Facts
- Elevation: 1,794 m (5,886 ft)
- Prominence: 1,285 m
- Ribu category:
Kurang Tinggi - Region:
Northern Thailand - Coordinates: 16.9067, 101.0867
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Loading... - Other names: ภูหมันขาว
- World Ribus ID: 68581
Bagging It!
Often known as Phu Thap Boek (ภูทับเบิก) after the tourist area lower down from the summit, Phu Man Khao (ภูหมันขาว) is the true highest peak of the Phetchabun Range in Thailand. Unfortunately this highest point of the mountain is an army barracks so access is likely to be prohibited from the paved road winding through countless hairpin curves, reaching its heighest point just under the peak at around 1,680m.
Lower down there are viewpoints, cabbage farms and Hmong hill‑tribe villages to explore. This area, including a camping spot, is the much better-known Phu Thap Boek. Visitors often trek short paths through farmland or woodland to reach viewpoints at sunrise. The area is marked by roadside stalls, resorts, an observatory and the Wat Pa Phu Thap Boek temple further north.
Practicalities
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- Getting there: The nearest town appears to be Lom Khao to the east.
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- Permits: Not required for the villages. Access to the summit is usually prohibited.
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- Water sources: To explore any forest trails, carry sufficient water as none is available beyond vending points.
Local Average Monthly Rainfall (in Chiang Mai) 
Location
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Origins and Meaning
The Thai name Phu Thap Boek (ภูทับเบิก) loosely translates to “Blanket-Covered Peak”, a poetic reference to its frequent cloud cover and mist that blankets the valleys at dawn.
Phu Thap Boek is actually the name of the camping and tourist area about 2 km SE of this location. And the hills (or one of them… where the monument is) in that camping area. Also other names for specific hills around the campground.
The summit identified here is Phu Man Khao (ภูหมันขาว). This is noted in the name of the air force installation on the summit. Also consistent with local/official signage in the area. And if you google Phu Thap Boek in the Thai language you will get a lot of information about the campground. If you google ภูหมันขาว you will get Thai language references to the summit area at the air force base (and elevations more consistent with the true summit).
The inconsistency is understandable. Google maps has Phu Thap Boek applied to the summit in English (along with a bunch of campground photos) and this probably propagated to other references. And there are not any English translations of Phu Man Khao that I can find (probably as it isn’t translated to English because no English person has been up there 🙂
But this is very consistent in both signage and websites in Thai (including the name of the base on the summit on Google maps… สถานีรายงานภูหมันขาว กองทัพอากาศ… i.e., Phu Man Khao Reporting Station, Royal Thai Air Force).
My expectation is that one day, eventually, I will manage my way to the summit via negotiation… time will tell how involved that may be.
Not sure if access is possible to this one, as it’s a military base.