While it’s possible to walk around the park as much as you like, most choose to first hop on one of the park-provided, open-air trams that shuttle visitors from the welcome centre to where most of the trails begin near the top of the mountain. I generally prefer to rely on my own two legs rather than shuttle buses whenever possible, but after cruising the park with a group of cheerful locals while listening to the goofy yet enjoyable melodies of northeastern Thai country music that blared over the shuttle speakers, I quickly found myself swept up in the fun-loving atmosphere of Isaan folk enjoying their day off.
Once at the top, we set out on a mountain path that snakes through dense forest and around rock formations that look to have been deliberately scattered throughout the woods by giants. At a few points along the trail, the forest cleared just enough to catch a glimpse of the expansive green valley below.