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The imposing rock formations here are undoubtedly a natural attraction, but the special significance that Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park holds in Thailand's modern history is what draws most local tourists, especially at this time of the year.

In the 1970s, before it was declared a national park, this place was a major base for an anti-government insurgency mounted by guerrillas of the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) and, until 1982, the scene of many a bloody battle between the Royal Thai Army and left-wing rebels.

Straddling Nakhon Thai district of Phitsanulok and a forest area in Loei's Dan Sai district, the park covers 191,875 rai (307km2). Its major attractions are the Lan Hin Poom and Lan Hin Taek trails, plus what remains of structures that, at the height of the insurgency, served as the CPT's nerve centre and a training camp for new recruits.

The Lan Hin Poom starting point is about 4km from park headquarters. Both sides of the trail, which is roughly 3km in length, are strewn with countless rocks imposing in both shape and size. This is one of the best places to watch the sun set. Farther along you come to a cliff called Pha Chu Thong on which CPT cadres would hoist a red flag every time their forces defeated government troops in a battle or skirmish. Here, too, is the communists' headquarters and a cemetery for their fallen comrades.

It can take anything from one to two hours to reach the end of this trail, depending on your pace, after which you can head for the next point of interest, the CPT's political and military indoctrination camp which is located some 500m farther on and can be accessed from the main road which cuts through the park.

A total of 31 single-storey, wooden houses were erected here in 1970, of which only a few are still standing today, scattered around this forest clearing. The surviving structures include an office for administrative staff, a printing press and a communications centre. Later, in the wake of the October 6, 1976 uprising, as students and intellectuals fled right-wing military purges in the cities to join the CPT, this place was also used to school the new recruits in communist ideology. It was closed after the government amnesty of 1982 when the CPT gave up its armed struggle and all the combatants returned to their homes. Phu Hin Rong Kla was declared a national park in 1984.

Opposite the camp is a short trail leading to a huge pestle and mortar made from wood; powered by a watermill, this was once used by the rebels to dehusk rice grains.

The third attraction, Lan Hin Taek trail, starts around 500m from park headquarters. About 2.56km in length, its surface is pockmarked with cracks and fissures, many of them several metres deep, the result of geological activity.

If you have time to spare, do visit Man Daeng Waterfall. This 32-level natural wonder is around 22km from park headquarters. Getting there and back takes half a day and you are required to engage the services of an official tour guide for the excursion.

The park is open all year round. If you like wildflowers, visit at the end of the rainy season. At the moment it's an ideal spot for those who relish a bit of a nip in the air.

GETTING THERE
■ You can reach Phu Hin Rong Kla either via Nakhon Thai in Phitsanulok province or Lom Kao in Phetchabun. Transportation to the park is available from both places.

■ For information on Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, phone 055-233-527 or visit www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve. Accommodation and tent-pitching sites are available.

Photo tips from Canon
■ Lam Hin Poom is one of the highlights of the park and it’s often hard, especially on weekends, to find a spot where there aren’t a few people wandering around. So, rather than waiting for ages until there’s no one in your viewfinder, just choose your subject carefully. Bright colours, like this woman’s red shirt, can add an intriguing dimension to your photo. But I didn’t focus on her; instead, I trained my camera on the rocks in order to get a more interesting result.