Lopburi – Bangkok (Day 3)

Tall Men and Steel Giants.

I got up a little later today, so I tried to speed up things a bit by not messing around with the internet this morning. Instead just a quick shower, pack up, and load everything onto the bike. About half an hour later I was ready, and after crossing the nearby main intersection I soon was riding out of town on quiet lanes.

I passed the Bualuang Boutique Resort on the way and had a quick look. Still drive-in style, but brand new, much nicer rooms and in a very quiet location at the outskirts. Definitely an option and the ride into town for food and drinks isn’t far either.

Getting closer to Ayutthaya the countryside became…busier? There were few gravel roads on this leg, more and more settlements, more major roads, and then warehouses and factories. Some gigantic works of steel and concrete towered tall over the countryside here, visible from afar and belching steam into the air from their tall chimneys.

Fittingly there were tall warrior statues at the horizon. They were part of a park dedicated to King Naresuan and his men, who wrestled the power back from the Burmese after they had sacked Ayutthaya. I didn’t detour there, however, as I either would have had to back track or it would have led me on a way bypassing my next focus point: a soup stall along Highway 33.

I was quite hungry by now, time for a bowl of noodles. On the way to said noodle shop I passed through a local temple, Wat Si Mahapho (วัดศรีมหาโพธิ). I spent quite a bit time here as the compound was sprawled out over a huge area with some old grown forest and a few interesting shrines and details. Finally I reached Tang Kohng noodles, quite busy, with a lot of cars parked outside. That’s always a good sign and their soup was indeed delicious, as was the crispy pork.

From here on I picked a route away from the Chao Phraya river. There would be just too much riding on numbered roads along the river, so I detoured East through the countryside. Along the way I rested under a tree for a while, watching a farmer plowing the flooded fields, with white herons constantly flying in and out to get pickings from the upturned wet soil.

My detour led me all the way to Bang Pahan, a market town along Highway 32. An underpass allowed me to cross easily to the far side, where the market was, and ‘GoodDay ALL DEE Cafe’, a beautiful modern coffees shop. After this coffee break I back tracked to the Western side of the highway and continued to ride along the irrigation canal there.

Beautiful, quiet riding here all the way back to the Chao Phraya river, but from there on it got busier and busier as closer I got to Ayutthaya. I stopped at Wat Phukhao Thong (วัดภูเขาทอง อยุธยา), with it’s tall, pretty whitewashed stupa towering over the plains here and visible from afar. Soon I was in Ayutthaya proper, but I didn’t like this route into town much, there was just too much traffic on this two lane road for my taste. I definitely preferred the way into town from the West during my last trip coming from Suphanburi.

Once in Ayutthaya I rode to the station and checked trains to Bangkok. There was an option with bike carriage in less than an hour, so I bought tickets, washed up at the bathroom at the station, and changed into a fresh T-shirt. Soon I was on the way to Bang Sue, and after another quick 15min ride I was back home.

Lopburi is certainly worth to spend some time, there are quite a few interesting ruins to see and I enjoyed the laid back feel of the old part of the town. Ang Thong – even if I was never in town proper on the other side of the river – was surprisingly fun for an overnight stop and the way getting there from Lopburi was great countryside riding. However, the way to Ayutthaya from this direction was definitely not among my favorites and I would rather detour more to the East or West next time.

Overall a good excursion for a long weekend out of Bangkok, with a good mix of sightseeing, food, fun, and riding!

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Lopburi – Bangkok (Day 2)

to Ang Thong.

I woke up to a beautiful, sunny morning at the Northern outskirts of the old town. After getting my bike ready I wondered around the garden of the resort, took some photos, and had an iced coffee. I wasn’t in a hurry as my destination for the day, Ang Thong, was just 30km away – as the crow flies. Of course that would be about 50-60km for me, zig-zagging along rural roads, but still, there was plenty of time to get there before 17.00 latest.

First I headed South along the Lopburi river. After passing the massive new railway bypass under construction it was all beautiful riding on quiet local roads connecting the communities along this waterway, with interesting temples to visit and hardly anybody around. A group of older fellows were the exception. They were obviously celebrating, their pick-up parked, doors open, loud music playing, with the opened trunk serving as a bar, complete with bottles of whiskey, mixer and a bucket of ice.

