In the hotel where I had a room during my short stay in Ubon Ratchathani, I also had breakfast. It was especially charming that I could choose Thai food, so it didn’t even occur to me to have a Western breakfast, which the hotel also offered.
The car with the driver I had booked through the hotel arrived right on time for the day’s excursion. Despite the fact that the driver didn’t speak a word of English, I was content. Nevertheless, my first request was for the receptionist to convey my wishes to him. Meanwhile, I came to the realisation that it would be prudent to head to the coach terminal beforehand to purchase a ticket for the journey I had planned for the following day as part of my travels through Thailand in February-March 2023.
The receptionist informed me that the first coach departs at 12:30, a detail I had also confirmed online. However, my guidebook insisted that coaches run every hour. Considering this, I decided it would be best to check in person, especially since I had the car at my disposal. It turned out there were indeed more buses and some of them were perfectly on schedule. Some even had a VIP designation – an English acronym for “very important person.” Surprisingly, the man handling the counter spoke English quite well (given the situation and the location). Therefore, I purchased a ticket for the 10:30 coach the next day, which was perfect considering I had a 4-5 hour journey ahead of me.
Having already rented this nice car, I decided to enjoy the experience to the fullest, so I comfortably settled into the back seat and that’s how we went to the Pha Taem National Park.
In the rented car with a driver on the way to the Pha Taem NP
At the entrance into the park, I paid the ticket for myself, the car and even for the driver. It seemed a bit unusual, but it wasn’t much, so, in the end, I was fine with it.
However, I needed to use the restroom and, as it turned out, the first facility after the ticket booth where I could do what I needed was right next to an exceptionally interesting geological formation.
Interesting geological formation in the Pha Taem NP
It’s a natural grouping of “sculptures” called Sao Chaliang. These stone pillars have formed over millions of years due to the effects of water erosion, wind and sunlight. What can be seen today is truly fascinating.
Sao Chaliang in the Pha Taem NP
Since I wasn’t aware of these rocks and came to the national park to see some prehistoric rock paintings, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would have missed this had I not needed to use the toilet. I would have regretted it, if I had.
In addition to these rocks, I saw a sign indicating that a viewpoint was about 100 meters away. I told the driver (using a translation app on his phone) to wait for me there for 10 minutes. And so he did.
I took a short stroll to that viewpoint called Lan Hin Taek, but I must admit the view wasn’t anything extraordinary.
View from the Lan Hin Taek viewpoint
But I believe the main reason why people come here and why this place is interesting is that this is the peak of a large rock formation belonging to the same geological structure as those “mushroom-shaped” rocks I saw beside the parking area. However, here, the “sculpting” by nature is in its initial phase.
At the Lan Hin Taek viewpoint
Thus, there’s a rather decent crack and although there were no issues jumping over it, I couldn’t shake off the impression that it might just break completely, perhaps while I was right there.
At the Lan Hin Taek viewpoint
There was also a sign here stating that the crack was 66 meters long and 0.5 metres wide. I didn’t see any information about the depth, but I still took a little peek.
At the Lan Hin Taek viewpoint
After a short stay at the viewpoint, I returned to the incredible “mushroom-shaped” formations, and then back to the car.
Sao Chaliang in the Pha Taem NP
Now, we drove to the Visitor Centre, where the driver remained to wait for me, while I set out for a walk.
The Pha Taem National Park is located in the far east of Thailand. Part of the park is bordered by the Mekong River, which serves as the boundary between Thailand and Laos. The park showcases interesting plant and animal species, waterfalls, as well as the stone pillars I had already seen. However, one of the park’s most significant features is the Pha Taem Cliff, where paintings dating back approximately 2500 to 3000 years, with some sources even claiming 4000 years, can be found. The paintings depict human figures, fish, elephants, human hands, etc. These images were discovered in 1981.
I started by walking along the top of this enormous rock formation, of which the cliff is a part, rising parallel to the western bank of the Mekong. On the other, eastern side of the river lies Laos.
Pha Taem NP, the top of the Pha Taem Cliff
Pha Taem NP, view at the Mekong
Unlike the previous one, this viewpoint was exceptional and it was truly a delightful experience to come here. On the other side, there are a couple of warning signs here. Some emphasise not to throw rocks and various objects from the top of the cliff (although I cannot fathom why anyone would even consider doing such a thing), while others caution visitors that the rocks can be slippery and advise against getting too close to the edge. I assume the issue is significantly exacerbated by people eager to capture “unforgettable” selfies. Nevertheless, caution is warranted as the end of the rock formation does indeed lead to a sheer vertical drop, i.e., a vertical cliff.
