Sangkraburi, Kanchanaburi

A small trip pop up in our mind. Imagining a peaceful and quite place along the river. Taking a sip of beer at the balcony of a floating house on Vajiralongkorn Dam with a little group of friends. Our destination... Sangkraburi, a small town located in the northern part of Kanchanaburi.

A long way to go

Well, at last, things doesn't goes much as imagined but still a great journey. We choose to drive because we thought it is not too far but turns out that we're totally wrong. We take the route through Suphanburi > Kanchanaburi > Thongphapoom > 70 km to Sangkraburi on rough road uphill. I never thought Kanchanaburi would be this far from one end to another. We really under estimate the timing. We thought it's gonna be 2 or 3 hours max but actually it takes about 5 hrs to get there from Nonthaburi.

Raft houses

We booked a night stay at Oh Dee Hostel. The places is very clean and comfortable, located in town central and not far from walking street. As soon as we checked in at the hostel, rain falls and the light goes off. I wish it will come back soon. We have to cancel our plan for boat ride this evening. On the other hand, we have plenty of time to think about tomorrow's plan. After a while, we booked a city tour including boat ride, elephant ride, and rafting.

Waiting for food

Well, it's still raining. We planned to have dinner at Samprasop Resort and Restaurant and come back to walking street. Foods are delicious but have been waiting for too long for food to come out. No hurry, better late than never. The restaurant have a very stunning view at their balcony. I was standing there taking a deep breathe in the smell of rain and grass, watching the clouds changing its color before the sunset. The gigantic, wooden, Mon Bridge lies beneath with a smaller one beside which was built after it collapsed when facing a severe flood since last 2 years. The river curves endlessly between the 2 lands and some small raft house along the riverside.

View from up here

We walked down to the bridge but it's too dark to take any picture around so we gonna come back tomorrow. Unfortunately, our car is running out of gas. We managed to get to the nearest and only gas station. The gas were sold out and no idea when will the gas truck arrived. They said hopefully tomorrow morning but not quite sure. We decided to come back to the hostel and left it for tomorrow.

Dark night and the bridge

We order some Cold Myanmar Beers for this cold, rainy night. The beer is so cool and tasty. For those who like light beer, this is highly recommended but make sure it's cold. It's about 10 pm but the town is very quiet and most businesses were closed, our hostel's cafe too. It's time to go to bed and be ready for tomorrow trip.

Tasty

We bought day trip local tour for 900 Baht each from the hostel. The staff picked us up in the morning and send us to another guesthouse's pier for boat ride. I found out that this guesthouse also have a beautiful river view right in front of every room. The boat took us to take pictures near Mon Bridge and visited the flooded temple so called Wat Klang Nam. The temple will show up only when water decrease, usually in summer. It feels like walking on the underwater temple.

The rest of Mon Bridge

Belfry?

Temple Gate

The Temple

Boat ride to the temple

Then the boat dropped us for a car ride to elephant camp and having elephant ride. It was quite a long ride. The elephant dropped us for lunch somewhere in the forest near the river. Some local kids were waiting for the elephant ride back to the village. We sat down beside the river. It is a nice place for picnic. We have plain egg fried rice and surrounded by 3 or 4 playful local dogs trying to eat my lunch.

To the elephant camp

Well, I always keep in mind that we should live like local while we travel. We do what they do and everything will be all new and fun. Traveling is about adaptation and learning new things, new culture and new people. You might or might not get what you expected but sometime it can go beyond expectation too. Although the food is not as good, I still enjoy it.

Chill out on the raft

We took another 15 minutes walk across a little rapid water to the raft and took raft ride back to the elephant camp and the car sent back to the hostel.

Clear water

Almost forgot that we need to refill our gas tank. Since we were not sure of the gas truck has arrived or not, we decided to refill the tank with local gas, in order to at least escape to Thongphapoom for gas station. The gas is quite expensive. So be sure to filled up the tank before leaving Thongphapoom because there will be only 1 gas station located on the road to The Three Pagoda Pass.

View from Keereetara Restaurant

We had dinner at Keereetara restaurant near The Bridge of the River Kwai. The food and dessert are great. The music and view of the bridge is awesome. We watched the train runs through the bridge while sunset.

It was such a nice trip, nice places, and nice people.

