🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Nong Bua Lamphu's main nature spots cluster inside Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park, which covers Non Sang district in Nong Bua Lamphu and runs up against Ubolratana district in Khon Kaen. This park of more than 200,000 rai splits into two main parts. The Phu Phan Kham side is the ridgeline along the lake above Ubolratana Dam, with water stretching as far as you can see. The Phu Kao side is a group of nine sandstone hills that hide cave paintings and dinosaur footprints. The two parts sit only a few dozen kilometres apart, so you can cover both in a single day's drive. With two full days you get a night by the water and an unhurried walk hunting for paintings that are thousands of years old.
The 2-day, 1-night plan at a glance
We built this route using Non Sang district as a base. Day one focuses on the Phu Phan Kham side and Ubolratana Dam: head up the Phu Aen skywalk for a panoramic view, then camp overnight by the lake at Laem Samran. Day two crosses to the Phu Kao side to hunt for ancient rock paintings in the caves, then closes out at Non Yao Beach before heading home. A private car is by far the easiest way to do all of this, since the sights sit inside the park and public transport barely reaches them.
- Day 1 — Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park + Phu Aen skywalk + lakeside camping at Laem Samran
- Day 2 — hunting for the ancient rock paintings on Phu Kao + dinosaur footprints + finishing at Non Yao Beach
Before you set off
The Phu Phan Kham side (park headquarters, skywalk, Laem Samran) and the Phu Kao side (rock-painting caves) sit in different zones, so leave travel time between the two. If you're set on climbing Phu Kao to find the paintings, contact the park staff or message their page ahead of time — some caves require a forest walk and you should have a guide.
Book the activities in your Nong Bua Lamphu trip ahead
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Day 1 — Phu Phan Kham, the skywalk, the freshwater lake
On day one head straight to the Phu Phan Kham side. The Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park headquarters sits by the lake above Ubolratana Dam in Non Sang district. The view from here is a broad sheet of water that locals casually call the freshwater sea of Isan, with small islands poking up in the middle. The sunset behind the ridge in the evening is lovely. The newer highlight on this side is the Phu Aen skywalk, a glass walkway that juts out from the cliff for a panoramic view over the dam.
Phu Phan Kham + Phu Aen skywalk + Laem Samran
The Phu Aen skywalk
The Phu Aen skywalk is a newer landmark inside Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham National Park, on the Non Sang side. It's open daily 06:00-18:30, with park entry around 20 THB per adult, parking around 30 THB, and a skywalk ticket around 60 THB. The sun from late morning into the afternoon is fairly harsh, so for nicer light and less heat, go in the early morning or close to evening.
If you'd rather not camp, there are a few resorts and lakeside guesthouses around Non Sang district and the dam to choose from, or you can head back to sleep at a hotel in Nong Bua Lamphu town and drive out again in the morning. But if you want the full sunrise-over-the-lake mood, staying at Laem Samran is the best value by far.
Day 2 — Phu Kao, ancient rock paintings, Non Yao Beach
Day two is the rare find of this trip. The Phu Kao side is a group of nine sandstone hills hiding traces of prehistoric people at several spots. Along the rock shelters and caves are paintings and carvings thousands of years old, thought to belong to a community contemporary with the Ban Chiang culture. The caves with traces you can see include Tham Suea Tok, a stack of rock shelters shaped like a mushroom, with handprints and line drawings, and Tham Chan Dai, about 200 metres away, with an animal figure resembling a bear shaded in solid colour. Phu Kao has also yielded dinosaur footprints thought to belong to the same species as those found at Phu Wiang in Khon Kaen.
Phu Kao rock paintings + dinosaur footprints + Non Yao Beach
About the ancient rock paintings
The rock paintings on Phu Kao are a genuine archaeological site with academic records — not a newly made photo spot. Many caves are hidden in the forest with unclear entrances, so always ask the park staff about the route and trail conditions first. Some stretches require a forest walk and scrambling over rock, and the trail gets slippery in the rain. Please don't touch or draw over the original paintings — they're a fragile heritage that's easily damaged.
Non Yao Beach, Isan's freshwater sea
Non Yao Beach is in Khok Yai sub-district, Non Sang district — a freshwater beach along the lake above Ubolratana Dam where locals come to swim in droves during Songkran and the hot season. The water is fairly clear, the breeze is cool, and across the lake you can see the Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham hills and the Phu Aen skywalk in the distance. It's a relaxed, easygoing spot, perfect for closing out the trip without much walking.
- Hot season (March-May) — the water drops, a wide sand beach appears, swimming is good, and it's crowded around Songkran
- Late rainy to early cool season (November-January) — the water is full, the breeze cool, the lake view wide open, great for camping
- Morning and evening — the best light, both sunrise and sunset over the water
Adjusting the plan to your time
Only 1 day
Pick just the Phu Phan Kham side — walk the Phu Aen skywalk, take in the dam view, then finish with a swim at Non Yao Beach as a there-and-back day trip with no overnight.
Don't want to camp
Do the Phu Phan Kham and Phu Kao sides as day trips, then head back to sleep at a hotel in Nong Bua Lamphu town and drive out again in the morning to cover what's left.
With kids
Focus on the skywalk, the dam view, and Non Yao Beach — easy to walk and good for swimming — and cut the forest walk for the rock paintings on Phu Kao.
Getting ready before you go
- A private car is easiest — the nature spots sit inside the park in Non Sang district, with little public transport reaching them
- Leave travel time between Phu Phan Kham and Phu Kao — the two sides are in different zones, not next to each other
- Have a guide for the rock-painting caves — the trail is forest and hard to reach, so ask the park staff first
- Bring water and food up the hill — shops on Phu Kao are limited, especially if you go early
- Late rainy to early cool season is the best time — cool air, a full dam, and a pleasant lakeside breeze
Plan a full Nong Bua Lamphu trip — nature, temples, and food
See the Nong Bua Lamphu travel guide →