A good 10km South I stopped at 84 Cafe for some cake and drinks. This large, modern restaurant along Highway 3196 was a perfect spot to cool down for a while as it had gotten quite hot by now. From here onward I branched off onto farm roads, away from the Lopburi river. I mostly rode on small concrete country lanes with some longer stretches of gravel in-between, heading South-West toward the Chao Phraya river. Highway 32 crossed Khlong Hang Bang Sala (ลองบางหางศาลา) not far from its convergence with the Chao Phraya. The underpass there as spotted on the satellite images during route planning turned out to be a great way to get across this busy motorway – or rather underneath it.

Then it was easy riding all along the might river, with a stop at Lab Slowbar. This artisan coffee shop was right on the river bank, under some huge trees, and obviously quite popular on weekends. I had to wait quite a while for my order, but never mind, as I was enjoying the view, relaxing in a comfy sling chair.

The last part took me into Ang Thong, or at least the part East of the river. All easy and quiet riding, until I had a flat tire at the outskirts of the town. As it was just about 2km to Bualuang Motel I had booked and still early I decided to push my bike for the remaining distance. After arriving I fixed the bike, took a shower, and relaxed for a while in the air-conditioned room. Not the best room, it showed it’s age, but clean, functional and a bargain. The owners run a second, much newer and nicer resort at the Southern outskirts, about 2.5km away. I had planned to stay there, but it was fully booked – after all it was New Years Eve and a holiday.

Once ready I went for a loop along the river, looking for a dinner spot. The entire length of the riverbank is walled off here to prevent floods, and as those walls are quite a bit higher than the road behind it there’s nothing pretty about it. Still, I found a little local place, their salas tucked agsinst the flood wall and propped up a bit so it was possible to get a glimpse of the river. Whatever it lacked in ambiance it made up with its food and helpful service. The crispy fried catfish was exceptional as was their stir fried lotus stems with shrimp (Pad Sai Bua Kung).

As they closed just after sun down I looked for a beer place on the way back to the motel. At first I didn’t see anything too inviting and I contemplated crossing the river into town proper, albeit I didn’t feel like riding across the huge and busy bridge. Just before I passed the motel again, on the way to the bridge, I saw a large music place. They just had opened up, I was their first customer today.

By 20:00 the places was buzzing, the waitresses – almost all lady-boys in sexy Santa outfits – whizzing from table to table. Once the band started to play it got really going, trays of shooters being ordered at many tables, a birthday cake somewhere, some people dancing, next to their tables as it’s often done in Thailand, but a few by the stage as well, or even on stage between the bands. Performance and sound was great, and the place was still going strong after I left just past midnight – in fact I still could hear it once back at my room as the motel was literally adjacent to this place. Never mind, I was so tired that I was sound asleep in no time.

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Lopburi – Bangkok (Day 1)

Lopburi Sights.

Another long weekend, another little trip. I got up early and took the early morning train to Lopburi, the Rapid 111, at 07.21 at Bang Sue junction. There are some excellent food stalls at the station here and I got myself a good cup of hot American as well. Tickets for the bike at the baggage counter, for myself 3rd class, no seat reservations as usual. Perhaps it would have been better to cycle down to Hua Lamphong station, where the train originated?

Once the train arrived at Bang Sue I loaded the bike into the cargo car and headed for the passenger carriage next to it. Almost all seats were taken, but I managed to find a free one. Later into the journey people had to stand as there were no more empty seats. This is nothing unusual on weekends, the more so around New Years or other holidays and long weekends. The train reached Lopburi about 10:00am and I readied my bike next to a golden monkey statue on the platform.

Lopburi was founded as Lavo in the 7-9th century. This was the place given to Hanuman (หนุมาน), the god-king of the monkey warriors. According to one of the Ramayana tales, Phra Ram (พระราม, Rama) defeated Thotsakan (ทศกัณฐ์, Ravana), the king of the demons, with the help of Hanuman. Thus the macaque monkeys of Lopburi are thought to bring good luck and are being feed by the inhabitants on a daily basis. There is a festival held once a year as well, on the last Sunday of November, with a buffet for the monkeys.

