Tubburk Glamping — Dome Tents on the Phu Thap Boek Ridge Where the Door Opens onto a Sea of Mist
If you have ever wanted to sleep above the sea of mist on Phu Thap Boek without pitching a tent yourself, Tubburk Glamping is a name mountain regulars have been trading over the last couple of years. It's a cluster of dome tents and small cabins lined up along a high ridge, each one facing out over the valley and the hills below. What guests come back saying, almost to a person, is that you open the door in the morning to mist filling the entire valley — and far off on another peak you can still pick out the white pagoda of Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew rising above it. Worth knowing up front: this place sells the view and the cold mountain air, not hotel-grade luxury.
The thing to understand before booking is that Tubburk Glamping is not a single building. It's a spread of round dome tents and small cabins set along the Phu Thap Boek ridge, each on a raised platform angled toward the valley. The property sits in Wang Ban, Lom Kao district — the Phu Thap Boek area, the highest ground in Phetchabun at around 1,700 metres above sea level — so the air stays cool most of the year and turns genuinely cold in winter. There's a range of units, from entry-level dome tents up to VIP cabins with air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom with a bathtub, and a private terrace facing the hills.
The real draw here is the morning sea of mist. Because the units sit high on the ridge and face open ground, a clear morning brings thick cloud pooling across the valley below, with the sunrise coming in from the side and turning the whole thing gold. Look further out and you'll catch the white pagoda of Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew on a neighbouring peak, poking out above the mist — it's the shot nearly every guest brings home, and the main reason people are willing to drive up the mountain for it. Early risers win big here, since the mist tends to be at its best before about eight in the morning.
We had been talking about this trip for months — everyone in the group wanted to see the sea of mist on Phu Thap Boek, but nobody wanted to pitch a tent in the cold. When we found Tubburk Glamping it seemed like exactly the right answer: proper beds and hot water, but still out on the ridge with the view. We booked the VIP unit because two of us feel the cold badly, and that turned out to be the right call.
The drive up on the final stretch was steeper than I expected — tight bends, no barriers in places, and the car was working hard the whole way. We arrived in the late afternoon when mist was already starting to drift across the lower slopes. The unit itself was smaller than a hotel room but it had everything you actually need: a comfortable bed with thick blankets, a fan, a lamp, proper hot water in the en-suite, and a terrace with chairs pointed straight out over the valley. The dome tent structure gives it a camping feel without any of the discomfort, which was exactly what we were after.
I set an alarm for five-thirty the next morning and went out wrapped in the blanket from the bed. The mist had filled the entire valley below us — thick, white, completely covering the farmland and the road we had driven up. The sunrise came in from the side and turned the whole thing gold for about twenty minutes. Further away on a neighbouring peak I could see the white pagoda of Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew rising above the mist line. I stood there with a coffee I had made from the kettle in the unit and genuinely did not want to move. That single half-hour in the morning was worth the whole trip on its own, and it is difficult to imagine seeing it from a better position than that terrace.
The open-air bathtub was the other thing nobody expected to like as much as they did. Ours was set on a platform at the edge of the slope, facing out over terraced cabbage fields and the hills beyond. In the late afternoon before it got dark we filled it with warm water and sat there in the cold air looking out at the view. It sounds strange to describe but it is genuinely one of the best things I have done at a hotel anywhere, and everyone in the group said it was the highlight of the stay.
A few honest notes for anyone planning to go: food on the mountain is limited and closes early, so bring snacks and water up with you and ask the property about dinner in advance — we sorted that out before we arrived and ate warm without having to drive back down after dark, which would have been unpleasant. The road needs a car with decent power and good brakes, so check that before you go. And if you are sensitive to cold, pick the VIP unit — the entry-level tents may only have a fan and the nights up there are much colder than they look on a map. With all that accounted for, this was one of the best overnight stays we have had anywhere in Thailand.
What sets the place apart from the usual Thap Boek stay is the open-air bathtub angled out toward the hills. Some units have a pair of tubs set right at the edge of the slope on artificial turf — you soak in warm water looking out over terraced cabbage fields and distant ridgelines, and plenty of guests call it the highlight of the trip. The VIP units add the soaking tub plus an en-suite bathroom with a water heater, which matters a lot up here because the nights get cold and the hot water and a heater genuinely earn their keep. Inside, the dome tents have a soft bed, thick bedding, a fan and a lamp — a camping feel without the discomfort.
Breakfast is provided, and there's tea, coffee and a kettle in the unit for those cold early mornings. Parking is on site, and some units are pet-friendly, so if you want to bring the dog up the mountain it's worth asking before you book. Be honest with yourself about food, though: restaurants and convenience stores on Phu Thap Boek are sparse and scattered along the main road. Bring snacks and water up with you, and plan dinner ahead — the nights are cold and driving back down the mountain for a meal is further than it looks.
The location works hard for anyone here specifically for Thap Boek. It's about a 10-minute drive to the Phu Thap Boek viewpoint and the cabbage terraces, 30–40 minutes to Wat Phra That Pha Sorn Kaew, and not far from the popular camping grounds up on the summit. From Phetchabun town it's a 1.5–2 hour climb, and roughly 6 hours from Bangkok. The final stretch is a steep, winding mountain road, so come with a car that has enough power and a driver comfortable on hills — and if you're not confident, local pickup services run trips up to the summit for hire.
On price, dome tents start around ฿1,500/night, while the VIP units with air conditioning, a bathtub and the full open view run closer to ฿2,500–3,500 depending on the unit and the season. In winter (November–January), when crowds head up Thap Boek for the mist, rates climb fast and units sell out well ahead — book several weeks early and compare Agoda, Booking and Trip.com every time. The bottom line: Tubburk Glamping suits anyone who wants to sleep amid the sea-of-mist view on Thap Boek with a soft bed and an en-suite, without pitching a tent. For both warmth and the view, go VIP. If you're expecting full resort-style service or a large, plush room, this is a place that trades those for atmosphere and the view — better to know that going in.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Morning sea of mist and mountain views are stunning
- ✓ Open-air bathtub facing the hills — a favourite for many guests
- ✓ Soft-bed dome tents with thick bedding, comfortable in the cold
- ✓ Close to the Phu Thap Boek viewpoint and cabbage terraces
- ! Nights are very cold — units without AC/heater need preparation
- ! Few restaurants and convenience stores up on the mountain
- ! The final climb is steep and winding
- ✓ Genuine clifftop glamping feel — quiet and private
- ✓ Private terrace for watching the mist and the sunrise
- ✓ VIP units have an en-suite soaking tub — good for nature-loving couples
- ✓ Breakfast included, with tea and coffee in the unit
- ! You need your own car with decent power for the steep road
- ! Winter and long-weekend rates climb and sell out fast
- ! Small property — limited shared facilities
- 💡If you're coming in winter and feel the cold — pick a VIP unit with AC/heater and an en-suite with hot water → entry-level dome tents may only have a fan, and nights on Thap Boek are far colder than people expect
- 💡If you want the mountain-view bathtub — specify a unit with an open-air soaking tub and an unobstructed view when booking → not every unit has a tub, and some views are blocked by other units, so check with the property first
- 💡If you're planning dinner — restaurants up the mountain are scattered and close early → ask the property about evening meals or pre-ordering, or bring food and water up with you rather than driving down after dark