Khao Kho

Khao Kho sits at around a thousand metres in the Phetchabun range and is one of the main destinations for Thai cool-season tourism - resorts and cafes built along ridges specifically to look down on the thale mok, the sea of mist that fills the valleys on cold mornings, with strawberry farms, flower gardens and viewpoints strung along the roads. It is busy and heavily developed. The other layer is more recent than most visitors realise: from the 1960s into the early 1980s these hills were a stronghold of the Communist Party of Thailand and the site of sustained fighting, and the area was only opened up after the insurgency ended in 1982. Several sites on the mountain relate to that period and are presented from the state's perspective. Roads are steep with tight bends and a number of accidents each season; low-powered cars struggle on the climbs and brakes overheat on the descents.

What you actually see

• The sea of mist - valleys filled with cloud on cold-season mornings.
• The ridge resorts and cafes - built to face the view, and busy.
• The strawberry and flower farms - the cool-climate agriculture.
• The recent history - hills contested until the insurgency ended in 1982.

When to go

November to February for the mist and the cool air, which is the whole reason to come. Weekends and holidays are crowded and accommodation prices rise steeply.

Honest expectations

Steep winding roads with frequent accidents - underpowered vehicles struggle and descents burn brakes. Heavily developed with resorts and cafes rather than wild country. Weekend prices and crowds are substantial.

Nearby

Phu Thap Boek is north; Nam Nao National Park is west and Phu Hin Rong Kla north-west.