Pha Taem National Park

Pha Taem National Park is a protected area in Ubon Ratchathani province in northeastern Thailand, noted for its prehistoric rock paintings and dramatic sandstone cliffs. The site is set on a high escarpment that overlooks the Mekong River and the Lao border.

The park’s main highlight is a series of ancient pictographs painted on a cliff face, showing humans, animals and boats; panels extend along the rock and are accessible by a short walk from the parking area. The cliff-top viewpoint offers wide panoramas across the Mekong and is a popular spot for sunrise and sunset.

Archaeological surveys have shown the pictographs date back several thousand years and are among the most significant prehistoric rock-art sites in Thailand. The area has been managed as a national park to protect the paintings, the cliff environment and surrounding forested plateau.

Pha Taem sits on the Mekong frontier in easternmost Ubon Ratchathani province, on a sandstone plateau that drops steeply to the river and the Laos bank. The park is accessed by road from the provincial network and sits close to the Thailand-Laos border.

• Age of paintings: The cliff-face pictographs include stylised human and animal figures and boats and have been dated to several thousand years old by archaeologists.
• Best time to visit: Early morning and late afternoon light give the best viewing conditions for the cliff panels and river views; the dry season offers clearer visibility.

What to See #

• Cliff paintings: Rock-art cliff panels on sandstone escarpments with painted figures of humans, animals and boats; panels are visible on a prominent cliff that overlooks the Mekong.
• Pha Taem viewpoint: A cliff-top viewpoint that provides wide views across the Mekong River to Laos and is prized for sunrise and sunset photography.