Phu Kradueng National Park
The located in Amphoe Phu Kradueng of the Loei Province, is one of the famous national parks of Thailand, with a high point of 1360 m. Every year tens of thousands of people come to make the climb up this famous mountain. It received the title of a nationally protected forest in the year 1943, and was proclaimed a national park on the 7th of October 1959, the second national park of Thailand after Khao Yai National Park.
Travelling to Phu Kradueng
The easiest route to Phu Kradueng, is to take a bus from Khon Kaen to Pha Nok Kao. Get off in front of 'Raan J Gim' From there a minibus is available to take you to the central office of the park. The minibus takes approximately half an hour. The park office closes at 15.00, as climbers will not have enough time to climb the mountain before dark.
Geography
Phu Kradung is a sandstone mountain with a vast plateau on top, surrounded by smaller hills. The highest peak is 1,316m above sea level. It is the watershed for the Pong River, which feeds the reservoir of Ubonrat Dam and Nong Wai Dam in Khon Kaen Province. The plateau of Phu Kradung is composed of pine forest and grassland, which have a variety of flowers, creeks, waterfalls and rocky fields. These features make in the park most pleasant.
Climate
Phu Kradung is a cool and comfortable all year round. The average temperature is 15 degrees celsius. In the cool season, temperatures of the coldest nights reaches feezing. In the rainy season, the weather can change quicky. Fog and low clouds tend to hang low over the landscape. Cliffs may collapse under their own weight after the soil which underlies the sandstone cap is eroded by heavy rain. Heavy rains can also cause flash floods in the streams which run down the mountain. Thus, the park will be closed during June and September every year for visitors safety and forest recovering.
