Pha Taem National Park: Magnificent Prehistoric Sights in Ubon Ratchathani

The Bear Team 3 min read

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Are you tired of relaxing on the beach in Phuket, Koh Samui, or partying in Pattaya? Do you want to experience something different? Then come along to explore the stunning Pha Taem National Park. 

Thailand is home to some of the most awe-inspiring national parks and unique wildlife, flora, and fauna. One of the best parts about visiting Thailand for a holiday adventure is that there is much to see and do. 

Join us on our journey to Pha Taem National Park, one of the most mesmerizing places you laid your eyes upon.

 Fun Fact!

Pha Taem National park is a beautiful tree-covered forest along the famous Mekong River. It allows visitors to explore extensive prehistoric rock art and the stunning geological phenomenon of mushroom rocks. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit this tranquil forest.

Exploring Pha Taem National Park

Pha Taem National Park is over 140 square kilometers in the Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani. The park is close to the Cambodian border in Eastern Thailand. This national park enjoys many dreamy rainforest areas, and there are stunning plateaus, rolling hills, and mesmerizing cliff faces from earthquakes in bygone times. 

The range of flora and fauna at the park is impressive. You can get fabulous photo opportunities with beautiful wildflowers growing amongst the rocky outcrops.  Some of the main highlights are Pha Taem and Pha Kam, which are both located near the national park base. 

  Trivia!

The rock art discovered in Pha Taem National park is believed to be 3,000 years old.

Ancient Prehistoric Caves

The national park is an ancient place and has been inhabited for thousands of years. Some stunning prehistoric caves have paintings that date back 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. This offers a fascinating insight into how the local people lived back then. There are cave paintings of rice farming and fishing, as you would expect from hunter-gatherers. 

There are also paintings depicting human figures, animals, hands, and even some strange geometric designs. This is now believed to be the site of one of the oldest agrarian communities in this part of the world. It seems that Ubon Ratchathani could well be the cradle of civilization in the northeastern part of Thailand. In recent times, archeologists discovered evidence that makes them believe that this site is older than once thought. It is now believed that human settlers lived in this area between 6,000 and 14,000 years ago, dating back to before the last ice age. 

The park is open daily from 6 am to 6 pm with an admission fee of 400 THB for adults and 200 THB for children. This is quite possibly the foreign tourist price and would be much cheaper if you have a Thai driving license or work permit. If you want to explore a national park that is mesmerizingly beautiful and home to ancient settlers, the Pha Taem National Park is simply stunning. 

  Did You Know?

Pha Taem National Park is one of the most popular destinations in Thailand, especially among tourists who come here to see the counry's first sunshine of the new year. Also, this National Park is home to many animals which migrate from Laos in summer.

How to Visit Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani? 

You can find Pha Taem National Park, 18 km from Khong Chiam. From here, you can take Highway 2134 and then Highway 2112. Turn right at kilometer 8 and keep going straight for 5 km until you see the national park grounds.

Map & More Information

Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani is home to ancient caves with rock paintings and amazing thousands of years old geological phenomena such as hills, mushroom rocks, and sheer cliffs. It is also home to diverse flora and fauna with wildflowers and dipterocarp forests.