05 Solo 4ND: Trat – Koh Kong

"Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete..." - Chanda Kochhar

(A beautiful cascading waterfall near the Thailand/Cambodia border)

Date: 15 Sep 2018 (Saturday)

Route: Trat – Hat Lek Thailand/Cambodia border - Koh Kong
Hotel: Koh Kong City Hotel

After breakfast in the hotel we drove towards Thailand/Cambodia border in the heavy rain.

(Heavy rain with limited visibility)

(The rain is clearing up a little)

(Rain again intermittently)

We stopped at a cascading waterfall by the roadside in Khlong Yai District on the way to the Thailand/Cambodia border. We have been passing this way several times before but never notice this particular waterfall.

(Cascading waterfalls by the roadside)

(A tranquil picnic site for travelers)

(A scenic view of the waterfalls)

A few kilometers from the border, we made a brief stop at the Narrowest Part of Thailand for photo shots. The narrowest part is located on Trat - Klong Yai Road about 7 km from the Thailand/Cambodia border. At this point, the width of Thailand is only 450 m, which is hard to believe.

(A small dead town on the way to the border)

(A long and winding coastal road)

(The narrowest part of Thailand bordering Cambodia)

(A new signage of the narrowest part)

At Hat Lek Thailand Immigration, border clearance was swift and no fee was paid. At Cham Yeam Cambodia Immigration, we cleared passport checks for baht100 each. We paid vehicle daily permit baht100 per day, custom permit baht100 per vehicle. We were only allowed to enter and stay in Koh Kong District during our stay. The Custom retained our car grant and gave us a placard to put on the windscreen. We will collect our vehicle grant on the return trip back to Thailand.

(Hat Lek Immigration Complex)

(A simple and swift Thailand border clearance)

A letter from Cambodia Embassy is required if we intend to travel to other parts of the country. We planned to drive to Sihanoukville but were also informed that the road to Sihanoukville is in a very bad condition at this time of the year because of massive roadworks and muddy because of the heavy rain.

(Waiting for clearance on Cham Yeam Cambodia Border Complex)

(Entering the Koh Kong District of Cambodia)

(Koh Kong Bridge crossing the Koh Kong River)

Once we crossed Koh Kong Bridge, we had Nasi Goreng lunch at the one and only Halal Warong at the jetty before we checked in Koh Kong City Hotel for USD15/night. This hotel has been our favorite hotel in Koh Kong because of its ample parking space and it has a nice view of Koh Kong Bridge and River. If the weather is fine, one could watch a beautiful sunset over the horizon from the garden at the back of the hotel. A floating seafood restaurant is just next to the hotel.

(The one and only Muslim stall)

(Seafood fried rice for lunch)

(Our lodging for the night)

After a short rest, we went for a drive to visit some waterfalls in Koh Kong district. There are many good waterfalls in Koh Kong district but we visited only two of them, Tapon and Tatai waterfalls. Most roads were in very bad conditions with deep potholes, slippery and dangerous made worst by the heavy rain.

(The Koh Kong River is bloating after heavy rain)

(Fish vendors waiting in the rain for the fishing boats)

(The floating restaurant next to our hotel)

(A nice place to watch the sunset)

Even the road leading to Koh Kong Beach is muddy and slippery. We tried to visit the Mangrove Trail but the road was very badly flooded and inaccessible too. Koh Kong Mangrove forest is supposed to protect the shore from the violence of the sea. The Mangrove and Wildlife Sanctuary is situated about 7 km from Koh Kong City. In normal dry day, one could hike on a walking path through the Mangrove forest or take a boat ride. There is a small entrance fee to enter the Mangrove jungle, which is claimed to be the most extensive Mangrove area of South-east Asia.

(The Mangrove Trail is temporarily closed for visitors)

(The muddy road leading to the beach)

(Tatai Waterfalls route, dangerous and slippery)

(Picnic in the rain at Tabon Waterfalls)

(A mosque and religious school)

(Another route to Koh Kong town)

Tonight we skipped dinner and slept early.

👈2018 Q7 4ND: 04 Cha’am - Trat 

 2018 Q7 4ND: 06 Koh Kong - Pattaya👉

06 4ND: Koh Kong - Pattaya

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it..." - Greg Anderson

(Mae Rom Pheung Beach Rayong)

Date: 16 Sep 2018 (Sunday)

Route: Koh Kong - Cambodia/Thailand border - Chanthaburi - Rayong - Pattaya

Hotel: Pattaya Old Golf Club Resort

Weather forecast for today: A little humid of anxiety, and a downpour of disappointment...

