The first trip of 2017 has arrived. This trip is still within the city. This is my third time in the past 6 months. What's so good about this province? If you're curious, follow me. This trip, I intended to go to Phu Bak Dai, but since I was already there, I added Phu Ruea and Phu Lom Lo. Plus, I got to see elephants on both days. How beautiful is it? Let's take a look.

This trip took place on February 4-5, 2017.

Draft program

The original route was to drive all night on Friday and arrive at Phu Ruea in the morning. Then, descend from Phu Ruea to Phu Bak Dai in the morning and continue to Phu Lom Lo the next day.

All photos were taken with a Nikon D5300 18-140 lens and a GoPro Hero4 Silver.

This trip consisted of 7 people in total: 4 from Bangkok, 2 from Khon Kaen, and 1 local from Loei.

I left the university around 11 pm and arrived at PTT Phu Ruea at 5 am. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I immediately went up to Phu Ruea. As soon as I arrived at the parking lot, I was amazed by the clear stars. I opened the app to find elephants, and there it was! The first elephant of 2020 and the first in two years. Every time I went on a trip before, the sky was either cloudy or it was a full moon, so I never saw any elephants. The next morning, at Bak Dai, I caught an even more beautiful one. It was a great start to the trip.

The red lights of the tourist cars that have just arrived.

The sun had almost set by the time we finished taking photos, and we couldn't see the elephants anymore. So we got into a pickup truck and drove to the top of Phu Ruea. There were a lot of people there, but it wasn't as crowded as the last time we came.

Let's take a look at the morning atmosphere.

This morning, the temperature was 9 degrees Celsius, but I suspect it might have been colder earlier when it was still dark, possibly around 13 degrees Celsius. When I took the photo just now, it had dropped to 9 degrees. The weather is cool, not too cold, just right.

My friends from Khon Kaen just arrived. We had breakfast at the market near Phu Ruea. We prepared lunch to eat on the mountain. We bought all the ingredients we needed because there are no shops or vendors on the mountain. We have to cook our own food on Phu Bak Dai. We also had to bring all our own water.

From Phu Ruea, we traveled approximately 20 kilometers to the village headman's house, which we had contacted in advance. The service fee for our group of seven was 3,500 baht, which included a driver, guide, porters, tent setup, and overall trip support. Initially, we thought it was expensive, but after the trip, it was more than worth the price. The service was excellent and impressive. We got a large vehicle, which was a good thing as it was less bumpy than the "e-taek" (a type of small tractor). This vehicle was probably a tractor.

Let's get started with a military theme. Later, we'll lose control and get hot, taking off our shirts.

We can share the front or back seats, but the front is better because it gets dusty when we run. Sitting in the back will get you covered in dust. Haha.

After leaving the village, we were greeted with stunning views of the surrounding farmland.

The journey takes approximately 1.30 hours by car. The road is unpaved and dusty, but the scenery along the way is breathtaking. Let's go and see it!

The sky is clear today, the sun is strong, protect your skin well.

The car steadily ascended to a higher altitude.

The higher you climb, the more spectacular the surrounding views become.

And then we arrived at the parking lot. Now we have to walk the rest of the way.

The team is ready.

The view from here is breathtaking.

The initial section features a steep incline of approximately 300 meters.

I've been sweating profusely for a while now.

In a flash, the number of cars we were riding in dwindled to just a few.

The initial incline was quite steep, with no gradual warm-up for the engine, causing some of the women to feel lightheaded.

After approximately 20 minutes, we reached the top. From this point, the journey is easy, with a 2-kilometer flat walk to the campsite. Easy, right? Take a break to enjoy the view and recover from the climb before continuing your journey.

The trail continues here, offering an easy walk with stunning views. Unlike other mountains, this path hugs the edge of a cliff, providing breathtaking vistas on the left side throughout the journey. While the sun can be intense, the captivating scenery makes the walk enjoyable and effortless.

The view is pleasant and can be enjoyed continuously, even though the mountain is a bit bald.

