Free Day Trip : Camping in the Tree at Noen Maprang • Biking at Thung Salaeng Luang National Park

This trip is all begun when I want to go camping but where shall I go..? Well, let's go to “Noen Maprang" this time!

Then maybe I should spend another night gazing the stars at "Thung Salaeng Luang National Park".

This trip is between 24 - 27 February 2016.

Please don't forget to have a look on my previous "Free Day Trip" here!

Free Day Trip in Kanchanaburi: Sangkhlaburi, Baan E-Tong, Srinakarin Dam, and Baan Kok Kod

Free Day Trip : 10 Days in Southern Thailand for the Sea of Mist watching, Raft House staying, Sea traveling, and Stargazing on the islands.

http://pantip.com/topic/34680810

Free Day Trip : From "Phu Lom Lo" to "Phu Kradueng"; Even though there is Rain and it is Cold, I still Love it.

http://pantip.com/topic/34864286

Day 1

I leave Bangkok before 1 PM and I will drive to Phitsanulok straight away. The destination is Ban Mung in Noen Maprang District.

I have arrived at Ban Mung after 4 PM. This is the perfect time to go to watch bats flying out from the cave and of course for an interesting photo shot.

It is almost 6 PM when thousands of bats storm out from the cave making an artistic line in the sky.

Then I drive to Ban Rak Thai. It is about 30 kilometers from Ban Mung to there. You might find some parts of the road very steep.

The place where I will be camping called Ban Suan Chom View https://www.facebook.com/pages/บ้านสวนชมวิว-โฮมเสตย์/1485166101787995 (Contact P' Ying: 087-2075736 or 061-3681180). I have brought my own tent so I ask P' Ying to allow me to go camping in the tree for 2 nights. She agrees and charges me only 150 THB per night (300 THB in total for 2 nights). I pay a few hundreds but get a view worth like millions.

There is a light up in the tree as well as power sockets but no toilet. You need to come down and walk about 30 steps to get to the toilet. I stay outside the tent and enjoy the scenery for a while before it gets quite cold. I move into the tent to escape the cold and rest right away (it gets very windy and very cold in the late of the night and luckily that I bring a blanket along).

Day 2

It is pretty cold this morning. I am rolling in the tent for a while before coming out to take some photos around. Then I pack away my tent because this place will welcome tourists during the day.

I plan to go back to Noen Maprang again this late morning to take some more photos. P' Ying then asks me to take 2 of her guests along. These 2 girls got up here yesterday by hitchhiking, they are so cool, aren't they? (they stay in a villa-like where tent, mosquito net, and bedding are available, it is 200 THB per night per person).

We are going to Noen Maprang altogether to have fun taking photos all around. We have heard from the locals that not only the Limestone Mountains in different shapes they have at Ban Mung in Noen Maprang District but also the cave where Buddha image is enshrined.

Nang Sibsong Cave

Luang Pho Boonmee Cave

We have so much fun exploring this local area but wait! We have just realized that the two girls have only 1 hour left to go to Mueang Phitsanulok District. They have to take the bus back to Bangkok and that means they need to travel about 70 kilometers within 1 hour. I guess they won't be able to make it on time if they take a public transportation from here so I would prefer to drive them there.

Then I stop by at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Woramahawihan to pay homage to Phra Buddha Chinnarat after sending them off at the bus terminal.

It is after 1 PM already. I am hungry now so I will stop in front of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Woramahawihan for Pitsanulok's signature noodle, Hoi Kha Noodle.

It is time to head back to Noen Maprang District and I will make a quick stop at Wat Thung Phra in Ban Mung before going back to my homestay.

I have finally made it back to Ban Suan Chom View for my second night.

Day 3

It is still cold this morning. I just chill and lie down in the tent until it is getting late. I pack away my tent and I am ready to go to Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, my second destination for camping.

I have arrived at the Tourist Center of Thung Salaeng Luang National Park almost 1 PM. I am here to work on my camping arrangement.
The service fee is 30 THB. I also rent 1 bed mat set at 20 THB so it is 50 THB in total.

Then I look for a good location to set up my tent.

I rent a bike in the late afternoon. I will go to survey the route for watching the sunrise tomorrow whether I can drive my car or not. It is about 4 kilometers to get to Dusita Pavilion, a sunrise viewpoint (bike rental fee is 200 THB for a day or 100 THB for half day)

From the survey, I don't think I can drive my car on this route because some parts of the road have a big hole. I guess I need to find another viewpoint to watch the sunrise. Then I ride the bike back to the spot where I have my tent set up to watch the sunset.

There is a restaurant in the camping area as well as the bathrooms. I just had dinner and took a shower. I am now gazing the stars and taking photos of them. It is very dark here so I can see the stars very clearly.

It is getting cold so I think I should go back into my tent now. I lie down to rest while doing some research about a viewpoint for the sunrise around here on the internet. I have ended up at Khao Takhian Ngo which is about 7 kilometers from here.

Day 4

I woke up around 4.30 AM and I am driving to Khao Takhian Ngo after refreshing myself for a bit. I see The Milky Way Galaxy but not so clear since there is a strong moonlight at Khao Takhian Ngo and this is what I got from my camera.

The sky starts to get brighter not long after.

I am back at the tent after having enough photos and sleep. I woke up once again almost 11 AM before getting ready to leave. I also don't forget to go and say goodbye to the deer (the vendors here have given him a nickname of "Ai Due" which mean stubborn boy in Thai).

I will be back camping here again in winter.

I drive on Khao Kho route and will stop by at Wat Pha Sorn Kaew on my way back. This route has such a beautiful cherry blossom and flowers on both side of the road so I can't help but stop to take some photos.