Phu Thap Boek: What to see on Phetchabun's highest mountain?

Main stops in Phu Thap Boek

Since the main goal here is to enjoy the cool air and the view from your balcony, there aren't that many "sightseeing" activities to do, strictly speaking. Besides, I'm certainly not the only one who comes here to wander around for a day: the area is quite large, so you can easily get around without noticing the time passing.

Aside from the occasional photo stop when I saw spots that interested me (or that I had scouted beforehand), I essentially structured my route around three points. They are all located along the ridge, a few minutes from each other.

1. The Hmong markets

There are two markets near the summit. The first is located just before a crossroads, which marks the entrance to Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park.

This is usually the first real stop when arriving from the main road. There is a car park and a row of small shops, mostly run by the local Hmong community, selling mountain fruits and vegetables, snacks, clothes and some souvenirs.

We're now at an altitude of over 1,600 meters, and in winter you can feel a refreshing breeze contrasting with the heat of the plains. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, the stop is still worthwhile, since from the edge of the parking lot you have a beautiful, unobstructed view of the entire slope you've just climbed, with the winding road clearly visible.

The second market is just 1 km further on, when you turn right immediately after the parking lot (Phu Thap Boek is not part of the national park, so you don't go through a checkpoint). You can't miss it: it stretches for nearly 400 m along the road, at the foot of the hill where the observatory is located.

This isn't a "tourist market" in the traditional sense, but rather a local hub where you can grab a bite to eat, buy strawberries when they're in season, and find a little bit of everything produced in the vicinity of the main village (บ้านทับเบิก, Baan Phu Thap Boek). I'll take this opportunity to mention the origin of the name.

“Phu Thap Boek” actually comes from Hmong and refers to a place of settlement, which fits quite well with the history of the plateau, still largely inhabited today by mountain communities.

2. The Observatory (Observatory and Temperature Measurement Building)

If we translate the English name given to the place, we get: "Observatory and Temperature Measurement Building." A somewhat pompous name for what is, in reality, a simple promontory, but one that offers one of the best panoramic views of the valley and the Phu Thap Boek Plateau.

It's a platform with a temperature display (a pleasant 27°C on the day of my visit), and at its base, designated camping areas. A sign indicates that you are at 1 m altitude.

Two points of clarification regarding this issue:

• Firstly, this is not the official summit, which is located approximately 5 km further on and is included in the national park. It is not accessible to the public, as a military base is located there.
• Second point: if we rely on satellite imagery (on Google Earth Pro, which provides altitudes), it would be closer to 1,650 m, like the market parking lot. It's still anecdotal, but I like to be precise.

Given its location, it's a spot where many visitors stop to admire the sea of ​​clouds in the morning (when it's there, from November to January). During the day, the view remains very beautiful: you can see the chedi of Wat Pa Phu Thap Boek rising above the treetops, although, in the dry season, the heat haze somewhat spoils the experience.

In the distance, the whole valley is open to us while, on the other side, as from the parking lot a little earlier, we have a view of the access road to the site.

There is usually another viewpoint in the area, with a much better panorama. Just before the junction leading to the observatory, if you head west towards the national park, a spot is marked with the name of Phu Phaeng Ma.

Unfortunately, reviews indicate that there's no real parking on site, and the place seems neglected these days. The platform looks fragile, and access was possibly even blocked. In short, I didn't even bother going there when I was there, but if you're curious, I thought I'd mention it anyway.

3. Wat Pa Phu Thap Boek temple

Perched slightly off the road in the main village of Phu Thap Boek, this small temple exudes a different atmosphere from the more traditional temples of the region. It has more of a "forest temple" style, as it is indeed surrounded by a preserved forest.

From what I've seen, I understand it serves as a meditation center. While forest temples are generally more discreet and understated in their construction, this one still tries to stand out.

As can be clearly seen from the observatory, this temple has built an impressive golden chedi with an unusual shape, pointed at the base of a square. Its appearance is reminiscent of an Egyptian obelisk; it seems to have come straight from another world in this Thai mountain setting.

And to give you an idea of ​​how large the structure is (I don't know its exact height), the accessible room inside houses a long reclining Buddha about fifteen meters long (the base of the chedi itself is over 30 meters), while I glimpsed a woman meditating in a corner. In fact, signs clearly indicate that silence is encouraged when visiting this temple.

An ogival tower, still unfinished, is under construction right next to the chedi. I don't know if an open view of the outside will be possible from its floors.

At the end of the road leading through the temple, a few meters past the chedi, you reach a space containing a viharn and an ubosot. The viharn is entirely gilded on the outside, contrasting with the simplicity typical of forest temples. The ubosot, smaller and made entirely of wood, is more in keeping with the usual style of this type of place. Another wooden structure here houses a "Buddha footprint," a figure found in many temples throughout Thailand.

It is possible to walk around the temple via paths designed for meditation; these are lined with nagas and numerous statues of figures and deities, notably from Chinese mythology (hello dragon and Guan Yin).

However, my slight disappointment was that, given its location on a promontory, while I could see the chedi in the distance, I had hoped to see Phu Thap Boek in its entirety from the temple… which was not the case.

Regarding the adjacent village, I didn't linger there too long because, in itself, it resembles many villages I've already visited. But it has wooden houses, that typical peaceful atmosphere, and at this time of year, a few cherry trees were still in bloom, adding to the charm of the scenery.

I also caught a glimpse of their church, which is quite common here since there are often Christian communities among the mountain ethnic groups, such as the Hmong.

On the way back, I stopped at a viewpoint just before starting the main series of bends to descend. I hadn't seen it on the way there, because with my back to the road, I hadn't paid any more attention to the view from that spot.

But when I went back the other way, when I saw a space with a shelter where I could park, I didn't hesitate for a second to stop one last time because the view was so exceptional.

A Thai man passing through was also taking photos. Seeing me alone, he quickly approached me with the usual polite questions, then offered to take my picture. Normally, I would have politely declined, as it's not really my thing. But faced with his enthusiasm and the beautiful scenery, I didn't dare say no.

It was clear he was more experienced, because, caught up in the moment, he even offered me a few pointers on how to pose better. I left with a small series of photos of myself on a rock, with that panoramic view at the foot of Phu Thap Boek… a perfect way to end this little excursion!