Check-in time at the resort I had booked wasn’t until 13:00 so I had plenty of time to get a first overview of the town and lunch. After a loop through the old time I crossed the Lopburi river and headed for a noodle shop on the river bank. This delightful and calm place served great soups, with a smile. From there I continued to cycle through the local neighborhood along the river, crossed Highway 311 and turned back towards town along an irrigation canal. Following this waterway took me to Thakrayang Resort. As my room wasn’t ready yet I had a tasty Latte at their coffee shop and looked around the beautiful lush green garden of the place.

After checking I pedaled back into town, a short 10 minutes (about 3km) on quiet local roads. It was time to check out the major sights, the temple ruins , some of which date back to the 12th century, when the town came under Khmer rule. Then it was time for an early dinner at the nearby Pad Thai Buri Ka Prao Hom. This small coffe shop cum restaurant is known for its Pad Thai dishes. I tried one of their specials, with the noodles being wrapped in an omelette and topped with Pad Kra Paow style pork and seafood. Awesome food and a rather larger portion, too!

From Pratu Chai (ประตูชัย), the gate in the old city wall right opposite of the restaurant, I went on another loop, this time through the Southern outskirts of the old town and along the Lopburi river bank. I found quiet local neighborhoods and their Wats frequented by temple goers this late afternoon.

Soon it was time to head back into town. Still full from the early dinner I skipped the planned food stop at the evening market along the railway line just North of the station. There was plenty of food available there, with locals eating right there or taking their dinner home, packed in small plastic bags and tucked into the baskets of their motorcycles. I opted for cold Leo nearby, before riding back to the resort after dark. The local communities seemed sound asleep by then, with nobody on the road anymore, apart from a single group of youngsters celebrating and drinking at a small shop.

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Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 4)

The long ride.

It was onward to Ayutthaya today. I wasn’t sure if I would send the night there or take the train back to Bangkok. It all would depend on my mood and when I would actually get there. To keep all option open I left rather early, before 7am.

The first challenge was getting across Highway 340. There’s one underpass about 4km South of the city, that’s the best and safest option. Next best would be the bridge leading to Highway 33. It’s a four lane bridge, but next to no shoulder, so no thanks. Hence I decided to cross at a U-turn. This was blocked off however, as was the next one further up the road. No way to safely cross here. Luckily it was early morning with little traffic, so I didn’t have to wait too long for a safe moment to cross. I do not recommend this however. If there’s regular traffic this is not a good idea, cars are speeding at 100km/h through Suphanburi here. Use the underpass, or the bridge!

One of the reasons to cross here was it being the most direct way to an interesting looking coffee shop, Huus of Coco, hidden away in a small alley off Highway 33. Except that it wasn’t open yet. Out of town without Americano it was. Riding out of town was beautiful however, on a small road, hidden away at the back of a huge school and sports compound.

Soon it was another packed earth road along an irrigation canal. Somewhere here I got a puncture and had to stop for repairs. I didn’t have any new inner tubes with me, just two I had patched up at the end of my last trip. Obviously I hadn’t checked them properly as after a few kilometers the tire was getting soft. Air was slowly seeping out. I pumped and continued. And pumped and continued. How about the other patched up tire? Did I do a proper job on that one, or…? Didn’t feel like trying and started looking for a repair shop.

I even went on Highway 33, checking out all shops nearby major intersection. No luck, so I decided to head South, away from my planned route, to a village. Didn’t find anything there either, but asked an old man passing by slowly on his motorcycle. He signaled me to follow and finally there it was: a proper mechanic shop, tucked away at the edge of the village.

While they didn’t have tires or patches they had that press they use here to fix tires. Combined with my patches I was ready to go an hour later, with a fully pumped up tire, and two properly done spare inner tubes in my frame bag.

I picked one of the Southern options I had plotted when planning the trip. I followed roads on dams here, mostly paved single lane. The vast areas in between were all flooded. No houses and no trees were to be seen here between villages, a sign that those areas are regularly used as catchment basins during the rainy season. Occasionally I had to chase off a flock of storks which blocked the road, plus it was time for lunch in a food stall at Lat Nga, one of the island-like villages.

