Sam phan bohk III – going by boat to rocky beauties

[gerhardveer]

Sam phan bohk III – going by boat to rocky beauties


A really dreamlike route for bikers in eastern Eesan starts in Khong Chiam ( there where Mae Nam Mun / Mae Nam Chi flows into Mekong river - "Mae Nam song si" = two colour river) - goes to Pha Taem ( rock plateau with a breathtaking ancient cliff and a phantastic view to Mekong plain and Laos). Last station is Sam Pan Bohk with it's phantastic river-landscape. You should stay for two overnight-stays ( one in Khong Chiam and one in Sam Pan Bohk) to have enough time to enjoy the scene and - specially for Sam Pan Bohk - in the dry season when Mekong has low water to see the rocks...

Who wants, can continue passing Kemmarat to Mukdahan - if still more time:

https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-mot...g-Long-Phu-Tok

Khong Chiam: 15.318521, 105.498413 - +15° 19' 6.68", +105° 29' 54.29"
Pha Team : 15.399280, 105.507832 - +15° 23' 57.41", +105° 30' 28.20"
Sam Pan Bohk : 15.823037, 105.365278 - +15° 49' 22.93", +105° 21' 55.00"

"3000 holes" - you surely could add one or tw "0" more, it still would't enough! The rapids of Mekong north of the wellknown Pha Taem Nationalpark are the most fascinating river landscape I've ever seen. Mekong here has to pass a some kilometers long narrow section where it flows during the rainy seasons with high speed which makes a high erosion. The sandstone has different hard layers which therefore are eroded with different intensity - that's why big blocks and plates break down at erosion banks. Consequence: breathtaking rock formations!Where single blocks persist in dips of the rocky surface and are moved by burbels deep and round wholes are generated - the "bohks". In the dry season when the water flows up to eight meters deeper, you can see the result.

Part III rocky surface

Part I: https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/38271-Sam-phan-bohk-I-%96-Landscape-and-monks

Part II: https://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/showthread.php/38297-Sam-phan-bohk-II-%96-rocky-banks-golden-morning-fishermen?p=289782#post289782


gliding calmly

rock beauties

 

[gerhardveer]

 

[gerhardveer]

 

[gerhardveer]

 

[jsbkk]

Great composition and fantastic photography! Really impressive. A few questions - the rocky pictures .. have they been taken in bright sunlight or on an overcast day? The shadow details are just superb! and the river pictures .. did you use filters to get the richness of colors or they have been enhanced during post-production ? Thanks

 

[gerhardveer]

I took most of them in the late afternoon and also in the early morning when the light is still soft and you have the shadows for 3D-impression. I never use filters but in post-production I use gradation-curves to make colours more bright...
But the first and main quality comes from my fullsize-sensors with 21 MP (CANON EOS 5D II and 1Ds III)

 

[Pajero]

This is such a beautiful area. Ok the accommodation is sparse and on the whole crap but as its largely unexplored in a touristy way it still has some real gems as you point out. Camping at Pha taem (outside holiday periods) is fantastic.

There is also Chanadai Cliff with stunning morning sunrise over Loas and the Mekong and for you guys on Bikes a great off road 14 km to the cliff top. Here's a video



At Nam Tok Soi Sawan there are the some of the most impressive flower fields (Carnivorous/ Insectivorous plants everywhere) and a cool dip in the waterfall to boot.

Wish I had your talent with a camera

John

 

[gerhardveer]

Thanks! Could you please give the GPS-dates ?

 

[gerhardveer]

Thanks - but I hate watermarks! And the pics have a resolution about 1000x660 Pixel (the Originals 21MP) - if someone uses them in that small resolution, it doesn't scratch me...

. And for prints you can't use them except for small sizes in the crapper...

 

[gerhardveer]

Thanks again, I know - my first photos were stolen in 1980. Close-ups from birdspiders in the Bahamas. The diapositives never came back from Kodak-processing but I saw them in an american scuba diver magazine...

Now I'm 62 and the amount of people who can me get by the backside inreases daily...