phua Mia - Wat Pha Sorn Kaew: 199 km (each way)
• Wat Pha Sorn Kaew - Le Bonheur: 3.1 km (each way)
• Tung Kang Hin Lom - Rom Kavek: 10.7 km (each way)
• Rom Kavek - Krua Mong Meng: 4 km (each way)

Other Distances:

• Rom Kavek - Wat Kong Niam: 5.6 km
• Wat Kong Niam - Rom Kavek: 5.6 km
• Rom Kavek - Phuttha Uthayan Phetchabura: 43.8 km
• Phuttha Uthayan Phetchabura - Korat: 290 km

According to the plan above, we will arrive at Phu Pa Po around 7 am.
The weather is freezing cold, so much so that our breath can be seen when we speak.

The Phu Pa Po National Park, located in Ban Pha Wai, Puan Phu District, Nong Hin District, Loei Province, is a fascinating tourist destination in Loei. The park offers stunning panoramic views of various mountains, including the prominent Phu Ho. While I couldn't witness the breathtaking sea of fog during my visit, the scenery was still captivating. It's important to note that vehicles are not permitted within the park. Visitors must park at the tourism center and take a local shuttle service for a roundtrip fee of 60 baht per person.

Som arrived very early in the morning. There weren't many tourists yet. Phu Pha Po has 4 levels. The car will take you up to the 3rd level.

The final level requires climbing the remaining stairs on our own, offering breathtaking 360-degree views.

However, the orange tree did not grow. Three floors are sufficient.

Som invites you to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Phu Pha Poa.
Som and her companions quite like this place because it looks peaceful and has a sense of community.
The guide who took us up there talked about the history of the place and local development.
Community cooperation and instilling a love for the community in children.

Strawberry Picking at Phu Pa Po

After descending from Phu Pa Po, you'll find a tourist service center. In front of it, there's a strawberry farm where you can pick your own strawberries for 40 baht per kilogram. The strawberries are large and delicious, and you can easily lose yourself in the picking process. Just pay for what you pick!

After leaving Phu Pha Po, the plan was to visit Suan Hin Pha Ngam.
Suan Hin Pha Ngam is a limestone mountain range with overlapping peaks.
It is not far from Phu Pha Po.
Phu Pha Po is deeper, and we just backtracked the way we came.
However, from the information we found, it seems that the ascent is also done by local villagers' vehicles.
So we decided not to go up and just walk around below.
After taking some photos, we continued our journey because the group was hungry.
The distance from this point to the place we planned to eat was about 80 kilometers. An army marches on its stomach.
If we let ourselves get hungry, we wouldn't enjoy the trip.

The journey to Huai Krathing Reservoir took about 11 am. The road down was steep, but not scary. As long as you drive with caution, safety is guaranteed. We passed the reservoir's viewpoint, but we didn't stop because we were starving. We chose to stop at Pa Phai Ngam, one of the first floating restaurants on the reservoir. Seeing only our car and one other, we were relieved that there wouldn't be a long wait. The restaurant uses rafts to seat customers and then tows them to the middle of the reservoir. Rafts come in various sizes, so choose according to your preference. The restaurant takes your food and drink orders first. The menu features fish, chicken, and other common dishes, with prices ranging from 100 to 200 baht. After ordering, you can wait on the raft. We chose a small raft, which cost 300 baht. Drinks arrived first, and after a 20-minute wait, the food gradually arrived. Once the food was complete, a boat towed our raft to the middle of the reservoir. The weather was excellent, with few people and only a few other rafts floating around. It was peaceful and quiet, and the food was decent, although taste is subjective. If you need to return or use the restroom, call or raise the flag, and a boat will pick you up and take you back to shore. Our meal cost a little over 800 baht.

Pa Phing Ngam Reservoir, Huai Krathing

After leaving the raft, we returned the way we came.
We passed the viewpoint from earlier, and the view from here is beautiful.
We saw the reservoir with rafts floating on it.
However, the sun was not cooperating, and it was very hot.
We quickly got back in the car and continued on to our accommodation for the night.

Let's head to Chiang Khan.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

From Huai Krathing Reservoir, we planned to visit the flower garden and Kaeng Kut Ku before checking in. However, we couldn't find the flower garden on the map. We only found a flower garden at the temple, but the flowers were all withered and it didn't seem like an organized event. So we skipped that and headed to Kaeng Kut Ku. By then, we were already tired because the driver had been driving since last night. It was already 2 pm, so we decided to check in instead. As mentioned earlier, we are staying at Song Phua Mia Guesthouse in Chiang Khan. We got a free voucher for one room, but since we have additional members, we bought another room. Song Phua Mia doesn't have many rooms. I booked one month in advance, and there is only one room with a private bathroom. The rest have shared bathrooms.

