Big Mountain Festival, Khao Yai
A midnight train, motorbike taxis, a garden campsite and one of the best festival set-ups I have seen.
Big Mountain Festival 2022 – Khao Yai, Thailand
After a full day of teaching, we jumped on a 4-hour train to Pak Chong, arriving around midnight to find no car taxis, just motorbike taxis. So we hopped on with our backpacks and rode through quiet country roads to a small campsite in the garden of a Thai style home.
After a rocky night’s sleep, we woke to the buzz of something building. A street of market stalls had popped up out of nowhere, even in the countryside, Thailand didn’t miss a beat. From grilled chicken to mango sticky rice, the food hit the spot.
After breakfast, we grabbed another motorbike taxi to the festival entrance. A quick COVID test later, we stepped into one of the best festival set-ups I’ve ever seen - music stages, glowing lights, food markets, all surrounded by lush green mountains. It was surreal.
The heat in the day was intense, but when night fell, the lights came on and the whole place transformed. It felt like music and nature heaven.
I was so grateful to experience a big local Thai festival - a chance to learn and connect.
We saw rapper Milli perform Mirror Mirror on the Wall, and the crowd went wild for boy band Paper Planes singing Pretend - a catchy song about trying to act that everything is okay. Back then it didn’t feel relatable… but growing up changes that.
The Esan music stage was full of vibrant dancing, pure energy, and a crowd that felt like family.
It was a reminder that joy doesn’t need words, and the best memories are often the most unexpected.