It was once the largest opium growing area and a major drug trafficking route in the region. Because of this, forest land was completely destroyed. Today, the area has been transformed into an arboretum where native flora and rare species are grown alongside rhododendrons from different countries. Sorrel Himalayan Cherry (Prunus cerasoides D. Don) and such native orchids as lady’s slipper (the subfamily of Cypripedioidea), are grown in the natural environment amidst a forest of pine trees. The arboretum has paths that wind down the mountain slopes, leading to rest areas and panoramic views overlooking the distant topography of Thailand’s neighboring countries on the other side of the Mekong River.