A tale of two sisters

Located in Thep Sathit district, Pa Hin Ngam National Park tends to be more popular with visitors thank to its endless fields of pinkish tulips, trails through the green meadows and strange-looking rock-formations. The national park always draws thousands of visitors over the weekends.

Sai Thong National Park, 50 kilometres northeast of Pa Hin Ngam, is the other way round.

Unlike her charming sister, Sai Thong National Park retains a low profile yet is home to the unique ivory white Siam tulip. Less known to casual weekenders, the park offers a strong sense of isolation and a few magnificent waterfalls.

So who meets your walking holiday needs the best – Princess Charming or Diamond in the Rough? Hold off before deciding: their stories don’t end here.

Like many forests all over Isaan’s bone-dry plateaux, the wild meadows of Pha Hin Ngam National Park in Thep Sathit spring back to life after the arrival of the first rain. 

The trees start to sprout young, green leaves. The endless yellowish fields hastily gulp down every drop of rain and, underneath, some dormant rhizomes gradually emerge. Within weeks those rootstocks have transformed the fields into greenish blankets dotted with pink flowers.

Known as dok krachiao locally, the deep pink Siam tulip has several names, among them pathuma (lotus), bua sawan (heavenly lotus) and bua bok (land lotus). It’s a type of pink curcuma and it’s actually a member of the ginger family, a cousin of the ginger and turmeric we use in our kitchen.

Here, at the national park, the endless fields of meadow stretch out before the visitors like a dreamscape – foggy and silent in the morning. Once the morning sun shows up and the warm light streams into the wild, strange-looking rock-formations gradually appear. Locals describe them as a “frog”, an “elephant”, even a “World Cup Trophy” but visitors may see other shapes.

“Campers come here for a breath of fresh air,” says Wiroon, a local man who puts up a coffee stand near the park.

But you’re advised not to visit over the weekend, otherwise you’ll find the same chaos as back home. The park is usually crowded with casual weekenders stopping by for photo opportunities and they unwittingly turn the national park into a public park. 

Isolation-seekers will probably find Sai Thong National Park the best place to chill amidst green meadows and wild flowers.

Tucked away in Nong Bua Rawe district, Sai Thong National Park offers one of country’s best cliff-walking routes. 

The sheer cliffs of Sai Thong National Park carry odd names, such as “Pha Ham Hod” or Shrunken Balls Cliff. That sort of thing may not make the park a man’s dream destination. But when the tulips bloom from June to August, all such notions will flee the mind as the hilly terrain reveals its magical beauty. 

The trail, designed for an easy walk, covers three kilometres through four fields of Siam tulips and other wildflowers.

“The white tulips make this park unique,” says one of the park rangers, as he leads visitors along the trail. “You won’t find them in Pa Hin Ngam National Park – or anywhere else for that matter.”

Butterflies flutter. The path leads southward past fields of cycads – ancient plants that look like little palm trees – and odd-looking geological formations known as “robot rock”. Suddenly there is a huge green meadow sweeping down the valley and then stretching out into the upland. Popping up everywhere over the grassy blades are thousands upon thousands of pink Siam tulips.

You could horse around among the gorgeous flowers for an hour. Most of the women find plenty of opportunities to pose with the blooms, almost wishing their beauty could be transfused.

 

      If you go

<< You don’t have to head to the moon to discover something new and awe-inspiring. There’s plenty here, and it’s all in a confined, easily reachable space.

<< Pa Hin Ngam National Park, (044) 890 105, is about 300 kilometres from Bangkok. Try not to visit the park on the weekends, as it's packed with visitors. The best time to go is in June. The park offers a walk for every taste, from lazy strolls to a hike over high hills. Either rough it out under canvas in the national park or reserve one of the cottages run by the park. Book in advance at www.DNP.go.th/parkreserve/. For outdoor BBQ or cooking, bring your own supplies and equipment.

<< Sai Thong National Park is 70 kilometres from Chaiyaphum, and you’re advised to check it out on the map before setting off. The best time to see the wild blooms is June and July. The park has a few lodges with basic facilities. Bring your own food and cooking gear for an overnight stay.