Just 100Kms South of Hua Hin, Chong Krajok Mountain is a small mountain situated at the Northern end of the town. It is located in front of Wat Tharnmikaram 2. There are 396 steps to climb to the temple at the top, which is no mean feat for an old, overweight chap like me. Enshrined in the Golden Pagoda at the top are Buddha bones. There is also a duplicated Buddha Footprint. Tourists can request a certificate from the Tourism Department, Prachuap Kiri Khan Municipality to confirm they have conquered the 396 steps (personally, I was too knackered to bother).
Car parked, and this was the task ahead.
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Small fountain depicting the monkeys ahead of me on my climb.
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The stairway to heaven? No, this only took me to less than half way up the mountain.
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This was phase 2 of the climb (note the monk ahead of me)
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Almost there, and a huge poster telling me what a clever chappie I'd been surviving this far.
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Plenty of targets sitting in the trees for the Monk to shoot at.
Nice pics B.B. I've put this place on the 'take the wife there' list..
So did you actually make it to the top..? Or send your good lady up there with the camera..??
It's in Prachuab Khiri Khan (the town) itself.
Drive towards the beach and turn left at the traffic lights at the temple after the newish flyover I think.
usual suspect wrote: So did you actually make it to the top..? Or send your good lady up there with the camera..??
My good lady had more sense - she stayed in bed at the hotel
prcscct wrote: Is the town name the same as the mountain (for map reference)?
As Frank rightly says its in Prachuab.
buksida provided some very nice photos from here a couple of years back. Main difference being the current 'hazy' conditions weren't prevalent, and buksi has a decent camera
I've climbed to the temple twice. The 1st with a monk as he said the monkey's could be a pest. He explained the history, how it was built in honour of an earlier king, but that it was effectively abandoned as the monkey's kept wrecking everything! It was his turn to spend the night up there.
The 2nd time I (reluctantly) went up, was because the other half wanted to take water to the monkeys at the very top, I kid you not! So we lugged a 5k water bottle with us. Madness, I know.
caller wrote:I've climbed to the temple twice. The 1st with a monk as he said the monkey's could be a pest. He explained the history, how it was built in honour of an earlier king, but that it was effectively abandoned as the monkey's kept wrecking everything! It was his turn to spend the night up there.
The 2nd time I (reluctantly) went up, was because the other half wanted to take water to the monkeys at the very top, I kid you not! So we lugged a 5k water bottle with us. Madness, I know.
You know, that could answer a question for BB. If they have "monks on monkey duty" and he saw BB planning an ascent, he may have gone up there specifically to keep the monkeys at bay. Interesting thought and plausible. Also explains why he wasn't too friendly having to do that as daily chores. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
caller wrote:I've climbed to the temple twice. The 1st with a monk as he said the monkey's could be a pest.
Strange that because as I started my climb there was a Thai man shouting frantically up at me in Thai. I could understand enough to know that he was warning me about the monkeys. Maybe he was telling me that I shouldn't go alone. Never mind, I actually like the monkeys - I find a soft word and no sudden movements, and they leave you alone. Its the people who show fear, and try to shoo them away who have problems.
prcscct wrote:If they have "monks on monkey duty" and he saw BB planning an ascent, he may have gone up there specifically to keep the monkeys at bay. Interesting thought and plausible. Also explains why he wasn't too friendly having to do that as daily chores. Pete
The Monk was making his ascent before I arrived, and arrived at/opened the gates a couple of minutes before I got there. He was definitely shooting the monkeys for sport - I don't think he even knew I was up there.
I suppose Mr Big Boy will appreciate these early morning pictures or Khao Chong Krajok.
I am not an expert photographer as he is, and my fine Panasonic is out of order, so that I am now using a s
