2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II - 01 Tha Bon Fishing Village

“An attitude of positive expectation is the mark of the superior personality...” – Brian Tracy

(A beautiful quiet beach along the route to Nakhon Si Thammarat)

Date: 25 August 2018

Route: Sungai Golok – Nakhon Si Thammarat

Hotel: The Peak Boutique Hotel

We were in Kota Bharu to attend a nephew's wedding.

From Kota Bharu we planned to drive across the border and visited the beaches in Southern Thailand. Border crossing at Rantau Panjang/Sungai Golok Immigration was fast and smooth.

(Sungai Golok Border Post)

(Lunch at Soi Sawan Beach)

(Masjid Quwwatul Islam)

We drove northwards and stopped at Soi Sawan Beach for lunch and stopped at Masjid Quwwatul Islam, also known as Masjid Yamal in Ban Muang Ngam on the route to Nakhon Si Thammarat. We performed our prayers and met with the Jemaah who were very welcoming and friendly.

We drove on and discovered a wind farm with scattered wind turbines. We made a brief stop for photo shots. The wind farm is not only a source of clean, affordable energy but could be a great tourist destination. It was already late but we detoured to visit a fishing village with a stretch of beautiful quiet beach from where we still could see the wind turbines.

Tonight we stayed a night at The Peak Boutique Hotel in Nakhon Si Thammarat for Baht700 per night inclusive breakfast. There were a few Muslim stalls along the main road where we had dinner at one of the stalls.

(Wind turbines seen from Route 408)

(A wind turbine in the background)

(A wind turbine by a fish pond)

(A secluded private beach)

(Fishing villages along the beach)

(A lone wind turbine seen from the beach)

(Driving on the unpaved road along the beach)

(An unused old fishing boat with various flags)

(Our lodging in Nakhon Si Thammarat)

 2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 02 Teeny Beach, Sichon👉

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – 02 Teeny Beach Sichon

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door...” – Milton Berie

(Teeny Beach Resort)

Date: 26 August 2018 

Route: Nakhon Si Thammarat - Sichon

We drove several kilometres south of Sichon town to Teeny Beach where there are comfortable chalets set directly over the sand of Haad Piti. The colorful concrete chalets are set close together next to a tiny reception area, with a local family running a little convenience shop next door.

 
Each chalet is painted a bright color of pink, green and blue, each with sea views. The beach here is wide and lovely, an excellent choice to simply relax and rejuvenate.

(Quiet and crowd-free beach)

(Popular with the locals)

(Brightly colored chalets by the beach)

(Very apt for family vacation)

(Convenience store is next to the chalets)

(Clean and well maintained)

(Warm cheerful ambiance around the resort)

(Chairs and tables for picnic)

(The beach is just a step away)

 2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 03 Bang Ben Beach, Ranong👉

👈2018 Beaches of Thailand II - 01 Tha Bon Fishing Village 

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – 03 Bang Ben Beach, Ranong

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are...” – Anais Nin 

(Beautiful morning sun on the beach)

Date: 26 August 2018
Route: Nakhon Si Thammarat – Ithmus of Kra - Ranong 
Hotel: Wasana Resort, Bang Ben Beach 

From Nakhon Si Thammarat we drove to Chumphon and stopped for lunch at Khun Sarai R&R then took the long and winding road to Ranong passing several national parks. We made a brief stop at the Isthmus of Kra for photo shots. For this trip we skipped Ranong and drove to Kapoe, about 25 km from Ranong and look for a place to stay at Bang Ben Beach. 

(Myanmar is across the river)

(Isthmus of Kra, the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsular)

(One of the many waterfalls in the national Park)

(Ranong Central Mosque)

Kapoe is a laid-back district situated in the least populated and mountainous province of Ranong in Southern Thailand. Sitting on the West Coast and overlooking the Andaman Sea, scenic and tranquil. Kapoe has relatively fewer places of interest; however it is blessed with a few waterfalls and a national park called the Laem Son National Park. 

Ban Bang Ben is a surprisingly picturesque with scattered settlement of Muslim community. The beach is long and shaded by pine and coconut trees. From Bang Ben Beach pier one can see a scenic view of islands in the sea. This pier is located near the National Park headquarters. From the pier, we could rent a boat for islands hopping day trip to Ko Khang Khao, Ko Hin Pla and Ko Yipon.

(Our chalet at Wasana Resort)

(Very tranquil and serene atmosphere)

(The entrance to Laem Son National Park)

(A small quiet road leading to the jetty)

(The National Park Headquarters)

(Driving to the other side of the Peninsular)

(Fishing boats resting in shallow waters)

(The Pier at the end of the road)

(Taking the island-hopping boat from here)

(Taking in the beautiful calm surrounding)

(An abandon resort by the beach)

(High tides depositing debris on the shore)

(A Tsunami Operation Centre)

 2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 04 Samet Nangshe Pha Nga Bay👉

👈2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 02 Teeny Beach, Sichon 

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – 04 Samet Nangshe Phang Nga Bay

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same…” - Francesca Reigler

(The view of Phang Nga Bay)

Date: 27 August 2018
Route: Ranong – Phang Nga Bay
Attraction: Samet Nangshe Viewpoint

From Bang Ben Beach we drove towards Krabi and detoured to visit the Samet Nangshe Viewpoint just 30-minute drive from Phuket.

Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is one of the few destinations that is not yet overrun with tourists. It is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in southern Thailand overlooking the Phang Nga Bay National Park. This breath-taking spot boasts 180-degree views of islands in the distance and lush mangrove forest below. Samet Nangshe Viewpoint has very quickly gone from being practically unheard of to one of the most popular panoramas in Phang Nga.

Getting there is a bit of a challenge. Aside from the drive, you then need to pay Baht30 to board a tuk-tuk at the small ticket hut at the car park at the foot of the hill. The ascent is quite a long and steep one. While the hill itself is covered in rainforest, the top is home to the elegant Sumet Nangshe Boutique Resort and Restaurant. There is a small campsite with tents costing Baht400, if you want to include a simple breakfast.

Another way of getting to the summit is to hike using another path for roughly 15-20 minutes, but it is well worth the effort. There are benches at intervals along the way for you to stop for a break. There is a small campsite once you reach the top and the views are particularly gorgeous in the early morning as the sun rises behind the towering limestone karsts. 

If you visit the site at sunset, it’s possible to see the Milky Way on certain nights throughout the year.

(A car park at the foot of the hill)

(Phang Nga Bay with  limestone and rock formations)

(A panoramic view from the balcony)

(Relaxing way of absorbing the beautiful scenery)

(The entrance to Samet Nangshe Resort & Restaurant)

(Many vantage viewpoints from the upper floor)

(A posh restaurant at the summit)

(Reasonably priced Nasi Goreng lunch)

 2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 05 Ao Nang Beach, Krabi👉

👈2018 Beaches of Thailand II – 03 Bang Ben Beach, Ranong