For more photo visit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153709420481515.1073741859.720571514&type=1&l=7b5fa17ee1

Koh Lipe, Satul

An evening in April, we hopped on a hired van heading to Satul. It's about 10 hours overnight on the van. Morning sunshine greeted us brightly on the clear blue sky at Pak Bara Pier. Bandhaya Speed Boat will be departed in another 2 hours so we had breakfast at a local food diner nearby. I loved their Thai Milk Tea. It tastes originally and smells great. After checked-in for the boat and grabbed some snacks and drinks from 7-Eleven (feels like it's kind of being a part of our life, visiting 7-Eleven), we headed into the pier. However, the pier fee is excluded from our boat fee and it costs 20 Baht each.

The Original Thai Milk Tea

Hot Thai Milk Tea 

Delicious "Mataba"

The boat trip will take about 2 hours to Koh Lipe which will stop twice at Koh Tarutao (depends on weather and water level) and Koh Khai. Koh Tarutao was a prison camp to imprison the political prisoners. Meanwhile, it has natural abundance. After a long history, it becomes Tarutao National Park, opened up for tourists and local people to visit. We did not entered the park since we had little time there. Our next stop is Koh Khai where a stone arch standing, reaching out into the clear blue sea. Many couple used to visit on Valentine's Day. The beach covered with fine, white sand. The sea is as clear as glass. The sun shines so bright. Just a little while later, we head back to the boat and continue to our destination.

About another hour of wave riding, the island is just ahead of us. I wish I was already on the island at that moment. Being on a boat for a long time is quite tiring and I felt hungry since we're already late for lunch. Suddenly, the boat moored in the middle of the sea not too far from the island. I was wondering what we are doing here. We had to get on a large pontoon to pay the island's entrance fee and wait for a local long-tailed boat to take us to the island. There is a long line but not sure whether waiting to pay or waiting for long-tailed boat. I do understand that they managed it locally but not yet well-prepared to served large group of travelers at the same time. However, I'm sure they will find a way very soon. For me, I find it difficult to move our belonging from a speed boat to pontoon, from pontoon to another smaller boat, and from the boat to the beach even though the local were lending hand and gave us a warm welcome. I recommend a backpack instead of a big luggage. This process took about another hour to Harmony, our hotel room.

Koh Tarutao

Koh Khai

At first, we planed to have only one night on the island. Unfortunately, the hotel gave us a bad news that we will have to stay another night on the island because they can't reserved an afternoon boat for us all back to the mainland. Otherwise, we will have to leave early in another morning which means we came a long way just to have a night on the island and not get a chance to go snorkeling at all. A tough decision because we all have to work the other day. However, we agreed to have 2 nights on the island, will leave the other day morning and make it an absence which we have to thanks our manager for this allowance.

After everything is solved, we put our belonging to our rooms and quickly left for a little lunch in which it is already late afternoon. Then we threw ourselves into the sea of Sunrise Beach till the sun went out of service. We came back to shower and head to dinner in the walking street. There are lots of seafood restaurants, bars, massage, and other local shops. I sent one of the postcard to my brother and it took about a month or so from Koh Lipe to Bangkok. We randomly pick a seafood restaurant, order many kind of seafood, and all were great. Also, we didn't forget Roti, Mataba, and Thai Milk Tea as a dessert. It's like a gimmick to me that every time I think of the Southern food, I used to think of this 2 things. It has been more than 15 hours from Bangkok to our hotel. It's now time to recharge ourselves after a little chill out in our room.

Seafood Restaurant

Roti - Thai Milk Tea Shop

Banana Roti

Grilled Corns

Good morning, Lipe. We are going to snorkel today. We decided that we need to have breakfast before leaving. The hotel car will sent us to our private long-tail boat for the snorkeling trip which operated by Bandhaya Resort. I didn't take much photo except on the boat and another 2 islands.

Iced Chocolate

American Breakfast

Waiting for the boat at Bandhaya Resort

My most remarkable islands are Koh Hin Ngam and Adang-Rawi. Koh Hin Ngam beach is covered with beautiful rocks. People used to pile it up and make a wish. Adang-Rawi, our last visited island, has a very beautiful underwater environment. Many kind of beautiful sea anemones, corals, fishes and lots of black urchin can be seen. It was like swimming in a large fish tank when I turned around to call my friend, I accidentally kicked the long-spine urchin. That was foot ache though. I quickly swam back to the beach to see how bad it is. Our boatman told me to use stone to break the spine inside my foot. Otherwise, pee on it or use lime juice or vinegar. Well, I definitely choose the last suggestion. Luckily, it was just a scratch but still can fill a tip of it inside my toe and a bit hurt when pressed. I still went back into the water after that. The farther I go, the more beautiful it is. However, I do feel sorry for breaking one of its spine. 