Pha Taem NP, view at the Mekong and the end of the rock formation
I arrived here around 11 in the morning and although the temperature was “only” 30 degrees Celsius, I must admit this was one of the more challenging experiences in Thailand related to doing the sightseeing in the heat. On the top, the sun was very strong, but there was also a breeze; on the other hand, most of the sightseeing involved complete absence of natural cooling by the wind. I was also certain that along the path that I walked and that was directly exposed to the sun, the temperature was well above 30 degrees Celsius.
The entire route that takes the visitor to the four groups of paintings is about 5 km long, starting with descending stairs from the viewpoint to a path along the cliff.
Pha Taem NP, steps leading to the path alongside the cliff
Having reached the bottom of the stairs, I took photos both of the path and the surroundings. Through the sparse treetops, in the distance, I could catch a glimpse of the Mekong, the famous river of Southeast Asia.
Pha Taem NP, beginning of the path alongside the cliff and the surroundings
The beginning of the walk was fantastic and I felt great satisfaction in having reached this place. The movement was very straightforward – just follow the trail.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
I took pictures here both with a camera and a mobile phone, making the rocks appear to have different colours. On the other hand, the rocks indeed do have various hues, although the tones may vary in photos taken with different devices.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
At one point, I spotted an old nest of some insects on one of the stone ledges. While capturing it, a flying insect, presumably a wasp, was buzzing around, though I have no idea to which insect the nest belonged. In any case, it was intriguing.
Pha Taem NP, an insect and a nest
Then, next to the trail, I spotted a wooden platform and I knew I had reached the first group of paintings called Pha Kham.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, platform beside the first group of paintings
First, I took photos of the path that had brought me here and then I climbed onto the platform to explore and photograph the paintings.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff that I came by
Here, in red, several fish, an elephant and another animal were painted, or, more precisely, drawn. However, not everything was easily discernible. Nevertheless, I managed to clearly spot and capture a couple of fish.
Pha Taem NP, first group of paintings
Pha Taem NP, first group of paintings, a detail
Near this group of paintings, I encountered a couple of people who decided to return to the parking area. I continued and I didn’t come across anyone else until I completed a full circle around the site. The scenes that followed were similar to the previous ones, but with some variations.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
At one point, I noticed a hive of Asian honey bees (Apis cerana).
Pha Taem NP, honeycomb of Asian honey bees
Shortly after, I reached the second group of rock paintings named after the national park – Pha Taem. With a total length of around 400 meters, the rock paintings in Pha Taem NP represent the longest sequence of such paintings in Southeast Asia. A substantial portion of that length, precisely 180 meters, belongs to the second group of paintings covering an area of 900 square meters.
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings
Here, I made a few video recordings that I compiled to provide a better sense of what everything looks like.
One can observe human figures, depictions of animals and objects, symbols, as well as handprints. Red, black, and white colours were used.
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, one of the platforms and a part of the second group of paintings
Pha Taem NP, second group of paintings, a detail
From the second to the third group of paintings, there was about a 1 km walk and it was getting hotter and hotter. I had water with me and drank regularly, but it wasn’t enough to cool me down. As I’ve mentioned before, the total distance of the circuit is about 5 km and I completed it in a little over an hour and a half. The main challenge was not just occasional stops for photography, but the fact that the trail constantly went up and down and, at times, visitors need to navigate through narrow parts or overcome various obstacles. All of this not only takes time, but also tires you out, especially in the heat.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
In addition to making stops in order to drink water and take photos of the trail, I occasionally enjoyed wonderful views of the Mekong and Laos on the opposite bank. I felt quite privileged to have come this far.
Pha Taem NP, view at the Mekong and Laos
I also passed along the way by a place with a sign indicating that archaeological excavations were conducted there, but apart from that, there wasn’t anything significant to see.
After some time, I reached the third group of paintings called Pha Mon Noi. Within this group, you can even see a scene where a human figure is chasing a deer in order to force it out of a rice field, which can be seen in the second photo below.
Pha Taem NP, third group of paintings, a detail
Pha Taem NP, third group of paintings, a detail
I continued forward, still very content and fulfilled, but growing more tired. There were shaded spots where I could briefly catch my breath, but in some areas, the trail was completely exposed to the sun. It made no sense to rush through it, as that would only exhaust me even more.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
At one point, the cliff became quite low and it was clear to me that I was approaching the end of this section of the trail.
Pha Taem NP, path alongside the cliff
This also sporadically provided an even more beautiful view of the Mekong and Laos.