Two Spouses Guesthouse, Chiang Khan

The room that Som booked with a voucher is 900 baht.
Som did not pay for this room. The room that she booked and paid for herself is an air-conditioned room with a shared bathroom. The price is 800 baht.
However, she received a discount for booking in advance, so the price was reduced to 760 baht.
The picture shows the room that Som and her husband stayed in. This room costs 900 baht.
It has a private bathroom, a bed, a clothes rack, air conditioning, a fan, and a bathroom with hot water and a bidet.

Most guesthouses in Chiang Khan do not have parking. You have to park at a nearby temple. I parked at Wat Si Khun Mueang. It's only a short walk from the accommodation, just 180 meters. There is plenty of parking available. Lock your car, and there shouldn't be any problems. As I mentioned, I arrived in Chiang Khan after 2 pm. I was able to check in right away. The accommodation has many seating areas. If you come with a group of friends, it would be fun. There is a refrigerator outside the room. Free drinking water is available all the time. Just grab it. There is also a tea and coffee corner, which is also free all the time.

Below is a coffee shop.
Som tried a latte on the way back, which was delicious.
It was not too sweet, which was to her liking.

After checking in and unloading our belongings, it was time for the driver to rest. But wait, before arriving, I had researched and found out that there was a delicious custard bread shop nearby. I had already spotted it before reaching our accommodation, and it was within walking distance. The shop is located in Soi 9, a very short walk from our accommodation. So, the driver, who was about to take a nap, got dragged along to buy some bread.

Khun Mae's Sangkhaya Shop is a dessert shop in Chiang Khan that Som read about and found to be delicious. The shop opens at 8:00 AM and closes when they sell out. There is no seating available, so all orders are for takeaway only. The sangkhaya is delicious and not too sweet. Som was also impressed by the iced lemon tea, which she found to be smooth and flavorful. She noted that making a good iced lemon tea requires skill, as she has ordered it from many shops and found some to be too sour or bland. She even bought a glass for over 100 baht that was not as good as this one.

The sun is setting and the wind is calm.
We went for a walk at the Chiang Khan Walking Street.
There weren't many stalls set up yet, and not many tourists.
It's nice to travel on weekdays, if you have the choice.
I've never traveled on holidays or festivals.
Luckily, my husband and I don't have the same days off as everyone else, so it's convenient for us.
After walking along the Mekong River for a while, we went to find food at the Walking Street.
I didn't take many pictures because there are already many reviews of this place.

Phu Thok

Phu Thok was the main goal of this trip.
We hoped to see a sea of fog there.
About a week before our trip,
many travel pages that I follow
posted pictures of a very dense sea of fog at Phu Thok.
This gave us hope that we would see it too.
Because we had never seen a sea of fog before. We missed it at Doi Pha Hom Pok.
The day we went, there was none. But the day we returned, it was full of fog.
In a way, it's part of the charm of nature tourism.
We can only expect so much from it.
The excitement of wondering what we will encounter each day is quite fun.
I woke up early. We agreed to leave our accommodation around 5:30 am.
to travel to Phu Thok, which is about 10 kilometers from our accommodation.
The weather was quite cold. When we arrived, there was a car park.
It's up to us where we want to park. There is a parking fee of 20 baht.
From the parking lot, we didn't have to walk far.
We will reach the ticket booth to go up and down Phu Thok. It costs 25 baht per person.
When I arrived, there weren't many people. After buying the tickets, we could get on the car right away.

The temperature was very cool when we started climbing, and we could see a thin layer of fog. We secretly hoped that we would encounter

Is there anything else I can help you with?

The ascent is steep and winding, as expected.

The journey was quick, and there weren't many people, unlike what I had seen in some reviews.

A thin layer of fog covers the top, but the view below is still visible.

After a short wait, our dream came true. The sun began to rise, painting the sky orange.

The sea of mist gradually thickened, which was a wonderful sight for us. We consider this mission a success.

Let's go see the sea of fog at Phu Thok on the morning of February 2, 2017. The time is around 6-7 am.

After descending from Phu Tok, we returned to our accommodation.
We had agreed the previous night to have breakfast near our accommodation.

We walked from our accommodation to Luk Phochana Restaurant, located in Soi 9.
I forgot to mention that our second accommodation, Phua Mia Guesthouse, is located between Soi 8 and Soi 9.
The breakfast menu consists of dishes such as fried eggs, noodle soup, rice noodles, and pork leg, as far as I remember.
I wasn't very hungry that morning, so I only had two bowls of rice noodles.
It was delicious, especially since it was cold. What could be better than a hot bowl of rice noodles on a chilly morning?

After breakfast, we packed our belongings and prepared to check out. Our next destination was Khao Kho, which was about 200 kilometers away. The road was mountainous, so we drove slowly and safely. We allowed plenty of time for the journey. We took Highway 12, which was a scenic road with little traffic. On the way, we passed Phu Ruea. We had read about a beautiful temple there, Wat Pa Phu Huai Lat, so we decided to stop by. The weather was perfect, and there were not many people around. After praying for a while, we continued our journey.