Koh Hin Ngam

The boat dropped us on Sunset Beach at Koh Lipe. We hang around to see the sunset. Some went kayaking but I preferred chilling on the beach with some cocktails. This is where I got lime juice to cure my toe ache. I think it helped somehow. Sitting down to watch the beautiful sunset to the other side of the island was a delightful moment. Tourists were taking photos. Kids were playing in the white sand while their parents were having sun bath. I really enjoyed this relaxing moment.

Chill out at Bandhaya on Sunset Beach

Waiting for sunset

Playing on Sunset Beach

Sunset

After the sun left the sky, we went back to our hotel to shower before dinner and found out that our bathroom was broken. The hotel opened up a room for us to use the bathroom but not fast enough, we are cold and hungry. I and my friend decided to take a quick shower outside and will do it again later after dinner. We decided to chill out at a bar on Sunset Beach so we had easy dinner, Pad Thai, near our hotel instead. Also, today we found out that the island is not that big. Our hotel faced Sunrise Beach and Bandhaya faced Sunset Beach. The two beaches is connected by the walking street.

Pad Thai

The walking street is very colorful in the evening. Many foreigners and tourists chilling, shopping, having dinner, and walking on the street. We were at a bar on the exit of the walking street to the Sunset Beach. The sea breeze blew. Soft music were played. We ordered some drinks and had a little rest. It was a little late we came back, most of the shops were closed. Mostly, bars were still opened. I still feel that this island is quiet even though there are many bars. We still chill out in our room quite late since it was our last night on the island.

Pooh's Restaurant

Massage

We left the island in another morning. Back to Pak Bara Pier almost noon. We had lunch and had a long way straight home. It was about 12 hours in the van but traveling is worth to be tired for.

Nothing is memorable if you never get a chance to do it yourself.

Amphawa, Thailand

Welcome my best best friend back to hometown.

Finally, we choose to pick a trip to Amphawa which operated by The State Railway of Thailand. Just grab a ticket and jump on the train. This time our train will depart from Wongwianyai Station instead of Hualamphong Station as always. Well then, Open Google map and here I am, on an empty skytrain heading to BTS Wongwianyai Station. Take a walk for about 10 minutes to Wongwianyai Train Station which lies beside a market. We figure out that there are some free train for Thais, including the train we are going to catch.

Wongwianyai Station

Since we will have plenty of time on the train, I pick Roasted Pork and Sticky Rice and she pick Steamed Rice with Fried Chicken for breakfast from the market. What a beautiful morning.

Roasted Pork

Steamed Rice and Chicken

Here we are, arrived at Mahachai Market, Samutsakorn. Walking through the market to the pier. Actually, we need to take a boat across MaeKlong River to catch another train from Ban Laem Station to MaeKlong Station, Samutsongkram. Unfortunately, the train will arrive very late so our tour leader p'Laem from SRT decided that we should go by van.

Mahachai Market

For another while, we arrived somewhere near MaeKlong Station and there it is, MaeKlong Railway Market so called Umbrella Fold Market. The stalls in this market lie very close to the railway so every time a train come, people will suddenly fold and pull back their stall and place is back when the train has passed. The most exciting market I've ever seen.

Umbrella Fold Market

Then we take a boat trip in MaeKlong River to the Occupational Center, Ban Rim Klong Homestay in Haunted Canal. Along the river lies many houses, people in the river catching fish and shrimp and kids jump into the river as if it is a large pool. Easy living I can feel and beautiful view I can see.

Travelling on boat

House along the river

Arrived at Ban Rim Klong Homestay where we will see and try making a rose out of a kind of Thai dessert. Making Kiwi Smoothies. See how a coconut sugar is made and Thai style house. It was very fun here and attain some knowledge where we can never find in the big city like Bangkok. Something valuable can be made from something we think it's useless. Starting looking around and we might find that 'something'.

Eatable Roses

Coconut Sugar

Homestay

After we have lots of fun at Ban Rim Klong we continue our journey along the canal to many beautiful Temple. Every temple has its distinctive point. Some collect small things, some has a small zoo, some made of wood, some show ancient fighting wax soldier. These make temple travel an enjoyable trip.

Heroes on Vacation

Little Monk

Sleepy Goat

Peacock

Bangkung Temple

After a long day, we arrived to our destination but already been too exhausted to enjoy everything. So we walk around for a while and take a rest at Chanchala for a little dinner and decide to leave early.

Wax of Fighting Soldier

Wooden Scrulpture

Amphawa Floating Market

Amphawa Market

Chanchala Shop

Another time I got this quote in my mind...

"Experience is not always waiting at the destination but it is always along the way."

Thank you p'Laem, our kind tour leader for many knowledge and taking us to so many places and Pank, my friend for making this trip happened.