The big chill

Thailand News - Horizons - Thursday December 06, 2007

The big chill

Home to spectacular springs and rare species of wildlife, Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park makes a great cool season getaway

STORY BY KARNJANA KARNAJANTAWEE, PHOTOS BY ARTHUR JONES DIONIO

During the cool season, many people want to head north to really feel the chill. If you too are yearning for cool weather, why not try Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, where you can take a dip in a hot spring bathtub or trek up Thailand's second tallest mountain.

Located in Chiang Mai's Fang district, around three hours drive from the provincial capital, the national park has welcomed more than 100,000 visitors each year for the past five years. The highlight is undoubtedly the chance to climb the 2,285-metre peak of Doi Pha Hom Pok and see the sun rise over a sea of mist.

"It's cold and windy," said a group of young Thai office workers who were staying in tents 1,924 metres above sea level. Temperatures were below 10 degrees Celsius (this was still only November!), but this had been part of the attraction, they explained.

"If you are not camping here at Kiew Lom campsite, it's difficult to trek to the peak before the sunrise. And if you're too late, there's nothing much to see," said an officer at the tourist information centre.

For those of us who prefer to enjoy nature after sunrise, there are beautiful wooden bungalows where you can stay cosily warm and enjoy resort-like facilities. Four of us shared a two-room bungalow which had a hot bath and a big balcony where we sat talking until late into the night. We also took advantage of the spa and sauna, which were only a short walk from the bungalows.

The park uses a nearby hot spring to generate electricity, said Sutheerachai Jaikhamnoy, the park ranger. "The temperature of the hot spring is pretty high, so we make use of the heat by having a small geothermal energy plant," he said. The power generated is not solely reserved for internal use, but is sold on to the Provincial Electricity Authority.

There are many hot springs found in a 10-rai area near the park's headquarters, the most spectacular being a geyser that shoots water and steam 40 metres into the air.

The park has set up a hot spring walking trail, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the many stream and ponds. The trail also leads to 12 private spa rooms, each of which has a hot-spring bathtub big enough for seven people. And, of course, there is plenty of opportunity to indulge in that favourite Thai hot spring activity - boiling eggs.

Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park used to be known as Mae Fang National Park, the name being changed in May 2006 in order to make the destination more readily identifiable with its most popular attraction.

The huge park straddles the three Chiang Mai districts of Fang, Mae Ai and Chaiprakan, covers 524 square kilometres and is only 70 kilometres away from the Thailand-Burma border. So, when visitors trek to the peak of Doi Pha Hom Pok, they are able to see the majestic green scenery of the surrounding area and the road that snakes along the border.

The forested mountain terrain, which actually connects to Burma, is full of life. Here one can find not only hill tribes, but also wildlife such as barking deer and black bears.

"One of the rarest creatures you can find here is the Kaiser," said Jongrak Saelou, a local off-road driver and also our guide. The Kaiser, or Kaiser-i-Hind (Teinopalpus imperialis), is a rare species of swallowtail butterfly native to India. The common name literally means 'Emperor of India' and it is much sought-after by butterfly collectors for its beauty and rarity.

"The value of the butterfly is as high as the price of a motorcycle," said a ranger, noting that the high price had led to several hill tribe people taking great risks to capture them.

"Five or six years ago, a Mussur man was blown-up on the mountain while searching for the butterfly. It was because he accidently stepped on a hidden bomb planted by the troops of Khun Sa [the late Shan opium warlord]," he said, noting that the mountain was once a battlefield for those troops and Thai soldiers. Nowadays, there are no large trees left on the mountain top, only tall weeds and large bunkers.

"It is also our duty to protect the butterfly," he noted, adding that the tragedy of the Mussur man wasn't enough to prevent other hill tribe people from trying to catch this protected species.

The palm-sized butterfly calls the top of Doi Pha Hom Phok home, and we encountered a few examples of the beautiful creatures while trekking across the peak.

The Kaiser is quite fast and never stays still. It is a strong flyer that can cruise at tree-top height and even through rain. It can grow from 3.5 to five inches and samples are available to study at the information centre.

Apart from the butterfly, visitors can also enjoy bird watching. It is estimated that there are around 270 bird species to be found in the park, including the Purple Cochoa (Cochoa purpurea), which can be found only in Thailand's northern forests.

One group of visitors, equipped with full-sized binoculars, a bird-watching guidebook and video cameras, took their time while climbing up the mountain. Our group, meanwhile, enjoyed taking pictures of wild flowers, mushrooms and insects - such as dung beetles (Enoplotrupes sharpi) - along the 3.5-kilometre nature study trail.

While we were walking, Kamwon Srison, a park ranger, passed by carrying a small plastic bag containing insects preserved in liquid.

"We trap them for research," he said, noting that the samples (mostly small) were collected every week and sent to the headquarters of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department in Bangkok for further study.

Insects play an important role in forest ecosystems, he said, noting that they help pollinate flowering plants, are a component of the forest food chain, and help decompose woody debris and fallen leaves.

"We all do our jobs to preserve our natural resources and maintain the forest and we hope tourists will also do the same," he said.

MORE INFO

Doi Pha Hom Pok national park has two major tourism spots. One is the hot spring at the headquarters, and the other is the peak of Doi Pha Hom Pok, which visitors reach by taking an hour-long four-wheel drive to the campsite, before trekking for another two hours to the peak. If you visit the park during January, you will also see cherry blossoms.

The trail to the campsite is currently only navigable by four-wheel-drive vehicles, although when current construction work is completed, there will be a concrete road more suitable for regular cars.

Getting there: From Chiang Mai, travel 160km to Fang. From Fang, continue on road number 107. Around four kilometres before reaching Fang district, turn left and follow signs for the national park. It is around ten kilometres from the main road.

At the office headquarters, the Rod Khun Doi Club offers a driving service to Doi Pha Hom Pok. The fare is 1,500 baht for a one-day trip, or if you decide to stay overnight, the fare is 1,800 baht.

If you take a bus or a train to Chiang Mai, Rod Khun Doi Club also offers a pick-up service to take you to the Doi Pha Hom Pok campsite.

The national park has accommodation with great views, a camping area and camping gear for rent.

For more information, call 053-453-517/8 or to book accommodation online, visit http://www.dnp.go.th or call 02-579-7223 or 02-561-2919.

Bangkok Post