Khao Kho: A Scenic Destination with a Reminder for Respectful Conduct

Our destination in Khao Kho was Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew. Despite the crowds and sunshine, the weather was pleasantly cool.

The temple's beauty is undeniable, with stunning views and refreshing breezes. The peaceful atmosphere invites visitors to linger and explore. However, it's important to remember that this is a place of worship and requires respectful conduct.

While signs and announcements clearly request silence, some visitors unfortunately disregard this request, engaging in loud conversations and shouting. It's crucial to remember that respecting the sanctity of such places is essential when visiting public spaces.

As a reminder, there are parking options outside the temple grounds for a fee of 30 baht. This can be a convenient alternative if official parking within the temple is unavailable.

Som invites you to admire the beauty of Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew.

There are restaurants behind the building.
If you are hungry, the menu includes rice noodles and made-to-order dishes.

After walking for a while, I checked the time and it was past 2 pm.
So I got ready to leave the temple to check in.
From Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew Temple, take Highway 2196
to the accommodation. It is about 27 kilometers away.

Upon arrival, we checked in at the accommodation.
I booked a wooden house 103.
It has the best view among the wooden houses because it is located at the front.
The price when I booked was 2350 baht. I went with 3 people.
An extra bed costs 700 baht. The accommodation includes breakfast.
At Rim Khang View, I have been following their page for a long time.
Because I like this place and they update the sea of fog almost every day.
But during the period we will stay, the page did not upload a picture of the sea of fog.
We were still talking that we would definitely miss it. But it's okay.
Because I had fun at Phu Tok already.
When checking in, there will be a deposit of 1000 baht.
The accommodation will inform the terms and conditions on the page and during the booking.
I like this place because it emphasizes the use of sound because we want to come and relax. It's mutual understanding.

Room 103, which Som booked, has a balcony and a table where you can sit and enjoy the wide view. When we arrived, the sun was setting and the weather was very pleasant.

The room is equipped with air conditioning and a queen-size bed. An additional comfortable floor mattress is available upon request. The refrigerator is stocked with three complimentary bottles of water and three cans of soda. Snacks, instant noodles, and coffee are also provided free of charge. The bathroom features a hot water shower and a bidet.

The joy of traveling lies in the journey itself.
As we sit and talk, we witness the scenery and the sky.
In our daily routines, we may not have much time to talk or share stories.
But traveling provides a unique opportunity to reconnect and strengthen our bond.
Trips with loved ones are always special.
If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it. It's truly an enriching experience.

After chatting and relaxing for a while, we prepared for dinner. Before checking in, I asked the resort if there were any nearby restaurants, as we were tired from the journey and didn't want to travel far. Initially, we had planned to visit Krua Moeng Moeng, but we decided to look for something closer. The resort informed us about a restaurant called "Phornsawan," located right next door. We could walk there directly from the resort, and the restaurant was on the upper floor. There was already one table occupied when we arrived, and the food arrived fairly quickly after we ordered. We found the food delicious, but the wind was extremely strong while we were eating, making us feel cold. We hurried to finish our meal and return to our room before it got even colder.

This is the menu we ordered for this meal.

After returning to the resort, the weather was pleasant. The houses seemed to provide adequate shelter, as the wind was not as strong as it had been at the restaurant. We discussed among ourselves whether we would be able to see the sea of mist, as it would have been fantastic given the privacy of our accommodation. We could have watched the sea of mist from our balcony. We went to bed early, hoping to catch it in the morning. However, there was nothing! It was completely silent. There was only cool air and the sun, no mist. But the morning view and the hot rice porridge were a good substitute for the sea of mist.

After breakfast, we packed our belongings and checked out. We didn't want to arrive in Korat too late. We left the accommodation around 3-4 am. On the way, we came across a rather large strawberry farm. There was a sign allowing people to pick strawberries, so we couldn't resist. I disappeared with my mother-in-law for so long that my husband thought we had fallen off a cliff. The strawberries here were 30 baht per kilogram, and they were huge. We picked them with great pleasure until our bucket was full. When we paid, the bill was as expected.

On the way back to Korat, I passed through the road 2258.
The road is currently being expanded, which may take a long time.
If you are using this route, please be careful.

This trip, Som paid approximately 2,000 baht for gasoline.
The route was from Korat - Chiang Khan - Khao Kho - Korat.
The accommodation cost 3,810 baht for 2 nights.
The cost of transportation up and down Phu Pa Po was 60 baht per person.
The cost of transportation up and down Phu Tok was 25 baht per person.
The cost of the raft (only the raft) at Pae Ngarm Raft, Huai Krathing Reservoir was 300 baht.
The parking fee at Phu Tok was 20 baht.
The parking fee at Wat Phra That Pha Son Kaew was 30 baht.
Som did not summarize the food expenses, as they vary depending on the individual.

Som hopes that this trip will be beneficial to all friends who are interested in traveling.
Som apologizes for any errors.

The trip concludes with another breathtaking view of the sea of mist, leaving a lasting impression on us.