Sakon Nakhon - Phu Phan

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Pongpet Mekloy (BKK POST)

Today we continue from last week's route which started from Nakhon Phanom and ended at Kusuman. Other than Ban Tha Rae where the locals have a culinary tradition that isn't so appealing to dog lovers, there's not much to see along the 40-something kilometres between Kusuman and Sakon Nakhon.

Actually, there're a few Christian churches along the way. But they aren't as beautiful as those you've seen in this column over the past two weeks. So we'll just skip that part and begin from the town of Sakon Nakhon.

The town lies on the western edge of Nong Han, one of Isan's largest natural lakes. Wat Phra That Choeng Chum and Wat Pa Sutthawas are located in the town while Wat Phra That Narai Cheng Weng is five kilometres away off Highway 22 which links Sakon Nakhon and Udon Thani.

But Highway 22 is not our main route today. Instead we're going along a smaller one, Highway 213 that winds up, and through, the Phu Phan range to a small town named after the mountain.

On this highway, about a dozen kilometres from Sakon Nakhon town, is the Phu Phan Ratchanives Palace. Two kilometres from the palace, you'll see the big kilometre marker on the right-hand side. If you wish to stop and take picture, just park your car at the parking lot on the other side of the road. From that point the Kham Hom Waterfall is less than a kilometre away.

This part of Highway 213 is flanked by lush forest of the Phu Phan National Park. Six kilometres from the big marker, keep looking on the right-hand side otherwise you might miss the minor road that leads to Tham Seri Thai, the cave that served as an armoury for the Free Thai Movement which secretly fought against the Japanese army during World War II. As for the park's headquarters, it's three and a half kilometres down the highway.

This column is designed to give you an idea what those roads and highways _ featured only as lines in the normal road maps _ actually look like. If you have any interesting route to suggest or just want to say hello, the e-mail addresses are pongpetm@bangkokpost.co.th and wildsociety@bangkokpost.net. But if you're already on the road and need directions, pull over and ask the locals.