& CRUISING ALONG THE MEKONG RIVER
Adventure Travel
December 1, 2006 - January 31, 2007
Its rugged but extraordinary landscape is punctuated by craggy cliff-faces, rocky terrain dotted with towering columns, odd-shaped rock formations, and torrential cataracts along the stretch of the Mekong River. It is home to two national parks - The Pha Taem National Park and Kaeng Tana National Park. Both offer excellent vantage points for viewing a spectacular sunrise or sunset against a magnificent backdrop that extends for miles.
Fields of colourful wild flowers add a curious contrast to the province's awe-inspiring geographical landscape and diversity. A true miracle of nature.
Home to one of the world's oldest agrarian communities, Ubon Ratchathani is also the 'cradle of northeastern civilisation'. Recently-discovered archaeological evidence suggests that humans settled in the region between 14,000 to 6,000 years ago. Cave drawings and paintings have been found at Ban Sai Ngam, Amphoe Khemarat district and near the Mekong, with the most extensive site being at Pha Taem. Numerous prehistorical cave paintings offer insight into the way of life that existed during the pre-historic days. The paintings which feature a vast range of subjects such as people, human hands, creatures such as elephants, fish, the Pla Buek or Mekong giant catfish, dogs, bantengs, buffaloes, fishing utensils and geometric patterns have a reddish tinge to them from the hematite and take the form of outlines filled with solid colour.
It is also a centre of Buddhism and the regional administrative centre for northeastern Thailand, Ubon is a melting pot of multi-cultural and multi-ethnic groups.
CRUISING ALONG THE MEKONG RIVER
The best time of the year to embark on a river-cruise on the Mekong is between November to April. (Note: The water-level is too high in the rainy season and is not a good time for cruises.)
MEKONG CRUISING ROUTES
- The Pha Taem Route This cruise sets out from the Khong Chiam district office to Hat Wichittra. The cruise ends at Pha Taem, the stop-off point to view the prehistoric cave paintings.
- The Khong Chiam Temple - Mun Route
- The Two-Coloured River Kaeng Tana - Ban Woen Buek Route This is a hour trip that offers a glimpse of the way of life along the rivers.
- Ban Pak La - Ban Khan Tha Kwian Route A 30-minute cruise.
FOREST TREKKING
Misty Dong Na Tham Forest Greeting the first sunrise of the land.
Dong Na Tham Forest to the north of Pha Taem National Park is the easternmost point of the country along the Mekong River and the first place in the kingdom to be bathed by the first rays of sunrise. At dawn, a sea of mists floats over the riparian side of the Mekong River.
It covers an area of 88 sq. kilometres. Typographically Pa Dong Na Tham is a plateau with alternating sandstone hills with the highest peak at 510 metres above sea-level. Towering cliffs rise above the Mekong.
Deciduous Dipterocarp forests blend with timber and dry evergreen forests. Wild flowers bloom in the rainy season and in winter, breaking the monotonous rocky terrain. In the summer, larger plants emerge.
Recommended Nature Study Trails 2-Days/1-Night
Route 1 The route starts from Wat Tham Patihan Temple to Huai Phok Waterfall - Mekong River covering a distance of 16.4 kms including a 30-minute barge ride.
Route 2 The route from Ban Thung Na Mueang to Huai Phok-Huai Phok Waterfall and onto the Mekong River covers a distance of 18.6 kms plus a 30-minute barge ride.
For information, please contact the "Or Bor Tor" (the Office of the Village Administration Organisation) of the Ban Na Pho Klang, Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. Phone (045) 249-002.
CULTURAL EXPLORATION Follow the trail of pre-historic man. There are a total of 32 pre-historic sites along the route.
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