When I first set eyes on Phuket Island, it was like instant love and attraction been the largest island in Thailand, there are countless beaches if your a beach lover which, I am but not only that, it has like 440 kilometers (270 miles) of mountain rangers and waterfalls from the north to the southern end of the island.
On this particular day on Phuket Island my friends wanted to take me up to this secret small mountain cabin resort that hardly any foreigners know about it's like a Thai secret hide away for only local Thai's, it's a get away spot on the mountains for them to go relax and enjoy the tranquility of nature which is in the Thalang's Khao Phra Thaeo National Park and is where you will find the Bang Pae Waterfalls. So I hired myself a motorbike for the day costing me $6 US (200 Baht) and followed the leader through these dirt bike trials through the jungle up to this hidden gem.
The bike ride although a little bumpy along the way but, I didn't mind as the journey takes your mind of the bumpy trails as you are enjoying looking at all this lush green jungle surrounding you, I hadn't seen such lush green jungle like this before, it was going to be about a 4km ride to point where we would have to leave our motorbikes and hike about 1km along this stepped up trail lined with a rope to help us pull ourselves along but not before stopping at the jungle cafe called N&N Cafe out in the middle of nowhere this was really cool, coffee and breakfast before hitting the 1km hike up to the cabin resort by the waterfall.
After a delicious breakfast and coffee we played around on the swing tree before hiking up the mountain to this hidden cabin and waterfall. Along the way the girls picked some fresh fruits of the trees, that just grow wild out here, you would never die of starvation or dehydration in these mountains if you got lost and the fresh water flowing down from the mountains was a joy to drink was so tasty.
Getting to the cabin was no easy hike but a enjoyable fresh scenery the girls managed pretty well they had been here before and knew there way around, arriving almost to the top of the mountain and seeing what was up here was just mind blowing you would not even imagine that there would be people living up here, little own building these retreat cabins, Koi fish pond and the stepped down walls collecting the water from the waterfall, forming nice little refreshment pools to relax in and cool down.
I have heard many things about amazing Thailand and when, I saw this, I was lost for words, I really thought, I was dreaming and to be honest didn't want to come out of this dream how could a place like this exist, I kept telling myself there was so much natural nature around me if, I had the choice of going to heaven or here you know what, I would choose, it was the perfect environment to get lost in just take a look, how was I going to be able to leave this hidden gem.
These were no 5 star cabins it was all simply but who cared about that just to been here was a adrenaline on it's own the owners were so friendly, it was the perfect place to be away from all that hustle and bustle of the city life to free you body and mind relax and maybe even do a bit of meditation, it was the perfect place for that as you can see my friend's girlfriend did exactly that climbed up the waterfall and sat herself right under that small flowing waterfall and did her meditation how cool.
After absorbing all the natural beauty around us and cooling of in that clear fresh water, it was time for afternoon lunch before we headed back down the mountain so the girls did there, Thai thing they when for a walk around the mountain gathering some fruits and natural herbs and even found a nice fresh water crab from the stream to add to our menu, sorry crab you were at the wrong place at the wrong time so back to the kitchen with us, to prepare lunch and they certainly cooked up a storm never tasted such fresh natural Thai food.
Another swim and a walk around the mountain after lunch to burn of some calories and to take another look at this amazing nature before heading back to reality, damn I was going to miss this place but sure to be back here again in the near future.
Bang Pae Waterfall which is a very popular recreational spot in Thalang's Khao Phra Thaeo National Park is where lots of locals and foreigners will take to, just for a walk to see the amazing waterfalls or spend the day there with family and friends picnicking and swimming all day, it will cost you $6 US (200 Baht) to enter this national park but my friends knew the back way in so no fees involved but fees or no fee, I would have paid whatever to have been able to see this piece of paradise on earth, I was so overwhelmed, I couldn't stop taking photos, so am sorry for this extended post but, I am sure you all wished you were there and if you wanted to spend the night in a cabin it would cost you $15 US (500 Baht per/night) worth every cent. This for me has been the best that, I have seen in Thailand so far.
