Are your legs up for the challenge? If so, let's conquer "Phu Kradueng" together.

Today, I will share my experience climbing the Heart-Shaped Mountain, a place that many people adore, while others firmly declare they would never attempt it.

This is my second time.

My first visit here was during my university days with friends. I remember saying to everyone as we were leaving that I would never set foot in this place again.

Exhausted to the point of near collapse, she lost two fingernails. Not long after, forgetting the pain, ...

The beauty of the place remains etched in my memory, and I often think about visiting again. However, I haven't had the opportunity to do so until now that I'm working.

A colleague at work mentioned their desire to visit Phu Kradueng National Park. Without hesitation, I enthusiastically responded, "Let's go! What are we waiting for?"

This trip was not well-prepared, even in terms of physical warm-up, which is not recommended.

It is highly recommended to engage in physical exercise prior to visiting the actual location, as it can be quite strenuous.

We traveled from December 17th to 19th, 2016.

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Preparation

From the "Love Phu Kradueng" group and from experience.

- To reserve accommodation, especially bungalows, advance booking is required. The park's website allows reservations up to 60 days in advance. During long weekends or Saturdays and Sundays, these accommodations tend to fill up quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to book as soon as you have confirmed your travel dates. For those who prefer camping, if it is not a long weekend, you can register at the park headquarters before going up. Usually, campsites are not fully booked. If the park's tents are full, there are still tents available for rent from shops at the top. Alternatively, if you already have a tent, you can simply pay the camping fee and go up.

- Warm up your body a bit. Those who don't exercise regularly should go for a walk or run to get their muscles used to it, because we're going to be using them a lot, and I mean a lot.

- Clothing: If you go during the cold season, you should bring thick clothes to wear at night and when watching the sunrise in the morning. You should also bring regular, not-too-thick clothes to wear when hiking or walking around during the day. The sun on the mountain is quite strong, and you will definitely sweat from walking, so you will get hot.

• Essential medications include muscle relaxants, pain relievers, massage oils, wound care kits, and wound dressings. Since we work in the pharmaceutical field, we go all out, like a mobile pharmacy. We have everything from anti-emetics and anti-diarrheals to electrolyte powders, anti-dizziness medications, antihistamines, cough suppressants, and Betadine. In the end, the most essential items are pain relievers and muscle relaxants, but I guess the pain was so severe that nothing could relieve it. 555

- A power bank is recommended, as waiting in line to charge at the park office can take a long time. A high-capacity power bank would be ideal. (Charging services are available at the park office from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Phone and camera batteries cost 20 baht and can be charged for 2 hours. Power banks cost 40 baht and can be charged for 4 hours. Charges exceeding these limits are 10 baht per hour. However, during peak season, the wait to charge can be extremely long. We waited for almost an hour. -__- Some restaurants where we ate had charging stations, some free and some for a fee. However, these stations are only available from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.)

• Money is essential, as food and drinks on the mountain are expensive due to the high cost of carrying them up. A plate of rice costs 60-70 baht, a small bottle of water costs 30 baht, and a large bottle costs 50 baht. We saw many people bringing instant noodles up, but most of them carried them back down. We don't know why (we were one of them, haha). Maybe it's because the food on the mountain looks so delicious that they forgot about the noodles.

• A good pair of shoes, preferably ones that make you feel like you're floating when you walk. If your shoes are uncomfortable, it can ruin the whole experience and turn it into torture. Also, bring enough socks for the number of days you'll be gone, and make sure they're thick enough to prevent blisters and reduce friction that can cause blisters. Blisters can be very painful when you're walking, as I know from experience.

• Essential toiletries and cosmetics. No need to go overboard, as I don't feel like putting on makeup when I'm tired.

• In case of an unexpected emergency during the journey and there is no toilet available, we can choose a suitable bush.

• A face mask, especially useful during dry seasons when dust levels are high.

• Candy, inhalants, and balm to boost morale when discouraged or exhausted.

- Save the walking map on your phone to plan your trip, or purchase a map from the staff upstairs for 10 baht.

Alright, that's enough rambling! Let's get our bodies and minds ready to conquer the mighty Phu Kradueng!

Day 1: The Ascent of Phu Kradueng

Stopped at a gas station before reaching Phu Kradueng National Park to wash my face and brush my teeth, enjoying the beautiful view of Pha Nok Aew Cliff.

Upon arrival at the park, pay the entrance fee, book your accommodation, and hand your luggage to the porters. Pack only essential items in your backpack and begin your hike.

Porters charge 30 baht per kilogram. The park is now open from 7:00 AM and visitors are not allowed to ascend or descend the mountain after 2:00 PM.

It will be dark in the middle of the forest, which is very dangerous because it is the time when elephants come out to feed.

The first and last rapids are much steeper and longer than the middle ones, especially the Haek rapid, which can be quite discouraging. They are very, very steep.

1 km to Sam Haek, panting as the name suggests, but the view is amazing.

Abundant shops and food stalls. We stopped by every single one to try everything. We managed to collect them all! 5555

When it reaches that point, it's really tiring. Anything can come, any food can come, and I can eat until I'm full. 555555

The restrooms are available in every corner, some are good, some are not, it's a mixed bag. Suitable for those who like to relieve themselves.

Okay, I understand. "Extremely tired."

I still have the mood to take pictures of flowers and leaves by the roadside. Actually, there are many other things I want to take pictures of, but I'm too tired to lift the camera to take pictures. Haha

The final stretch from Sam Krae to Lang Pa, the last waterfall, is extremely steep. Hikers must climb over rocks and stairs, covering a distance of 1.3 kilometers. This challenging section leaves many breathless and exhausted.

However, heaven did not abandon us. We finally received a motorbike taxi, but we still had to walk another 3 kilometers to the Wankwang office. Fortunately, the road was flat, making the journey much easier.

The upper terrain is a vast plain, part of the mountain pine forest ... But why does no one care about us (huh!! 5555)

Upon reaching Wang Kwang, a popular camping and dining spot, we checked in to our accommodation, stored our belongings, and continued our journey.

Today, we will hike to Pha Mak Duk to watch the sunset. The hike is approximately 2 kilometers.

The sight before us was breathtaking.

The golden sky, the silhouette of the mountains, and the round, red sun about to touch the horizon. It's beautiful, much more beautiful than any picture.

After soaking in the golden glow of the sunset, we rushed back to the park headquarters, our stomachs rumbling with hunger and fatigue.

After much deliberation, we settled on this restaurant. The enticing aroma of the grilled pork was too much to resist, and we ended up ordering a feast. 555

One order of grilled pork, two packs of instant noodles, and a large bottle of Coke. Oh, that really hits the spot! (But I still can't seem to move a muscle.)

After a satisfying meal, we returned to our accommodation. However, we had forgotten one crucial detail: the water's temperature. It was freezing, akin to ice-cold water meant for refreshing drinks. While it may have been delightful to quench one's thirst, it was far from pleasant for our bodies. We shivered uncontrollably from the cold.

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Day 1 is over. I fell asleep soundly as soon as I laid my head on the pillow. Tomorrow, we will watch the sunrise and go to the waterfall to look for maple leaves. : )

Day 2: Hiking around the mountain.

I woke up at 4:30 AM, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and ran to the office. An officer took me to the hornbill cliff. We had to start walking at 5:00 AM. If we were late, the officer would not allow us to walk because it was dangerous. We were afraid of encountering wild elephants.

A short walk of about 1 km will lead you to a table where officials sell hot coffee and Ovaltine. While waiting for the sunrise, the cool air and a hot cup of coffee is a delightful experience.

The orange light arrived first.

While waiting for the elder brother to appear, we continued to take photos.

There is a light mist in the air.

This person might be very cold. Wrap them in a blanket.

The eldest brother has arrived.

People are gradually returning.

The journey back was filled with sights to behold.

