Lakeside seductions The Ubolratana Dam in Khon Kaen has spawned a gigantic reservoir around which rise beaches and parks with nature trails once walked by dinosaurs Since 1965 the Ubolratana Dam and its lake have been generating electricity and the source of water for irrigating farmlands in the upper northeast. The lake, with an area of 12,104 square kilometres, is surrounded by villages and forest parks. The dam itself is an instant attraction where the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has built facilities to accommodate visitors. A mite far if you are driving there from Bangkok, the dam nonetheless is never short of visitors, mostly locals and people in its vicinity, who regularly come to unwind and enjoy the scenery around the lake. Given its size, it can easily take a day to drive around the lake but the natural landscape, the small villages and parks are just too tempting to just pass them by. I arrived at the dam, the biggest in the Northeast, one afternoon and was totally mesmerised by the landscape. The expanse of water was vast, much bigger than I had thought. I joined the visitors on the dam's walkway. They had come to enjoy the scenery and watch the sun set. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day. I climbed down a path to the rock strewn shore where an angler was biding his time. Cool breeze from the lake swept in regularly. Looking up, I saw a huge Buddha image atop a hill near the dam. My curiosity got the better of me. I checked my map. Wat Phra Bat Phu Phan Kham, it said. The temple was just 450 metres from the entrance to the dam. A flight of wide stairs led to the Buddha image. The climb was not that bad. You can also drive there, but the walk up the stairs presented better vistas as the lush vegetation at the top obscured view. From the dam we proceeded to Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park which straddles one side of the lake. At first sight it looks small, but in effect it comprises two separate areas - Phu Khao and Phu Phan - that cover parts of Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen. It offers several nice viewpoints and there are canoes for rent. It has a lovely walking trail along the lake's edge and is famous for its naturally sculpted, awe-inspiring rock formations called Sao Hin Ham Tang. We arrived there early morning and the park was quiet with no other visitors in sight. The lake looked flat and the water level low, with the rainy season yet to get into full swing. We followed a road that runs parallel to the lake to Noan Yao, a beach, which was a nice surprise. It lies on the northwestern side of the lake and we saw cows grazing leisurely in pastures. From there we walked a long stretch of trail along the water's edge. A string of huts with thatched bamboo roofs dotted the shore. The trail surrenders to a picturesque lake surrounded by mountains. An old woman with warm smile showed up, asking if we would care for lunch. As a matter of fact most of the huts served meals, and we would have taken her offer had it been evening instead of lunch time because it would have made for a fine dining against the backdrop of a setting sun. Water in the lake here was only knee deep even after I had ventured a good two to three hundred metres from the shore. This was easily the most picturesque spot around the lake. Then we were back on the road, this time on an hour-long drive to Phuwiang Dinosaur Museum in Khon Kaen whose air-conditioned rooms were a welcome respite from the heat outside.
Our tour of the two-storey museum began with an introduction to the origins of our galaxy, universe and planet Earth. There is a replica of near-complete dinosaur skeleton, the Phuwiangosaurus, and 80 pieces of sauropod bones discovered in 2000 in the region. A glass partition separates a laboratory where paleontologists can be seen at work. A massive iron-cast copy of the plant-eating sauropod, Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae, excavated at Site No. 1 in 1982 in Phuwiang National Park, Khon Kaen, stands towering the visitors. According to the museum, the first dinosaur fossils in Thailand were found in Thailand while prospecting for uranium in the park in 1976 by Mr Sudham Yamniyom. Since then, remains of several other species have been unearthed. On the museum's second floor there is a presentation about the evolution of man and the anthropoid primate. Showcased are metal ores, field equipment used by paleontologists and a library. Next we headed for the excavation sites, nine in all, where we hired a team of student guides to show us around. We chose to begin with Site No. 2 located on a higher ground. Six cervical vertebrae of a herbivorous dinosaur were found here. Before we reached Site 1, we did a detour by following a sign directing visitors to shell fossils that without prior knowledge we would have passed for ordinary rocks strewn in vegetation. From there it was 500-metre walk to Site 1 that featured a glass chamber in which were kept the left and right femur, a shin bone and six hip bones of a dinosaur, apart from three cervical and two thoracic vertebrae and ten pieces of the rib cage. Experts believe the fossils belonged to a large dinosaur 15 metres long and three metres tall, with a long neck and tail. There were other sites spread over a three-kilometre area but with the sun bearing down on us we decided to give them a pass. I had heard that the lake has a beach called Pattaya II, which was not so far from there. After an hour's drive, I was absolutely amazed as the scene unfurled before my eyes: a wide and long strip of beach that was totally different from its more famous namesake in the eastern province of Chon Buri. It was vast and empty. The lake with a backdrop of mountains was fascinating. Young tourists could be seen enjoying a swim while adults indulged themselves in one of the many eateries dotting the beach. In two days we had succeeded in making a complete circle of the lake. Nam Phong National Park is located on its southeastern side. The road to the park offers scenic lake view. A cliff, Hin Chang Si, some 500 metres tall is the best spot for a bird's-eye view. The area was so named because in the past it was frequented by wild elephants who left their marks on the boulders. TRAVELTips The dam is in Ubolrat District of Khon Kaen Province. Drive on Highway No. 2 out of Bangkok, get on to the 2109 and follow the road sign to Khon Kaen, 445 kilometres northeast of the capital. Ubolrat Dam is 50 kilometres from the provincial heart. There is a road around the lake. Accommodation - Apart from an 18-hole golf course, the dam site boasts lodgings, a restaurant and bike rental service for excursions around the lake. For further information, call 043-446-231. - Yai Nom Field Resort is located in tambol Khuen Ubolrat. It has air-conditioned rooms priced 350 baht per night. Khon Kaen City - Kosa Hotel (043-320-320) has rooms with a starting price of 1,200 baht per night. - Rooms at Sofitel Raja Orchid Khon Kaen (043-322-155 to 9) start from 1,900 baht. - Rates start at 1,550 baht per night at Charoen Thani Princess (043-220-400-14). Park lodges: - Phu Khao-Phu Phan Kham National Park (01-221-0764) has four lodges. - For accommodation at Nam Phong National Park, call 043-248-8006. |