After lunch it got interesting once more. The farm road I had planned to use disappeared in one of the catchment basins, with the other side far in the distance. Another day, another detour. Cycling South for a few kilometers I got to a larger road crossing the basin. It was on top of a dike, still flooded at parts, but never more than knee deep, and easy to follow thanks to a power line along it.

From there on, about 10km outside of Ayutthaya proper, floods weren’t an issue anymore. Still, the route I had plotted was quiet and peaceful, next to no traffic. The houses were well kept, nice ones too, with lush gardens. I wouldn’t be surprised if many are owned by Bangkok people as weekend getaways.

I got into town at a reasonable time, late afternoon. I cycled straight to the station and inquired about train options with cargo carriages taking bikes. There was one around 19.00 or 20.00, the wait just long enough for a nice meal somewhere. I decided not to spend the night and had boat noodles (Guai Tiao Ruea, ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ) and Laab Thod (crispy meatballs, ลาบทอด) at Baan Grandma Yot Thai, a popular restaurant not far from the station and right by the river.

This being a long weekend the train back to Bangkok was almost full and I was lucky to get a seat in the last passenger car, just before the cargo carriage. We arrived in Bang Sue past 21:00 and I was home before 22:00. A quick shower, change of clothes, and out again, for the well deserved, cold Leo!

Even if it was a short tour it was a great experience riding during the time when the Chao Phraya floods the river basin. Extra time for unplanned detours is needed unless one sticks to the main roads, which is not my thing, obviously. I got dirty, I got wet, but still, one of the best rides I’ve done near Bangkok so far. Happy days indeed!

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Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 3)

On to Suphanburi.

I left the motel quite early today and started pedaling North. I checked out some of the local communities along the river bank. Some places there were flooded but nothing too bad. The main road a bit away from the river, Route 3351, is a bit elevated and functions as a dam. Many roads here parallel to a river or canal are build that way, with flood prevention in mind.

I turned off westward soon, headed for Wat Tong Pradit. I passed beautiful vegetable plantations, riding on gravel roads. Soon I reached the temple, along Khlong Song Phi Nong. There’s another weekend food market along this canal, with a cool rickety wooden bridge leading over to it from the temple.

There wasn’t much happening when I got there as the banks of the canal were flooded at some points. Chedi Cafe was open for business, however. I parked my bike and balanced over the wooden planks leading to the picturesque coffee shop. The great ambiance of this little place, freshly brewed coffee and two different kind of cakes kept me here for well over an hour.

After crossing over the wooden bridge and wading out of the flooded weekend market I continued toward Wat Bang Sakae, a temple and village along the Tha Chin. Beautiful riding on farm roads here, with lots of birds. I stopped a charming sala, overgrown by vines and build over a pond. Rosella grew plentiful along this route, passing peaceful farmland with just a few well kept houses build on posts.

Past Bang Sakae I turned away from the river once more. I rode down a quiet concrete single lane road, with a huge flooded area to my left. I stopped for a while to observe the birds here. They retreated to a big tree in the floodland, a safe spot for them. I continued down this road until coming upon a gate. Beyond the gate the road disappeared in a fish pond. Shrubs, bushes and the flood made it impossible to go around the fish farm. I could see on Google Maps that I was just 200m away from a small village, with a temple. I’m sure during dry season it would have been possible to detour through the paddy to my left, but for now there was no choice – go back and around. I think I heard those birds laughing when I passed the big tree again…

Along the detour I stopped for cold drinks at a shop along Route 3351. I turned out that there were about 10 motel style rooms attached to this place, brand new and inexpensive. A good option to stay overnight in this area. As it was still quite early I moved on, soon turning West again, and soon this little side road was flooded, too. A four wheel drive pick-up truck came towards me, slowly negotiating the flooded road. I waved and the truck stopped for a moment. Greetings, all smiles, me pointing at the water, asking how deep it would be. No problem for me and my bike was the answer, laughs, thank you, and good-bye.

I happily followed the yellow center line – yes, sometimes even I appreciate having those roads with center lines. After a detour of some 10km I finally reached the village where I had not quite been about 2 hours earlier.

