Phu Lom Khum is a mountain in north-eastern Isaan. Like all mountains in the region, it is composed of sandstone. On top of the mountain sits a large, popular and rich temple. It is ever-expanding, and several construction projects are ongoing on the mountain, quickly turning it from a natural paradise into a Buddhist Disneyland - as is standard around these parts.
The rock on Phu Lom Khum is different from most of the other mountains in the region. It is a coarse grained sandstone with lots of pebbles baked into the rock, similar to what you would find in the Pfalz area in Germany or Elsass in France. What sets it apart are beautiful features and tall, imposing lines that beg to be climbed. Unfortunately, unlike the other areas in the region, the rock is also extremely fragile when it is wet and takes a couple of days after rain to completely dry. If it is not extremely dry, you will break holds and rip out pebbles and be at danger of awkward, unexpected falls.
Development began in 2020, but has been slow because the area requires extremely dry conditions and because the temple has slowly but surely expanded into the bouldering area, making former projects unclimbable and the future of bouldering here very uncertain. Due to this expansion the area is access sensitive, please read the access information. Nevertheless, there are several more cliffs and boulders on the mountain that are begging to be explored, both within and relatively far from the temple area.
Development at this crag started in January 2021. Some boulders were added in 2022 and 2023, but unfortunately at the end of 2023 the local monks decided to expand their constructions into the boulder field. The future therefore is uncertain.
The area is access sensitive!
1) Special rules at this crag
All of the currently developed boulders are within close proximity to a local temple. The temple is obviously rich and ever expanding, and last year (2022) several buildings have been put up right between the boulders. Monks are keen to turn the area with the boulders into a kind of garden or park by planting flowers and covering the ground in concrete. There's no way to say how the area will develop over the next couple of years - perhaps the boom will make it completely unclimbable, or maybe the abbot will lose interest in the area and it will be forgotten.
Being on temple grounds, the area is access sensitive! Don't come in groups, don't make noise, wear a t-shirt when climbing and most of all, be friendly to the resident monks! They can restrict climbing at any time they please, and the only way to avoid that is to not bother them and leave the area (better) than you found it. That being said, the monks were always welcoming when we climbed here. If you climb here, they will most likely come and watch from a distance.
2) How to drive to the crag and parking instructions
From Amnat Charoen (south) or Mukdahan (north), drive towards Nikhom Kham Soi. The road heading to Phu Lom Khum (road no 3022) heads west about 3 km south of Nikhom. Follow this road for 9 km until you see the mountain on your left. Drive up the mountain following either the older road / keeping left until you see the boulders right in front of you.
3) How to reach the sectors on foot
Park in front of the boulders and walk the long, arduous approach of 20 meters.