Pha Taem National Park

Mekong Cliffs With Prehistoric Rock Paintings Thought To Be About 3,000 Years Old; Promoted As Thailand'S First Place To See The Sunrise · Khong Chiam, Ubon Ratchathani

Pha Taem is a long sandstone cliff above the Mekong in the far east of Thailand, where the river forms the border with Laos, and it is the centrepiece of a national park of plateau, open forest and rock formations. On the face of the cliff, sheltered by an overhang, prehistoric people painted hundreds of figures in red ochre, thought to be about 3,000 years old: giant catfish and other fish, fish traps, elephants, turtles, people and the outlines of hands. A path with stairs drops from the clifftop visitor area to a ledge below the paintings and follows them along the rock, with the Mekong and the hills of Laos spread out beneath. Because the cliff faces east over the river, it is promoted as the first place in Thailand to see the sunrise, and on New Year's Day thousands camp to watch it. The park also holds Sao Chaliang, a cluster of mushroom-shaped rock pillars, the Soi Sawan and Saeng Chan waterfalls and, in the early dry season, meadows of tiny wildflowers. Khong Chiam, where the Mun river meets the Mekong, is the nearest town.

Huai Phai, Khong Chiam, Khong Chiam, Ubon Ratchathani, 34220, Thailand

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the national park and its clifftop viewpoints are open daily, with the sunrise viewpoint accessible before dawn and the ticket booth staffed from early morning; the path down to the paintings has usually opened only in daylight, from about 6 or 8 am to about 5 or 6 pm, with last entry to the path earlier so that walkers return before dark; there is no weekly closing day, but the path and some trails can close for repairs or after heavy rain. The traps that ruin a day are arriving after the path has closed for the afternoon, coming for sunrise from Ubon without leaving early enough, finding the park full around New Year, and visiting the waterfalls in the dry months when they are dry. Confirm current times before relying on them.

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