วันพุธที่ 24 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553

Pang Oong in Mae Hong Sorn - Beautiful mists and mountain pines











The mountains beckon - as the road winds up through the twist and turns of contours. Soon the fields abundantly covered by the yellow Bua Tong or the Mexican flowers - carefully tended by the hill tribe villages - come into sight and you would have arrived at Mae Hong Sorn - one of Thailand's most charming tourist destinations in the north.
One of the most romantic places to be found in Mae Hong Sorn is 'Pang Oong' -a small village which is hardly accessible. The landscape boasts of rows and rows of pine trees through which the morning sun shines, throwing golden reflections upon the waters of the lake. Mists shroud the lake -adding to the surreal beauty of this place.
'Pang Oong' is where His Majesty the King's Patong 2 Royal Project is located, in an area called Baan Ruam Thai, Tambon Hmawk Chum Pay, Muang district, Mae Hong Sorn province. It was formerly an enclave of illegal poppy plantations. Today, the area is a tapestry of colors. A wide selection of flowers, vegetables and a host of herbal plants can be found as they thrive so well in these high terrains and under the temperate climate. Visitors will be enthralled at the richness of nature found here as they take in the landscape, visit the hill tribes and enjoy fresh coffee straight from the coffee plantations.
How to get there: From Mae Hong Sorn, follow the Mea Hong Sorn - Pang Mapha Route for approximately 10 kilometers. Then, take the left turn on the same route to Phu Klone passing Pha Seua Waterfall and Pang Tong Villa. At the signage on your left which reads 'Baan Ruam Thai', turn left and stay on the narrow road through Huai Makeua Som to Baan Ruam Thai or Pang Oong. The winding terrain up the steep mountains and the occasional fogs call for careful driving. Tourists are therefore recommended to travel by day. The village is served by a bus service from the bus stop in front of Mae Hong Sorn Market; buses leave for Pang Oong at 09.00 a.m. and 03.00 p.m. and from Pang Oong at 05.30 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. The trip takes approximately two hours.