Once you reach Pang Ung in Northern Thailand’s Mae Hong Son Province, you will immediately realise that this small hill of pines and a reservoir is getting way too much attention (and too many visitors – of course) for its size.

Given new life by the locals, this abandoned logging site enjoyed a second wind thanks to a landscape photographer who captured the solitude beauty of the reservoir.

Pang Ung is now a popular winter destination.

Casual campers pitch their tents and chill out in the cold weather under canvas. Weekenders and day-trippers roam around clad in their finest jackets and sweaters looking for the best backdrops for their photos.

Now that beautiful nature is once again fading and the old logging camp is losing its second life, the victim of too many visitors over the last five years. The noise level is deafening. Cars are everywhere, as is carelessly discarded rubbish. That’s disastrous.

If you want visit Pang Ung for a quick winter retreat, avoid long weekends and public holiday.

And if you cannot stay away from the crowd, then jump into a boat. At the speed the oarsman is able to row, you will ที่leave the noise and people behind and enjoy the natural beauty that lies ahead.

IF YOU GO

Pang Ung logging camp is about an hour’s drive from the city of Mae Hong Son. You rent a tent and stay at the campground. Local food stands and bathrooms are within walking distance from the campground.