Along the trail, we will encounter a significant amount of elephant dung. The guide informed us that elephants typically forage at night.

It doesn't seem too steep.

It was quite a struggle to carry.

Soon we arrived at the campsite and set up our tents as we pleased. However, it seemed that the guide had already assigned us specific spots based on previous arrangements.

We are not avid campers, so we don't need a lot of equipment. Our tent is simple and lightweight, making it easy to carry. We don't camp more than 15 times a year. Our 199 baht tent, purchased on sale at Big C, still works well. The guide prepared a comfortable seating and sleeping area for us. The service was excellent.

After setting up the tent and having lunch around 1 pm, I felt sleepy after driving all night. My girlfriend secretly took a picture of me while I was napping. This hammock belongs to the tour guide, and it was very comfortable. The breeze was so cool that I felt cold even though the sun was hot. Just having some shade from the trees made a big difference.

For those who are not sleeping, prepare your dinner ingredients for tonight.

The host was very kind to take the time to buy and prepare the ingredients for us. My brother and the host are close friends because they are in the same Vios car club. Three years ago, when my brother first got his car, he wanted to visit Loei province. On that trip, he and his girlfriend came together. They saw that the host lived in Loei province, so they asked him if he wanted to go on a trip. The host agreed and took them on a memorable trip. Since then, my brother has visited Loei province many times. This is his fourth time visiting Loei province, and he has met the host every time. He will take a break from visiting Loei province for a while because he has been visiting too often.

The original text describes a personal experience at a campsite. Here's the translated version:

I woke up around 4 am and went for a walk to take pictures near the "deceptive rocks." I did one round, but the lighting wasn't ideal, so I'll try again tomorrow morning. I walked around the area before setting up camp. The campsite is about 300 meters from the cliff. You can walk around all night, but it gets very windy and cold near the cliff. It's good that I set up camp further away.

After taking some photos, we returned to the circle. Around 6 pm, I came back to take some photos of the sunset. Only three of us were left in the circle.

This dog has been following me since downstairs. I don't know who it belongs to.

Upon arrival, check in at the "Couple's Travel" pose.

The group next to us, who have a lot of equipment, lent us a horse mask.

And then the sun set.

Let's get back to our group. We started eating at 5 pm.

The experience of having a barbecue on a mountaintop is truly delightful.

"Staying hydrated during the cold weather is crucial. We brought some water, but it ran out quickly. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to buy more here."

This rice was arranged by our guide.

Grilled pork is available, but it's not ours. It belongs to the group next to us. There are two groups at our campsite: my group and the group next to us.

As they were seated close to each other, a friendship blossomed. After both groups began eating, the group next to them offered them a dish to try.

Sharing is Caring: Building Bridges through Culinary Exchange

After receiving their offering, we felt compelled to reciprocate. The first exchange was a refreshing tuna salad. Shortly after, the group presented us with a delectable grilled pork dish. Naturally, we couldn't let their generosity go unmatched, offering our own signature grilled pork skewers in return. The culinary exchange continued with a taste of their homemade infused liquor, met with our own offering of potent Hong Thong whiskey. Finally, we concluded the exchange with steaming cups of hot tea. Through this simple act of sharing, laughter and camaraderie blossomed. This experience exemplifies how sharing, even with strangers, can forge unexpected connections and build bridges of friendship.

We chatted until almost 10 pm, then he went to sleep. The weather was pleasantly cool, so he put on a sweater and slept in a sleeping bag. He was warm and slept very comfortably.

Set the alarm clock at 5:10 to come out and see this.

Wow, the elephants here are just as beautiful as those on the top of Phu Ruea. It took a long time to walk to set up the camera and take the photos. It was already 5:30 am, so I got the orange light from the rising sun as well.

A large group of people have likely been filming here for a long time.

The first light of a new day has arrived.

The light is on, the picture is clear.

The rock below is not hidden well. I'll come back and take another picture. Here's a longer look.

Stayed and took photos until the sun came out.

