Petchaburi - Panoen Thung

I visited the viewpoint before:

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2012/05/petchaburi-kaeng-krachan.html

This time I noticed some warning signs that were way off the mark.

At least during the dry and hot seasons, the road is so good that there is absolutely no need for engaging 4WD, nor is there even on the steepest ascents a need to gear down to first gear. Most ascents can be done in third gear.

On the road to Panoen Thung as well as at the viewpoint, there are plenty of spots for bird watchers to frolic and butterfly enthusiasts can also find plenty of spots to enjoy their hobby. But getting to the viewpoint cannot be considered an off-road challenge.

This time, I went on the track that continues along the top of the ridge after having passed the viewpoint. However, after roughly seven kilometers, the park authorities had blocked the road, so I didn’t reach the waterfall. 

Phang Nga - Koh Surin

When arriving (by boat of course) to the small archipelago Mu Koh Surin, the view is stunning. You feel like you have arrived at the setting for these advertisements seen for Bounty chocolate bars and other goodies peddling images of snow white powdery beach sand and palm trees billowing in a gentle breeze.

Mu Koh Surin is a national park located in the Andaman Sea, 80 minutes by speedboat from the coast. If you do not bring your own tent, basic accommodation (tent or large bungalow) can be provided by the national park on Koh Surin Nua. Due to the limited capacity, it is highly recommended to call in advance if you plan to go over a long weekend where many other often get the same idea. Since there is only one speedboat “ferry” per day, which departs from Kuraburi, you should secure your ticket in advance unless you have the cash to rent you own boat.

Once on the island, there isn't much to do apart from enjoying the sights. The small shop and restaurant close at 8 PM while lights are out by 9 PM. Koh Surin is not a party island like Koh Samed or Koh Phangan – people go to bed (sleeping bag) early and get up early.

There is a nature trail (2+ kilometers long) between the two camps on the island, but most visitors focus their activities on the sea. The bays have wonderfully clear water and coral reefs can be reached after swimming 25-30 minutes. A park ranger told me that corals on lower water depths were killed a couple of years ago when a warm ocean current persisted for too long. But there are still many fish even at the lower water depths.

If it is not up your alley to have to swim 30 minutes before you can start diving to watch corals, then day trips can be arranged where long-tail boats will take you to good snorkel locations. 

Tak - Umphang

Umphang is at the end of the road. Well, not exactly, but after reaching Umphang, there really isn't anything but dead-end roads. Umphang should be a Mecca for nature lovers as there are many waterfalls, rivers, caves, and hot springs to explore. But Umphang's sights aren't easy to reach, one has to take a boat (raft) or trek for hours - or even days - in order to reach them. Umphang is for hard core nature enthusiasts.

Umphang is also difficult to reach. While the provincial capital (Tak) is on the main highway between Chiang Mai and Bangkok, Umphang is over four hours drive from Tak. The last 115 km takes around three hours as the road winds its way around and along the mountain ranges that divide Thailand and Myanmar. 

Umphang is copying Pai and Mae Hong Son by making the serpentine road's 1,219 curves a marketing tool by selling T-shorts and tacky souvenirs stating something along the lines of "I survived the 1,219 curves to reach Umphang". 

However, the people of Umphang should remember that Pai didn't become a hot destination for Bangkokians until after the 2009 movie "Pai in Love". So maybe Umphang should vie to be a location for a funny / romantic Thai movie? "Chua Fah Din Salai" (a movie from 2010, based on an almost 100-year old book) took place in Tak, but was a love story without a happy ending.

That was a detour. Fact is that 10 years ago, there was literally nothing in Pai. Now, it is so crowded during the cold season with tourists that drive there merely in order to be able to say "I survived the many curves to reach Pai" when returning to Bangkok. But not after having had a cup of coffee or two and taken 1,000 photos.  

