สำรวจอุทยานประวัติศาสตร์ภูพระบาท
สารบัญ
[Missing Translation]
What a day! #
To make the most of an opportunity to visit Udon Thani, I decided to explore the north-western area. First stop was a Phu Phrabat historical park, a 1-hour ride from Udon Thani town.
… It is also worth mentioning, it was HOT today! 38oC, feels like 48oC, sort of hot!
On these trips, I enjoy riding a scooter or motorcycle through the rural areas of Thailand as much (or sometimes more) than the final destination. Watching the chaos zoom by at 80km/h is incredible… However, I underestimated the heat today. It was inescapable and unrelenting. I stopped for drinks every 30 minutes or so, and was still drained at lunch.
However, even acknowledging the mental state I was in, even if it had been perfect weather, it is still a tricky ride. The roads are rough, with potholes and ‘repair bumps’ requiring constant attention. Most of the ride was on highway roads, with the ever present danger of long haul trucks whizzing by. Entering the national park, the roads were in notable better condition, with some tree cover providing shade, the undulating road curves almost become enjoyable for a moment. But that moment is short lived, as you arrive at the historical park, shortly afterwards.
Entering Phu Phrabat Historical Park #
Upon arriving, there is a small collection of food and drink vendors, open grounds and a geat looking visitor centre. Visitor centre was airconditioned and well-staffed. Staff spoke very good English and were eager to assist. They provided a summary of the park, and suggested a few highlights so I could plan the path I took.
… Honestly, I was not expecting this so far out. I had spent the last hour riding through delapidated shacks, and a notable lack of any English… The design, comfort and friendlieness of the visitor centre was a welcomed surprised.
A ticket for farang was 100 baht. I know not everyone is a fan of split pricing, but for less than a cup of coffee, I don’t think it is worth stressing about. It was also evident upfront and throughout the day how much had been spent on the maintenance of the park. It is clear the money is going back in to the park, to make it even more enjoyable.
Quick lesson on the park #
They estimate that 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, peopleof the prehistorical age roamed the area hunting and gathering food. The area appeared popular, as the erosion of mixed media strata of different durability millions of years ago, had left rock structures and other formations that could be used for protection.
These hunters and gatherers set up small villages here, painting their daily lives in some of structures which remain today. The local clay is a rich ochra colour, allowing them to paint red’ish hand prints, animals, humans and other geometric designs.
More recently, around the 9th or 11th centuries AD, these shelters were renovated to be sacred places for Buddhism riturals.
While there more than 20 structures, the original names (if any) are unknown. Instead the local people named them after local folklore. (This was done knowing that the location and the folklore had nothing to do with each other).
Thoughts #
I enjoyed the park more than I expected to. It is left wide open to explore, touch and interact with all of the structures. While there are some paths provided, for the most part, you are left to clamber over the rocks and find your own way. This was an interactive and immersive experience, as you explored and connected with the history of the park.
There was an informative (yet tiny) map provided with desciptions and additional history. The rocks were marked with arrows to keep you on track, many (MANY!) small bilingual signs, and some very welcomed shelters available throughout. During my trip, I was the only one silly enough to be out in the heat, so had the entire park to myself.
The ‘outer loop’ is appoximately 2km return (approximately 1km from the visitor centre, to the top of the mountain). Plan for a least an hour, but it would be easy to spend 2 hours walking around and reading all of the signs.
📷 Photos #