Then, they had a delicious breakfast of instant noodles.

After packing up, it was time to go back. We passed by Hin Ao again and asked for another round. The lady did it as if she was going to jump and fly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this side. Now, let's see if I can pull you up." He chuckled as he untied her hands.

What's going on down there? Who's there? Oh, look at what he's doing.

The return journey mirrored the outbound one, with the left-hand view now replaced by the right-hand view.

Note: The original text is empty, so the translation is also empty.

Taking a few more photos before getting back to the car.

There is a chance we will meet again, Phu Bak Dai. This mountain is very relaxing. I recommend it to anyone who wants to try hiking without getting too tired.

They saw our car.

We arrived at the village headman's house around 10:00 AM. We took some photos with the pigs and our guide, who provided excellent service. Everyone was very helpful. While our guide was away getting water, another guide kindly checked on us and answered our questions.

Upon arrival, we took a refreshing shower, as we were unable to bathe the previous day due to the lack of facilities at the summit. The village headman's house provided ample and comfortable bathing facilities, allowing us to wash away the day's fatigue and feel rejuvenated.

The group continued their journey, with one member, Tum Muang Loei, deciding to return home instead of continuing to Phu Lom Lo. This left six people remaining. They stopped for lunch at a roadside noodle shop before continuing their journey.

The journey from Phu Ruea to Phu Lom Lo via Dan Sai to Ban Kok Sathon was not particularly challenging, but the road was dusty with red laterite and had many potholes. My lowered car struggled a bit, but I made it without any problems.

Upon arrival, we boarded another pickup truck, enduring the dust and wind. The fare from Dan Sai was 1,500 baht for up to 6 people, and 2,000 baht for more than 6 people.

Cover your mouth and nose well, the dust is much heavier than Phu Bak Dai.

I consider myself lucky, as I was the only car on the road and kept a safe distance. But look at the car behind me.

The white Vigo disappeared into the fog, leaving the people in the back of the truck feeling sorry for themselves. They were all young, but their heads were covered in white dust. 555 Anyway, find something to cover yourself from the dust.

After a journey of over an hour, I finally arrived at my destination. Unfortunately, I was a week late. The flowers had already begun to wilt, as my friends had visited the previous week when they were in full bloom. However, there were still some beautiful flowers to be seen. Let's take a look.

Note: The original text is empty, so the translation is also empty.

Pause to admire the square face for a moment, haha.

Please continue.

Beautiful

The viewpoint offered a distant glimpse of the Pa Phu Thap Boek temple. It was a long journey, and I wished I could drive through to Thap Boek. However, driving through was not permitted. (Even if it were, my car wouldn't be able to handle such a rough terrain.)

The pink is fading.

It was past 4 o'clock when we got back to our car.

Our short weekend trip to conquer the three mountains has come to an end. We had a lot of fun and made the most of our time. Everyone arrived home safely. Next week, we will take you to Mon Chong. Stay tuned! (This coming week refers to the time of the trip, but I'm not sure when the review will be released. Haha. As a working adult, I want to have a lot of money so that I can travel a lot. So I have to work a lot, both my main job and my side job, so I don't have much time to write reviews. It takes 2-3 months for each review to be released. Haha.)

The total cost of the trip from Bangkok for 4 people traveling in a Vios car with gas is as follows:

Gas and oil cost 1500/4

The cost of a ride on a Phubakdai is 3500/7.

The cost of food and drinks on Phu Bak Dai is 200 baht per person.

The cost of a pickup truck is 1500/6.

The remaining expenses were for small meals, costing 40-50 baht per meal, for four more meals. We also paid an entrance fee to Phu Ruea National Park. In total, the trip cost us around 1,500 baht per person. I really enjoy exploring forests and mountains; it's a great way to save money on transportation and accommodation costs.

Translation:

Stay tuned for our next adventure with the travel-loving couple. Next trip, we'll be trekking in Chiang Mai's Mon Chong. The review might come out during the rainy season, haha.