Pha Taem National Park

Pha Taem occupies the eastern edge of Ubon Ratchathani, where a sandstone escarpment drops away to the Mekong. A stepped path runs along the base of the cliff past panels of red ochre paintings: fish traps, catfish, hands, cattle and rows of geometric marks, made by people who lived along this river thousands of years ago. Above, the plateau is a strange landscape of eroded pillars at Sao Chaliang and thin soil that produces fields of small wildflowers once the rains stop. Saeng Chan waterfall drops through a hole worn in a rock shelf, and Soi Sawan falls into a gorge nearby. Being the country's far east, the sunrise here arrives before anywhere else in Thailand.

What you actually see

• The painted cliff panels - ochre fish, hands and cattle along the base path.
• Sao Chaliang - mushroom-shaped rock pillars on the plateau above.
• Saeng Chan waterfall - water dropping through a hole worn in a rock shelf.
• The escarpment edge - the long view over the river, best at first light.

When to go

November to February is cool and clear, and it overlaps with the plateau flower fields, which are at their best from roughly October into December. Saeng Chan only performs during and just after the rains. Sunrise is the point of the main viewpoint, which means leaving Khong Chiam in the dark; the gate opens early for exactly that reason.

Honest expectations

The park is spread out and the sites sit far apart, so without a car you will see very little of it. The cliff path has long exposed stretches with no shade at all. The rock art is faded and takes patience to pick out, especially in flat midday light. Facilities are minimal, English signage is thin, and the waterfalls run dry outside the rainy months.

Nearby

Khong Chiam where two rivers meet, and Ubon Ratchathani city to the west.