Around Umphang, there are no towns - only villages. Many people are Karen, which is not surprising when one considers that Tak borders Karen State - one of the 14 states of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. In Umphang, a tiny walking street is created on weekends with low-key entertainment, e. g., magician show for kids and a merry band of park rangers, that ends around 9 PM. 

In summary, Umphang is a great but hard-to-reach destination for nature lovers. 

Tak - Getting to Thi Lo Su

Before going, I heard many warnings about the tough conditions and Thai web-boards are full of warnings that the road to Thi Lo Su can only be driven by a 4WD vehicle.

I heard and read similar warnings before going to Panoen Tung and they turned out to be way off the mark.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2012/05/petchaburi-kaeng-krachan.html

The same can be said about warnings about getting to Thi Lo Su.

The distance from the entrance to Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary to the ranger station near the waterfall is around 26 km. Only pick-up trucks and SUVs are allowed onto the road, but 4WD is not compulsory. 

The 26 km cannot be said to be much of an off road challenge. I did most of the first half of the track in second gear and most of the second half in third gear. The road is better than the road to / from Somsak Mine

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2012/02/kanchanaburi-somsak-mining.html

I just recently saw a Nissan X-Trail going to Somsak and Pilok without any problems, and if such a "baby-SUV" can handle a road, then it is not that bad.

On the way to Thi Lo Su, I only engaged 4WD twice when having to drive across some muddy parts of the road. However, I think that having the right tires (All-Terrain) is more important than using 4WD. As the picture shows, having standard Highway-Terrain tires and 2WD can leave you stranded when climbing a muddy and thus slippery patch.  

After having helped the two hapless 2WD Toyotas out of their muddy mess, a 4WD Toyota with AT tires showed how not to do. Like the others, he put pedal to the metal, presumably to gain momentum going up hill. But this caused the wheels to spin, so he almost got stuck despite having all the correct "hardware". I went up the hill in second gear supplying a steady measure of torque to the wheels and avoided wheel spin.

At another soft spot, another 4WD Toyota with AT got into a mess by driving too fast. Mud can hide serious bumps and pot holes. He banged his engine block into the ground and got stuck when his front suddenly dived into a hidden hole.

So, while the park rangers are correct in not requiring visiting vehicles to have 4WD, I recommend visitors to consider their tire choice and to ensure that vehicles have extra ground clearance. Cars obviously sink down in mud and several places I could see normal pick-ups had sunk in so deep that their "under belly" had scraped along the ground. 

Tak - Thi Lo Su Waterfall

Tak is most often bypassed as people head for the popular northern destinations of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Pai. Nevertheless, Tak's serene beauty has steadily won travellers' hearts as Umphang has a lot to offer.

Located in the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, Thi Lo Su is a waterfall located 900 m above sea level with a height of several hundred meters and a width of 500 m. It is known as Thailand's largest waterfall, but locals told me there is an even higher waterfall only a few dozen kilometers away.

Thi Lo Su in Karen means a waterfall with a loud noise. Its water source comes from Klo Tho Stream supplying water for the waterfall all year round but the water will be more plentiful in the rainy season. However, access road is closed during the rainy season. 

Situated in the embrace of luxuriant vegetation, Thi Lo Su is supposedly most beautiful waterfall in Thailand and is reportedly ranked as the sixth most beautiful waterfall in the world.
Personally, I find that exaggerated.

However, since Thi Lo Su faces east, rainbows appear when water spray reflects the sunlight at a perfect angle. The air is refreshing. You can swim in its large pond with cool water. 

Camping is allowed in the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary.

To get to Thi Lo Su, most visitors sail along the Mae Klong River and disembark at Tha Sai. Then a rented  "song taew" pickup takes them roughly 12 km to the main Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary ranger station. After that, one has to walk the last 1.6 km to reach Thi Lo Su. 

For those deciding to drive themselves rather than relying on others, I have prepared a second blog because I heard so many "horror stories" before I went.  But note that automobiles cannot access the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary in the rainy season (June-October). During this period, visitors have to walk from Tha Sai to the waterfall.