Phu Hin Jom Tat, a new peculiar stone sightseeing at Udon Thani
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Been long time ago for the local as remarkable sightseeing, Phu Hin Jom Tat is another must-not-miss attractions that anyone who visits Udon Thani should not miss. The place, although, is not renowned widely among the nonlocal tourists, but the location is rich with the tourism resources that are not second to none to any other places.
Knowing about Phu Hin Jom Tat
Literally known as ‘the Forest Park Phu Hin Jom Tat’ was appointed according to the announcement of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation dated September 25, 2006, with the agreement of the minister of Natural Resources and Environment. The forest was appointed to be in the zone c of the National Reserved Forest, in Kut Chap, Khon Yung, Tan Lian sub-district of Kut Chap district, and Nam Phon sub-district of Nong Wua So district in the Udon Thani province. The place serves as a safe home for the natural resources of forest and wildlife, a learning center for any research and academic purposes, and recreation for any interesting people. Moreover, the Forest Park Phu Hin Jom Tat is a place to maintain the balance of ecosystem and biodiversity, in order to be the proper home for the wildlife, source of food, recreation site, and natural tourist attraction. The general characteristic of the place is the sandstone mountain and the abundant forest with approximately 200-550 meters high above the sea level. Phu Hin Jom Tat is a source of waterways over the Huay Luang Watershed which is Huay Yang and Huay Chiang which both flow to Huay Luang Dam in Udon Thani.
Explore the Amazing Stone
1. Peaceful Forest Park
Surrounded with the dark in the verdant forest, then the first light of the day is breaking from the horizon with the presence of the sun. The aurora smears all around the peaceful forest with the soft pale shade of fog floats over the top of the mountain stands right in front of the eyes. Apparently, the sign of the morning at ‘Phu Hin Jom Tat’ with the breath-taking scenery that you can’t take your eyes off it.
The forest park that was classified officially for over a decade covers more than 40 sq.km of space included the preserved forest that is an origin of the water supplies to Huay Luang Dam. The location consists of many single sandstone mountains that if you see from remote, you might spot them as the ‘folded mount.’
From the change of the crust around 270 million years ago resulted in the emerge of bizarre stones at Phu Hin Jom Tat. Some are knotty surface look similar to the crocodile’s back, some are high block shape that why we call the place “the kingdom of the bizarre stones.”
2. The Sandstone Rock
At Phu Hin Jom Tat, the most unusual sandstone rock formation shall be the one with the Fifa’s world cup trophy-like that the local people, on the contrary, say it looks like ‘That’ or the stupa to store the ashes of the deceased. The latter imagination plus the size of the stone brought about the title of it as “Jom Tat” (the grand stupa) that also named to the location, as well. The most magnificent scene here is when the warm gradient sun floats over the “Jom Tat” rock that mirrors its shadow over the Huay Luang stream. So, it could say that, the excellent chapter of the dawn, indeed.
3. Scenic View Point
About 450 meters from the sea level, Phu Hin Jom Tat is a pleasant climate with the gentle wind. In the winter, the trees in the dipterocarp forest will shed the leaves with the cuddle of the white shade of fog and sometimes the temperature drops to 5 degree Celsius. However, the beauty of the place in the rainy season is not lesser. The forest covers with the verdant green trees with the running water over the rocks and the thick sea of fog after the showering rain that you can feel the drench. On the other hand, the period between the late of rainy and the beginning of the winter, the talus will be vibrantly carpeted with the blossomed Burmannia distichia and Bladderwort. While the Vietnamese mickey mouse plant and Butea superba take over the role in the summertime. So, the place has various beauty with the season change that attracts to the traveler to visit in any time of the year.
After watching the stunning scenery of the sunrise, then it is a time to wander around the venue. The daylight allows us to see the lush dipterocarp forest and mixed forest that packed with the numerous of Afzelia xylocarpa, Bungor, Burma padauk, and Irvingia malayana around the area clearer.
4. Phra Bat (the Buddha’s footprint)
The first stop is ‘Phra Bat’ (the Buddha’s footprint) which is the 2 meters long deep pit on the talus look similar to the human foot that believed it might belong to the ascetic. Then it is a rock shelter that is called by the villagers ‘Tham Ta Pa Daeng’. The cave that believed it is a dwelling of Pu Daeng (Grandfather Daeng) a nomad who resided in the wood and protected it from the deforestation, sadly he was killed by the sniper, finally.
After that, the next place to visit is the scenic point at Makha Tae where the site features the lovely view of the vast space of rice field underneath. In the past, the area over here used to be the logistics path to Phu Hin Lad Chor Fa, a remarkable base of the Communist Party of Thailand – CPT. Along the way are diverse species of plant for us to delight such as Euphorbia lacei Craib, Konjac (that we get its head to consume), and Wrightia sirikitiae with its little white and mild scent flowers.
What makes the place to be interested?
Roi Phra Bat Rock Garden
The prominent characteristic of the Forest Park Phu Hin Jom Tat that makes the place to be so attractive including the numbers of the various bizarre sandstones called ‘Roi Phra Bat Rock Garden.’ The rock garden is about 800 meters from the forest park office where the place is the sandstone mountain with the plain on the Phu Phan Noi ridge environed with the picturesque landscape. The venue is interesting with the numbers of historical discovery showing us the story of the place, for example, Phra Buddha Bat (the Buddha’s footprint), Brahma Vihara Cave, Prachoom Sangha Tree, Ta Pa Daeng Cave, Mae Hang Hei Pit, Sam Gok Mek Pond, and Lad Khae.
Hin Jom Tat
‘Hin Jom Tat,’ a significant sandstone which is a highlight of the site. It is a mount resulted from the plate motion and formed the stupa-shape rock formation which is respected by the local. Moreover, the spot provides the best view of Huay Luang Dam, city town of Udon Thani, and Phu Foi Lom very clearly.
Sarn Pu
‘Sarn Pu’ (the Grandfather Shrine) which is a summit of this forest park. The location that discovered by a broadcasting program on the local cable TV channel “Sam Pa Ti” offers the visitors with the wonderful panoramic scenery and named the viewpoint here as “Sam Pa Ti Viewpoint” followed to the discoverer. At this scenic point, you can see the hill at the rear of the city hall of the Nong Bua Lam Phu province, Huay Luang Dam, and the villages around the area of the forest park without any blockage.
Lom Cave
Lom Cave the best place that you can watch the prettiest view of Phu Hin Jom Tat’s forest and mountain. The mountain pass allows the gentle breeze to get through all the time resulting the place is pleasant climate, also the facilities including electricity, running water, restroom, backlog, and parking. However, the area hasn’t provided the accommodation, yet, hence anyone who plans to stay the night here should prepare a tent and bedclothes. Further, the forest park officers are standing by at the site to take care of and facilitate to the tourists all 24 hours.
How to get to the Forest Park Phu Hin Jom Tat
The journey to the Forest Park Phu Hin Jom Tat is convenient from the town of Udon Thani by the highway number 2263 (Udon Thani – Kut Chap) with about 31 km. When you arrive at the Public Health Center Nong Khong take the left fork and continue the drive about 3 km until you are at Ban Nong Charoen. Then, you make the left turn to Wat Phu Loan Thammacharoen in about 5 km and go straight more 3 km to reach the hill. And then continue on foot about 3 km to the cave. The total distance is 45 km estimate.
