Phu Thap Boek

Phu Thap Boek is the highest ground in Phetchabun province at roughly 1,768 metres, and the summit ridge is farmed - Hmong villages work terraces of cabbage and other cool-climate crops right up the slopes, which is what the photographs of green stepped hillsides show. From November to February the ridge fills with tents and simple accommodation for Thai visitors who come to camp for the cold and the sunrise over cloud-filled valleys, and on peak weekends and New Year the numbers are substantial enough to strain the water, waste and road capacity of a small mountain settlement. Nights fall to a few degrees and occasionally near freezing. The access road is steep with severe gradients and tight bends; local operators run pickup transfers from the bottom and using one is the standard advice, since ordinary cars regularly fail on the climb or lose brakes coming down.

What you actually see

• The cabbage terraces - Hmong farming worked up the mountain slopes.
• The camping ridge - tents along the summit through the cool season.
• The sunrise - over cloud filling the valleys below.
• The altitude - about 1,768 metres, and genuinely cold at night.

When to go

November to February. New Year and cool-season weekends are extremely crowded - book ahead or go midweek. Nights are cold; bring proper warm clothing.

Honest expectations

The access road is steep and dangerous for ordinary cars - use a local pickup transfer. Very crowded at peak times with strained facilities and rubbish problems. Cold enough at night to be a real issue for the unprepared.

Nearby

Khao Kho is south; Nam Nao National Park is west.