Because of the heavy rain and inaccessible roads, we decided to cut short our stay in Koh Kong and cross back to Thailand today even though we already paid for a 3-day permit for our 4x4.

(Early morning crowd at the Muslim stall)

(Not a good weather to lay back in the hammocks)

(A very wet day for the Tuk-tuk operators)

(Crossing Koh Kong Bridge in the heavy rain)

We checked out and had breakfast at the Muslim Stall at the Jetty before we headed towards the Cambodia/Thailand border. There are a few attractions, mostly for tourists before reaching the border.

(An iconic monument at the round about)

(Koh Kong Safari World)

(Koh Kong Resort Hotel)

(Koh Kong Casino)

(Koh Kong busy local Market Place)

At Cham Yeam Cambodia border there were many locals offering assistance to tourists. Never allow these touts to assist you in border clearance as they may hold on to your passports if you don't pay them. They may ask between Baht100-300 per person and you will likely have your passport stamped very quickly. We decided to join the queue and wait a little longer for our passports to be stamped. We collected our vehicle grant back from the Cambodian Custom then drove to the Thailand border.

(A nice stretch of beach between Cambodia/Thailand border)

(Less crowd and no hassle at Cham Yeam Cambodia border)

(The Bigfoot waiting on no-man's land)

(Reapply custom clearance to enter Thailand)

(Heavily guarded Thailand border)

Border clearance at Hat Lek Thailand border was fast and efficient.  Once out of the border complex we drove on and stopped at some attractions along the way for photo opportunities.

(A Monument at the border)

(Brightly colored TRAT signage)

(A small shrine by the main road)

(A Napoleon Naval Warship, a new attraction)

There were massive roadworks and it was raining intermittently along the route. Stopped at Cafe Amazon for a cup of hot coffee before we drove towards Chanthaburi and visited two mosques, Jannatul Muhajirrin and Islamic Centre Tamil Muslim Mosque and performed our prayers with the jemaah mostly made up of black Muslims.

(Jannatul Muhajirrin Mosque of Chanthaburi)

(Chanthaburi Islamic Centre)

We drove along the Chanthaburi River passing the photogenic old town with clusters of heritage buildings. Chanthaburi is also best known for the gem trade. Rubies and sapphires are among other precious stones discovered in rural parts of Chanthaburi, Trat and western Cambodia. We had Lamb Bryani and Murtabak for lunch at the Muslim Restaurant in Chanthaburi old town.

(Driving through Chanthaburi old town)

(Having lunch in a Muslim Restaurant)

(Brilliant colored Murals on the wall)

After lunch we drove towards Rayong and visited several beaches and the Fishing Village. Rayong is situated on the Gulf of Thailand, known for its national parks and beaches. The beach at Ban Phe is home to a fishing community and is the gateway to Koh Samet island.

To the west, the long, flat Mae Ram Phueng beach offers panoramic views and there are many seafood beach-side restaurants lining the beach front. These restaurants are usually packed at night with locals dining by the seaside.

(Mae Rompheung Beach, pristine and clean)

(Lovely clean sand beach with strong tide)

(The life guard watch tower at the beach)

Laem Charoen Beach is the nearest beach from Rayong town. It is located at the mouth of Rayong River, just 5 km to the south of town. The beach is popular with the locals. It has a number of seafood restaurants. It is probably one of the most interesting of the Rayong beaches. As with the other beaches on this stretch of sand, there are man-made bays sheltering the beach and the fishing boats from the worst of the waves that tend to rampantly lash this part of the coast.

(A lighthouse near Leam Chareon Beach)

(A man-made barrier against the harsh tide)

(Cycling is a popular activity along the beach)

From the mouth of Rayong River there are several vantage points from which we witnessed the goings on of a busy fishing fleet harbor. The large, brightly colored trawlers come and go at regular intervals, and not without a bit of excitement on board. From the viewpoint, we watched the sun beautifully setting over the town of Rayong.

Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens everyday can end beautifully...

(The fishing habour at Hat Laem Charoen)

(A line up of brightly colored trawlers)

(Waiting for the sunset at Rayong Harbour)

Although it was already dusk, we decided not to stay in Rayong and drove direct to Pattaya. Our destination for tonight was the Old Golf Club Resort. We stayed here on our last two visits to Pattaya and find the chalets quiet comfortable. Had a heavy dinner at the Resort Seafood Restaurant before we checked-in in one of the chalets by the pool for baht500 per night.

(A spread of mouth-watering dishes)

(A chalet with a nice ambiance, quiet and peaceful)

👈2018 Q7 4ND: 05 Trat – Koh Kong 

       2018 Q7 4ND: 07 Pattaya - Chumphon👉