From here on it was one smooth ride along an irrigation canal, all the way into Suphanburi. Most of the time I had the option between a paved or a good packed earth road, leading through attractive small villages, bamboo goves and patches of forest. As I hadn’t had a proper lunch yet I stopped at a highway canteen when crossing Route 3318, less than 10km outside of Suphanburi.

Once in town I got a suberbe room at Suan Rak Resort, about 500 Baht. There was no English sign, but staff was all smiles and very helpful. As often in such places there was a deposit to be paid for the key. I took a quick shower, recharged my in the meantime – quick charging is a great thing – and then rode in direction of the city center. There were quite a few food options nearby, plus the usual 7/11, but as I had had such a late lunch I wasn’t really looking for dinner.

I crossed a small but steep bridge criss-crossed the nearby center with its evening food market for a while. Then I headed for a place with a live band, which I had marked on my map when planning the route. Not far away but hidden in a quiet quarter of the town this was exactly the place I was looking for. Sit back, relax, a cold Leo and some snacks later on when the band moved in. With the arrival of the musicians about 20:00 the place did get busy, and I enjoyed the Thai rock songs and ballads until well past 22:00. Great fun, I sure will return!

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Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 2)

Getting the feet wet.

I left the Hidden Holiday House after a delicious breakfast, Guai Chap (กวยจั๊บ), which is a soup prepared with rolled noodles, pork and blood cakes. I headed North along the Tha Chin river and passed through the small riverside town of Huay Plu. The area around the market was sandbagged and large pumps were on stand by, but the town center itself wasn’t flooded.

Not far out of town things changed, however. Soon I found myself on some dirt roads which had flooded recently. Even if the water had retreated it still was a soft and sticky mess. Impossible to ride here, no choice but pushing onward, with the red mud sticking to wheels and gears.

Soon I was back on a rideable gravel road, but the joy didn’t last. Sandbags were laid across at one point and it was knee deep water beyond. I peeked around the next corner, wading through the water, but there was no way to see for how long this flooded part would last. Since the next intersection was several kilometers away I returned to my bike, which I had left at the sandbag barrier, and quickly plotted a detour on a paved road. There were just a few short flooded sections there and I reached said intersection without any troubles.

From there on I had planned my route farther away from the Tha Chin river as there aren’t any small roads along the river bank here, just Route 3351. Numbered roads aren’t my cup of tea, fast traffic, no shade, no thanks.

“Inland” riding was much easier, until I reached Bang Pla, a small place back on the river. I ate two bowls of noodles in a little stall near the main intersection there. There wasn’t much choice in Bang Pla, if any, but it wasn’t needed – I love those soups!

After cruising around Wat Bang Pla it was back to flooded roads. The water wasn’t too deep here and it was nice to get the feet wet and splash it over my legs. After crossing Highway 346 it was detouring inland again, good riding on gravel roads.

Once I got closer to Bang Luang, which I planned to bypass to the West, my way was barred by large flooded areas. I looked for alternatives and found a way leading to the outskirts of Bang Luang. Near the turn off this farm road passed a property hidden under beautiful large trees, and guarded by a huge black dog.

The moment it spotted me I knew this would be different. No barking, just a swift trot towards me, the metal chain around its neck glittering in the sunlight. I immediately got off the bike and put it between me and the dog. I continued to walk, the dog following on the other side of the bike, looking at me, and gnarling. Once we reached the driveway leading to the property hidden under the trees the dog stopped and stood guard there. I gladly moved on and got back on the bike once a safe distance away.

Past Bang Luang I moved back away from the river once again and followed a canal towards my destination for the day. The farm road there was flooded at some points, but none too deep at first. The sun bathed the scenery in a beautiful warm light now, late in the afternoon. Another joyful section. I walked at times and pushed my bike along to be able to soak in the scenery instead of passing by rather quickly.

The very last part of this canal side farm road was once again impassable, just one big lake now. A quick detour on a main road and I reached the motel I had picked for the night. This place was not marked on maps and had no English sign. It was about 350m down the road (East) from the PTT station there. It was an older place, but good sized rooms, air-con, bathroom, clean, and a very good price.

