Phu Phra Bat Historical Park – Is It Worth Visiting?
-- Last Updated on August 16, 2023 by Jonesy
Within the Udon Thani province and just across the border of the Nong Khai is Phu Phra Bat Historical Park. It’s slightly closer to Nong Khai town than Udon by car.
This place is all about interesting and unusual rock formations set in a tropical forest park and mountainous area of the northeast of Thailand. Prehistoric art paintings that are said to date back thousands of years are found within Phu Phra Bat.
Open: Daily 8am – 4.30pm
Address: Mueang Phan, Ban Phue District, Udon Thani 41160
Cost: 100 THB per person
- A visit to Phu Phra Bat is one of the various things to do in Nong Khai and attractions to choose from when planning activities.
Phu Phra Bat – Things To Know
Located in the western area of Phu Phan mountains (65 km from Nong Khai town and 75 km from Udon Thai town), the historical park named Phu Phra Bat is set on the hilltops (elevation above 300 meters).
The rock formations are said to have formed from glacier movements millions of years ago. Some of these rocks have been modified to make use of them for humans, that’s great to see – in terms of the creativity of people while lacking some of our modern-day tools.
The Fine Arts Department declared Phu Phra Bat a historical site in 1991.
Time Needed To Visit
I would say it took us about 1.5 hrs to walk around the main rock formations without rushing. It can get very hot, so bringing headwear and water (maybe a snack) is a good idea.
Terrain & Walking
The trail is well-signposted in Thai and English. All the important rock formations also have information written in English.
Parts of the trail are uphill, rocky and downhill, so it’s wise to have suitable footwear. I don’t mean hiking boots, as most travellers are not going to carry these in Thailand, but just something better than flip flops.
It’s quite easy in this kind of terrain to sprain an ankle or catch a foot in between a rock, so do be cautious.
Amenities
The visitors centre is really helpful and provides a lot of information about the site and each of the rock formations. It’s worth checking in here first to get informed rather than do what I did, which was visit after walking the trail.
There are parts of the visitor’s area being built, and newly built sections include the toilets, which are 5 star hotel style with music and air conditioning (very impressive loos).
Phu Phra Bat Historical Park – Worth Visiting?
If you’re able to get transport (i.e., get a taxi, driver, car hire) from Nong Khai or Udon Thani, then Phu Phra Bat is a great travel attraction in Thailand, and quite unique.
It’s a day trip that’s well worth spending a day out on. It’s best to add another place to visit (attraction) that is in the province of Nong Khai or Udon to get the most out of travelling out of town for a day.
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