Pha Taem NP, view at the Mekong and Laos
However, there were moments when I had to squeeze through under the rocks. Nevertheless, eventually, I reached the end of the trail that led beneath the cliff and now it was essentially time to return to the parking area by walking on top of that vast rock formation. I would best describe it as a large hill entirely composed of bare rock, with a fairly flat summit.
Pha Taem NP, a detail
Pha Taem NP, end of the path leading below the cliff and the steps leading to the top of the hill
Pha Taem NP, top of the rock hill
But, it was still early to return directly to the parking lot because I still needed to see the fourth group of paintings, called Pha Mon. To reach it, I had to take a separate trail that roughly followed along the edge of the cliff. This is what it looked like approximately.
Pha Taem NP, path to the fourth group of rock paintings
Pha Taem NP, path to the fourth group of rock paintings
Pha Taem NP, path to the fourth group of rock paintings
By saying “approximately,” I mean that photos simply can’t fully convey the experience. I had read in my guidebook that visitors must be exceptionally careful here due to the extremely dangerous path. However, everything seemed so serene and there were no warning signs on-site, so I continued. I proceeded very slowly and carefully because not only was the trail relatively narrow, but there were no railings or anything to hold onto. The path sloped downward toward the cliff or I should say the precipice, and there was even a large rock almost in the middle of the trail that had to be navigated around.
Pha Taem NP, path to the fourth group of rock paintings that I have already covered
I was very excited, if not scared, but not ready to give up. I relied on my past experience as a hiker and the good, non-slippery footwear I had on. I also kept my focus solely on what was in front of me. And so, I reached the end of the trail. ???
Pha Taem NP, end of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings
Nothing made sense. The end of the trail and an information board were there, but where were the paintings? At this point, I started crawling towards the board, and my first thought was that perhaps they had closed off the path beyond with the board because it wasn’t safe.
Pha Taem NP, continuation of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings after the information board
Of course, I had absolutely no intention of going further, so I just prepared to slowly and again very carefully crawl backward in order to start my return. Admittedly, first I had to take a couple of selfies, without jeopardising my cramped, yet stable position.
Pha Taem NP, cramped at the end of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings
Pha Taem NP, cramped at the end of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings
And then, purely by chance, as I slowly turned to look directly at the trail I needed to follow back, I spotted the rock paintings for which I came here in the first place. They were right there near the end of the path, just a bit higher. However, since I was only looking ahead and watching where I placed my feet, without looking left or right, or least of all upwards, I didn’t even notice that I had actually passed by them.
Pha Taem NP, end of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings, with the paintings on the vertical rocks above
Pha Taem NP, end of the path to the fourth group of rock paintings, with the paintings on the vertical rocks above
Now, I was truly thrilled, so I had to take more photos of the most interesting details and one of them was undoubtedly the “maiden akimbo in a skirt.”
Pha Taem NP, fourth group of rock paintings, a detail
Admittedly, researchers aren’t certain whether it’s a female or a male figure, while there are also various other figures, as well as a drawing resembling a house. But now, I was already thrilled with what I saw here and that was quite enough for me without delving into any details.
Pha Taem NP, at the fourth group of rock paintings
I also took photos of the spectacular view of the Mekong and Laos, and then I was ready to return to the main trail where it would be “only” extremely hot, but safe.
Pha Taem NP, view at the Mekong and Laos
Along the way, the national park and fate gave me a treat, as I encountered a charming and very patient lizard posing for me while I took pictures. To the best of my knowledge, it’s an individual belonging to the Acanthosaura genus, known as mountain horned dragons.
Mountain horned dragon
Mountain horned dragon
The only thing left for me to do now was to return along the top of the hill to the parking lot where the car and the driver were waiting for me.
Pha Taem NP, a detail
Not everything was flat, as it might seem at first glance, but although there were no cliffs here, I still had to be careful and watch where I stepped. For instance, in the next picture, you can see that I need to descend from a height over the rocks to the trail that leads further to the parking lot and the Visitor Centre.
Pha Taem NP, a detail
When the visitor comes here, they often encounter information that a part of the 2004 film “Alexander” was filmed somewhere in this area. I have no idea exactly where that happened, but the site certainly offers occasional breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Pha Taem NP, a detail
At this point, I was already extremely exhausted due to the heat, physical exertion and excitement, plus I had run out of water. So, I was thrilled when I reached the flat viewpoint I visited at the very beginning because a few hundred meters further were the car and the driver waiting for me.
Pha Taem NP, a detail