After a wash up and change of clothes I rode another kilometer or so to a restaurant close to the river bank and Bang Sam riverside, where locals go and swim on weekends. This restaurant – cum resort as it turned out – was build around a pond with lots of salas to sit and dine. Food was delicious, and yes, there was cold Leo as well. I was shown the wooden bungalows available for the night as well. Those huts, complete with air-con and hot shower, were a little higher in price than the motel, but I certainly would stay here if overnighting again in this area!

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Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 1)

Leaving Bangkok.

It’s not the first time I pedaled out of Bangkok towards the West. I decided to use my long route, with a few variations. This is a ‘detour’ heading north-west first through parts of Nonthaburi and then westwards using small road, mostly they type without center lines. I very pleasant and interesting ride out of Bangkok, about 65km from Bang Sue to the Hidden Holiday House along the Tha Chin river.

As it would be a long day with all the stops for food and at temples I left early in the morning. Rama VII bridge was the first destination, to cross the river there. With no ferry here it’s carrying the bike up the stairs, not a big deal thanks to my bike backing setup. The day was heating up in the meantime, but there was a nice breeze up on the bridge, very enjoyable and time to take the first images of this trip.

Next goal was Wat Chalo (วัดชลอ), easy recognizable as it comes with a gigantic bird. Part of the temple sits on huge a stylized barge with a swan’s head at the bow. This swan depicts the Hongs, heavenly swans from Thai fairy tales. According to Thai mythology, these mystical swans live in the Himmapan forest on Mount Meru, the center of the Buddhist universe. From here on it was small roads and paths roughly following Khlong Om Non. A delicious bowl of noodles waited at a small old style kitchen right along the canal. What a great place to have a meal and hang out for a while!

Not long afterwards it was finally time to head West, this time more or less along Khlong Bang Yai. There are two roads following this canal, one South, one North of it. Some small wooden bridges make it possible to change back and forth between those two roads. The bridges are usually where temples are located, connecting the communities of both sides of the canal. To get there first I had to cross Highway 9, which I did using an overpass on my last trip here. This time I opted riding along the highway for a few hundred meters and doing a U-turn under a bridge there instead, definitely an easier solution.

After crossing the construction area of the highway leading West it was finally mostly small and quiet country lanes. I passed by the recycling place once more, they seem to deal mainly with second hand car doors of all kind of makes. Not too far from there was the pack of dogs which followed me last time for quite a stretch. However, it was smaller in numbers, guess some of their buddies weren’t around today. They were much less self confident and no big deal this time. Not far I stopped for a coffee in a beautiful but hidden spot build around a fish pond. There were several local cyclists around there and we had a friendly chat. I took a look – and some photographs – at the cactus green house of the owner as well. Some were flowering, very pretty indeed!

Next stop was the beautiful eatery near Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. I ate a plate of spicy Pad Kra Pao Moo with a fried egg on top and enjoyed my time at this great little place along a canal, to be reached over a shaky bridge. From there on it wasn’t too far to my final destination, but it did get somewhat tricky from there on.

First challenge was one trail I used last time had more or less disappeared. I opted for a nearby farm road, which was partially flooded. Thailand had seen very heavy rains quite late this rainy season and this resulted in quite some flooding in the Chao Phraya river basin. Here were the first signs of those, with plenty more to come during this trip! I had to walk the distance along this farm road, it was all squishy and muddy. Still, it got me across the fields where a beautiful, quiet local road reconnected. This was the final fun ride towards my destination.

Beautiful it was, the golden afternoon sun bathing the shrubs and trees in a soft yellow colour, and fantastic dark grey clouds hanging above. Soon I was speeding up as the menacing clouds came closer and closer. Reaching the main road along the East side of the Tha Chin river I found a small waiting shed to seek shelter. I was completely soaked by that time, but it was impossible to continue as I couldn’t see anything with all the rain drops on my glasses. The sky was real dark and it was pouring down so heavily, with wind gusts, that the shed didn’t really offer much shelter.

Once the rain slowed down sufficiently, perhaps half an hour later, I continued a few hundred meters to the South and then across the Tha Chin river. No time for any pictures on the bridge this trip as it was still raining. Heading back up North pas the bridge for about a kilometer and I arrived at the Hidden Holiday House.

The rain almost stopped by that time, and I had a chat and a beer with Chris, the owner of the resort, a fellow cyclist as well. He and his wife run this place and beach house down South. At times he organizes bike touring trips as well, usually in Thailand or Laos. The clouds cleared in no time, and after a shower I drank some more cold beers, enjoying the fantastic vista right from the floating bungalow, which I had to reach over a little foot bridge as the edge of the garden of the Hidden Holiday House had been flooded as well. Never mind, I made it, balancing carefully across the planks. I sat until late outside of the raft house, so beautiful what a great way to end the day!

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Had Yai – Nakhon Si Thammerat (Day 10)

Back to Bangkok.

Day 10 was supposed to be a relaxed day in town, then to the railway station in the evening.

However, when I checked my train ticket I realized I had mixed up the date – the train I had booked had left the night before. Ooops. I quickly checked at the nearby train station, but there were no sleepers available for tonight’s train. Everything was fully booked and I didn’t fancy a second class seat.

Back to the hotel it was, and checking flights. After calling the airlines I found out that I would need to box up my bike, unlike a few years ago when it was possible to simply roll up to the counter (at least with Thai Airways). Thai Smile it was, booked the flight using their app on my phone, and set out to find a bike box. The first bike shop I checked was just around the corner. It sold mainly children’s bikes, but I saw a few regular sized bikes as well at the back of the shop. I asked the old lady in charge of the shop, and two minutes and 20 Baht later I had my box. A stationary shop was next, bought two rolls of tape to put everything together.

At first I planned to cycle out to the airport, but as boxing up the bike would require some time and my flight was mid-afternoon, I decided to speed up things. At the train station I hired a transport bike, one of those motorbikes with a side car. It took about 40 minutes to get to the airport, with the bike loaded in one piece and me sitting at the back.

At the airport the staff confirmed that only boxed bikes would be accepted. Half an hour later I was back inside, bike in the box. Check-in was smooth from now on, and a moment later I sat in the waiting area, having a coffee, until the flight was ready for boarding.

Bye, bye Nakhon Si Thammerat, it was a good ten days!

Satistics:

• Total distance: 417km
• Average distance: 46km
• Punctures: 3 (all on day 3)
• Road hazards: None

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Had Yai – Nakhon Si Thammerat (Day 9)

Ban Nang Phraya-Nakhon Si Thammerat, 36km.

Into Nakhon Si Thammerat, with sightseeing.

Figured out living in a container isn’t so bad, after all. 😉 After a good cup of coffee I hopped into town and checked out the place. Very provincial, very laid back town, at least the old parts around the railway station. Checked into an old, local hotel in that area. Definitely not the best room I had on this trip, but clean and everything one needs. Had a look at some newer places, but their locations along the major through roads wasn’t appealing to me. Now after the sightseeing all I needed was a good spot to hang out…🍺🍺🍺

Woke up with a view of the river right from my container bed. With only a short hop into town planned for today – about 7km as the crow flies – I started out slow this morning. Had a good cup of coffee and breakfast at the resort and enjoyed the quiet of their garden, interrupted only by the occasional boat motoring down the river. I left late morning and was back on country roads. I followed a canal for most of the way, delightful cycling there with no traffic and quite some shade.

After crossing Highway 401 I head a bit South first, away from the city center. I took in Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan along the way, the most important temple in Nakhon Si Thammerat, as not all hotels do check-in before noon time. The temple was rather busy with mostly local visitors, but I did see a handful of foreign tourists as well. With a first shrine supposedly built as early as 293 AD and later rebuilt and expanded between the 13th and 18th centuries this temple became an important center of Theravada Buddhism. It’s an impressive sight and I spend quite some time there, there’s a lot to see and I enjoyed hanging out in the shady hallways, soaking in the quiet atmosphere.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan is certainly worth visiting, even if you have already seen many temples in Thailand.

