12 JJCM: Cha-am - Chasing Elusive Sunsets...

"Dance with the waves, move with the sea, let the rhythm of the water set your soul free..."

(Another day, another sunset)

Part III – The Return South: Tak to Kuala Lumpur

Day 12: 30 November 2025 (Sunday)
Route: Tak - Cha-am
Hotel: Happy Field Resort, Cha-am

Leaving Tak, we felt both grateful and wistful - the kind of feeling that often accompanies the nearing end of a long journey. From the town, the road stretched smooth and easy, weaving through green farmland and quiet provincial communities. It was a long driving day, so we planned frequent stops to break the 570-kilometre stretch.

From the fertile plains, we chose to avoid cutting across the busy capital city of Bangkok. Instead, we followed Route 1 and later Route 35 toward the southern coast which exit at Samut Sakhon. Though bumpy in parts and not in the best condition, this route was still faster and more pleasant than the heavily trafficked Sirat Expressway.

A late lunch awaited us at a halal eatery inside the PTT station at Khlong Khon in Samut Songkhram - simple plate of fried rice and a bowl of beef soup noodles, tasty enough to fill our hungry tummies after hours on the road.

By late afternoon, we reached Cha-am, relieved and happy to once again breathe the familiar coastal air. Our stay for the night was at Happy Field Resort at THB 780 per night. Just off Route 4 the resort is a quiet and beautiful spot set in the heart of expansive rice fields. The tranquillity of the surroundings felt like a gentle embrace after the long journey.

The room was spacious, the bed comfortably large, and the décor added a touch of warmth - a truly welcome sight at the end of a full day’s drive.