By Nik

Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary is near the Lao border by the Mekong River about 170 km east of Nong Khai. Phu Wua means Cow Mountains The Sanctuary was created in 1975 to protect the forests, rocks, animals and nature. It is ideal for one or two days trekking and visitors also have a chance to wild elephants.

On feet to the top about 40 minutes.

On the top

Accommodation available there is home-stay in the nearby village Ban Kam Pia. Here visitors can stay overnight with local families learning about the lives of Thai villagers and local culture too.

You can get to the Sanctuary by car from Nong Khai or take a bus along the highway and then take a tuk tuk to the Kham Pia village for the last 3 km.

If you want to go trekking best is to arrive early in the morning or you can stay at the home-stay for a night,

then start trekking next morning around 8 or 9 a.m, because if you start late it is quite tough, very hot , and has less time to see things too.

Last week, Openmind staff and Sven?s family went

there to celebrate the Birthday of Sessan, Sven?s sister.

We got there around 2.30 which rather late for trekking, but we tried anyway. It took about 40 minutes to get to the top. Then we walked up on the plateau and there we touched the real nature and felt very proud that once we conquered Phu Wua. Up there if you have a good luck you might see or hear the wild elephants nearby but don?t try to follow them or to get close to them, because they can be dangerous and hurt you. Phu Wua also has many waterfalls like Jet Sri (seven colors) Cha nan, Tham Phra, Tham Foon and viewpoints. Here you can see the sunrise and the sunset, and see the Lao mountains across the Mekong River . In the rainy season, there are lots of wild flowers and plants like Pitcher plant etc. There are also rare animals like pangolin, horn bill bird, Phu Wua chameleon and so on. Please remember all activities must be done with a local tour guide. We tried to find out wild elephants but we saw just only dung. But this didn?t upset us, because we saw other things instead. When we came down after 4 hours, it?s nearly dark, and everybody was very tired tired but it was funny.

Enjoy dinner together

In the evening we stayed with a host

family, had a chance to try the local food with the host family with the really warm welcome. Villagers even old, teenagers, young, children and babies gathered with us and prepared everything, food and drink. Can you imagine how much fun we had? When almost all villagers came to greet us, it is likethe big ceremony of the country. I?d like to invite you to try it yourself!!!

Light a candle for the Basi

After dinner it?s a time for the Basi! The blessing ceremony for good luck., that the village people had prepared for us. This is an ancient Thai tradition still alive in the Isan villages. First the prayer will chant in the Buddhist language Pali and Thai, wishing the best for all.Then everybody will sit around the banana leaves tray, used for the worship of the gods, to listen while he is chanting. Then we all tied a thread around each other?s

wrists, like everyone is the same family!

Biding the hands

Next activities for the night were Thai, Isan music and dances, local and country songs. We all danced together with the villagers, old and young. There are two styles for dancing; first everyone will dance around the flower pole, with only two instruments, drum and wind pipes. Then everybody will pick a partner to dance together with modern instruments. We will never forget this evening.!

If you arrive in Nong Khai then you are close to this adventure and an unforgettable experience. Why don?t you try to go Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary?