July 11, 2014 ---- Pha Taem, which translates as "cliff painting," is a national park and the main attraction of Ubon Ratchathani provice of Thailand. The park covers a large area featuring plateaus, sheer cliffs (resulting from an earthquake), dense forests, and some irregular-shaped sandstone. There is a trail running along the cliff leading to five 3,000-year-old painting sites. Some images are well-preserved and clearly show the life of the settlement around the area. We saw images of rice paddies, turtles, fish, human and some fishing tools.
Nathan and I took a van from Ubon Ratchathani Bus Terminal to Khong Chiam, and from there we hired a Tuk Tuk driver to take us to Pha Taem National Park for a half-day tour. It wasn't the most convenient way of travel because the Tuk Tuk was very slow and uncomfortable, so we didn't get to see many spots in the park. The weather was also rainy, so it was a little slippery to walk on the cliff. However, overall it was worth the trip, and we hoped to return sometime in the future for more sightseeing.
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| Our Tuk Tuk driver |
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| The best Isaan food on Mekong River |
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| Local specialties: steamed fish and Yum Moo Yaw |
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| Mekong River |
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| First stop in Pha Taem National Park |
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| Visitor Center |
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| walking along the cliff to the historical painting sites |
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| Mekong River's fish is quite big. It's call Pla Beuk. |
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| These look like fishing traps. |
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| Laos is just on the other side of the river! |
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| Taking photo with our driver and his very classic Tuk Tuk. |