Relaxing at Khao Kho

When summer winds start blowing, people's travel destinations also change Phetchabun duly bids farewell to the flow of tourists who visited the place these last couple of months in search of a winter experience.

This time I intend to take a break in Khao Kho, armed with a big tome. Before ascending Khao Kho, a beautiful lady vendor tries to solicit me into buying her sweet tamarind, which tastes like real sugar. Unable to resist, I buy two kilograms, and directly wonder what I'm going to do with it. The tamarinds that line both sides of the road suggest that, indeed, sweet tamarinds are in season.

Khao Kho is 47 kilometers from the inner city. Cutting through the city, you turn left at the intersection marked by the monument of Pho Khun Pha Muang towards highway 12, the short cut to Khao Kho.

He Imperial Phukaew Hill Resort on Khao Kho is the place I choose to stay. A small hotel, it offers accommodation of small cottages like those you find at the foot of hills in southern Europe where the weather is mild all year round. These cottages were built perched over big and small hills. Surely, in this romantic setting.

After breakfast, I follow signpost 2196 to Khao Kho Hill Community Cultural Center. T proves to be quite simple as you can easily make inquiries along the way; the most striking landmark being the world's biggest, sticky-rice bamboo-holder some 3.5 meters in diameter. He center itself is a large bamboo building with a thatched roof. Utensils, and the history of the Hmong, are on display and maintained here to make it a comprehensive Hill Tribe Cultural Center with all the necessary background to make you an informed visitor.

A short distance away is the monument for those who sacrificed their lives in defense of the motherland. An obelisk, it caries the names of all the soldiers who died fighting the war. The entrance is dominated by the wreckage of aircraft, tanks and weapons used during the military conflict at Khao Kho. Altogether, they form the exhibits of the Gun Museum. According to the museum worker, coming to Khao Kho without stopping at this point amounts to missing the best vista stop on top of Khao Kho. I spend a few minutes enjoying the view from this stop, filling my lungs with cool air that brings with it the entire range of nature, rendering it impossible for me to distinguish the scent of wild flowers from that of dried leaves in the air, the wind passing the water surface, and the organic substance from the soil.

Traveling downhill on the same uphill route towards Khao Kho Pavilion, you will find the place ornate with large floral assortment in full bloom, braving the wind and the sun. A cup of iced coffee might be in order to pep you up at this moment. The small, nameless stall offers patrons a unique way of making coffee using only cone-shaped paper cups to hold the fresh coffee the way rangers do.

Continue driving a little further from the entrance to the Pavilion and you will encounter the first left turn that passes an open zoo. At this point, you are well recommended to wind up the vehicle windows as wild animals are left to roam in this safari. Again, the adrenaline surges with the excitement although there is nothing to be afraid of as you are well protected by the zoo officials. Besides, these lovely animals have no fangs; they look gentle and safe. I'll look forward to another visit, when I come with the kids.

In late afternoon, stop to cool off at Sridit Waterfalls, a steep multi-tiered cliff washed by the waterfall throughout the year. Previously, it served as a communist stronghold. Take your time enjoying the great scenic landscape until late afternoon when you will come across many small eateries from where to take your pick before making your way home with a happy stomach.