Afterwards I cycled into town through some residential areas. I had marked the 24 Boutique Hotel for my overnight stay but it was fully booked. I went on to check out several other places, crossed the main road quite a few times doing so, but didn’t find anything suitable. Nobody around, fully booked, requiring to cross the main road all the time, or still closed because of COVID. Finally I looked more around the old part of the city, near the railway station. The first place I checked there was the V. House Nakhon, an old drive-in style of hotel. They had a room, and albeit very simple it was clean and had everything in it, including a new air conditioner. That would do for a night.

Soon thereafter I was cruising around the old town, working my way towards the Northern end of the town, to get to the Kiaw Kuton Cafe, an old style shop along the main road. Unfortunately they closed an hour early – when I got there they were just about to lock up the place. I pedaled back into town and ended up having dinner in a place close to the Southern end of the town, not too far from the temple I had visited earlier today. After dinner I looked for some life music, but unfortunately there wasn’t any as COVID restrictions were still in place. However, some pubs were open, just without the band, and I found a great night spot in a place called Sixty Bar. Open until late, good music, snacks and drinks, all I wanted for the last night of this trip.

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Had Yai – Nakhon Si Thammerat (Day 8)

Fang Tanawok-Ban Nang Phraya, 43km.

To Nakhon Si Thammerat, but not quite.

Towards Nakhon Si Thammerat. Wonderful ride today. First a short stop in Pak Phanang, an interesting little town with a local market down at the river. Crossed the river on a ferry, had coffee there while waiting until a thunderstorm past by. From then on it was plantation country, endless gravel roads, beautiful scenery, lots of birds, cows, and a few annoying dogs. Arrived at a pretty resort along a river, a few kilometers outside of town, and called it a day. Great place to relax after a fun day in the saddle. 😍

I had toyed with the idea to do a day trip to Cape Talumphuk, perhaps 40-50 clicks return. There supposedly were a few restaurants out there, and I’m sure I would have liked the stormy, lonely, windy beach out there. On the other hand it was questionable if any of the restaurants would be open, plus it would be a rather boring ride as there’s just one road in and out. That’s probably no biggie for the touring guys, going at 20km/h average even loaded down like a freight truck. Me? Little shade, trundling at 14km/h, boring all straight road, desperately looking for a reason to stop after 15 minutes? Not so much. Therefore I decided to keep this day trip for another tour and throw in a stop on the way to Nakhon Si Thammerat instead.

Woke up to another beautiful, sunny morning. I got the bike ready and checked out, but not before chatting a while with the friendly care taker and taking a few selfies together. The road to Pak Phanang was another quiet country lane, parallel to the one I had used yesterday to get to the sea and avoiding the main roads. It followed a creek called Phraek Sai and yes, first I had to detour South to get there. Absolutely worthwhile, beautiful, quiet morning ride.

In town I picked another detour, passing the fairly large stadium there and then following another canal to the Pak Phanang River. Along the river I finally headed towards the town center with its busy and interesting market. Indeed there was a ferry crossing here as I had spotted it on Google Earth. I hopped over to the other side, just in time before a massive downpour began. Time for some coffee and a bowl of noodles at the ferry pier.

About an hour later I was back on the road. It was light rain a drizzle until mid afternoon from now on. However, I tremendously enjoyed this rather wet ride as I got on farm once again. Gravel and dirt, one lane, single lane, pure nature. A few dogs chasing me when passing isolated farms, some quite mean ones among them. I observed birds hunting over a pond. Some kind of swallow perhaps, darting in and out low over the pond snapping up insects.

Later in the afternoon the sun broke through the clouds again and I continued my through this peaceful, green countryside. The occasional farm workers I encountered were all smiles and I nodded back when passing by. I stopped several times, took photographs or just relaxed a bit, taking in the surroundings.

I could have easily gone all the way into Nakhon Si Thammerat today, but decided to check out a resort along a Khlong I had found on Google Maps. The place was open, and the room I got was actually an old shipping container, complete with bathroom, rooftop terrace, and right along the river. A small swimming pool plus a coffee shop and restaurant next to the river completed this little resort. Perfect stay for the night, and soon happy me was sitting in another bamboo sala, waiting for the food and drinks I had ordered. What a great day it was!

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