A large group of people stopped to take photos.

It's truly refreshing to see.

A small maple tree to whet your appetite first.

Waited in line to charge my battery for almost an hour. 😭

Paying respect to Buddha before embarking on a journey.

The bell is full.

This is the distance we have to walk today.

The original plan was to start from Wang Kwang Waterfall and walk to all the waterfalls, but we ended up waiting a long time to charge our batteries, so we changed our plan. We started walking at 10:00 am and were worried that we wouldn't have enough time, so we only went to Tham Yai Waterfall and Tham Sua Nuea Waterfall. We were just hoping to see a little bit of the maple trees.

It's not far from the office. I found it.

Hidden tunnel entrance

It's crowded.

We meet again!

The vibrant red maple leaves and the lush green ferns create a harmonious contrast.

During the semester break, there are a lot of students around. It's crowded almost every day. Wherever I go, I see people. But it's not lonely, which is good.

Every time I cross this grassland, I can't help but think of documentaries where lions chase zebras.

A small pine tree is growing.

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Around noon, we arrived at the Ano Dat pool, where most people take a break to eat lunch.

After finishing their meal, they imagined themselves as Kinnari, posing for photos.

Recharged and ready to continue, we continued our trek through the forest towards the Tham Sao Nua Waterfall.

Beware of wild elephants along the road.

If I actually met you, I wouldn't know what to do. I'd be shy as an elephant. :)

Along the way, I came across the remains of this creature. I don't know what it is, but it has very fluffy fur.

The trail offered stunning scenery with lush, pristine forests. We couldn't resist taking photos along the way. The experience was exhilarating, despite the challenging terrain.

We have arrived at Tham Sao Nuea Waterfall. The crowd is starting to thin out.

Then, we continued our journey to Pha Lom Sak.

A young pine tree today will be a large pine tree in the future.

Phu Lom Sak is very crowded today.

There are restaurants and coffee shops.

The Pink Guava Shop

This is a direct translation of the Thai phrase "ร้านชมพู่มะเหมี่ยว" into English.

Is there anything else I can help you translate today?

Today, Ms. Nok seemed very busy, so she didn't have time to greet us.

I reserved a brownie, but it was a bit cold. Last time, Ms. Nok made it fresh and hot, which was much more enjoyable. The lime tea was delicious and very strong.

Not yet…not enough. Let's go buy some shaved ice next 555.

We did not wait to watch the sunset at Pha Lom Sak because we thought we were walking slowly. If we waited, it would be late on the way back, as we had to walk 9 km back. So we started walking back at 4:30 pm. We planned to watch the sunset at Pha Hiab Mek, but... we stopped to take pictures all the way. We still don't know which cliff the sun set near. 55555 But the view was beautiful, we admit it.

The group of young people went to watch the sunset at the cliff, walking in a very stylish way.

Goodbye, see you tomorrow.

After dark, we walked non-stop.

It was already dark when we reached Pha Hieap Mek.

Sleeping on a cloud.

DAY 3 Descent Day

The final day. I woke up feeling very sore. Yesterday, I walked more than 20 kilometers, and my legs were about to give out. But I had to force myself to walk down.

Note: Please inform the staff of your name and approximate luggage weight before descending. This will ensure that there are enough porters available for all tourists. You can also drop off your luggage early in the morning.

For my final meal, I had pork leg rice from Bai Fern restaurant. I had been eyeing it since the first day, but it always sold out before I could get it. I finally managed to get it (it was almost sold out again).

Fear not, we will all be energized and ready to go! 5555

Many shops sell delicious deep-fried dough sticks with condensed milk.

Let's stop by to buy some postcards.

In contrast, we may return to Phu Kradueng when we have forgotten the pain of this experience. 555555

This concludes our review of the heart-shaped mountain.

Note: I am still experiencing pain and my gait is not yet normal. My colleagues are finding it amusing.

Note 2: I have developed a fear of stairs. My legs tense up whenever I climb or descend them.

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