Had Yai – Trang, Day 2 (81km)

There was just a little rain, the storm passed to the West of the small noodle shop. As it was still early I decided not to stay in one of the nearby motels but move on instead for another fifteen or twenty kilometers or so. The rain had cooled down the afternoon heat, the fresh air and the few rain drops still falling from the overcast sky suggested a comfortable ride for this last part.

And so it was, cool, pleasant, with a drizzle for about an hour, the last kilometres passed through another rubber tree plantation before following a cliff and a river, passing several neat looking villages along the way. A girl on a motorcycle, perhaps in her early teens, and her younger brother passed me several times, waving and smiling. A car stopped, opened the window, just to say hello and send me back on my way with a smile.

With ease I covered the remaining few kilometers, to check in at Prayana resort, for 500 Baht, in a room with a view across the fields and the mountains I had followed on my last leg this afternoon. And yes, if the first thing you do in your room is hosing down your bags, you know you were on a great ride that day!

It was a long ride today but the shade in the plantations and forests combined with the cooling effect of the thunderstorm in the afternoon made for a truly comfortable ride. Hence I rode further today than planned. This was a good decision as the part past lunch was simply stunning, the weather being a part of this.

Contact us if you would like to report changes or updates

Had Yai – Trang, Day 1 (60km)

I woke up just before Pattalung after a good nights sleep in the night train to Sungai Golok. The countryside along the railway track was beautiful, lush green, with many ponds and well kept villages. Caddle grazed in the leveled fields left and right of the railway line or in the shade of rubber tree plantations. Storks and herons stalked their prey in the ponds and swamps. What a great prelude for this days ride.

Train 37 pulled into Had Yai about 10:00am, with a delay of 1:20 minutes. The cargo handlers had quite a load to take care of – huge boxes, including flat screen TV’s, were all unloaded through the open window of a repurposed 3rd class carriage. Finally they handed out my bike and soon I was ready to roll.

My route took me through Had Yai’s largest market, busy with shoppers on motorcycles and sidecars, and the outskirts of the town. Once the ring road was crossed after about 13km the countryside lay wide open.

From now on it was all plantation roads, some paved, some reddish earth, and well looked after villages, houses and gardens. Friendly local folks waved and smiled, with very little traffic along the shady roads and tracks bar the occasional motorcycle or sidecar.

When crossing highway 4287 I stopped at a small muslim eatery for lunch. I had two orders of a delicious Massaman curry with rice and plenty of drink. After lunch it was more plantation roads, great cycling in a beautiful environment. It was a bit more up and down now approaching the mountain range which separates Had Yai and Satun provinces. Still quite exhausted, probably from riding during the hottest part of the day caused by the delay of the train, I decided to stop one more time.

I had another plate of rice and an ice cold beer at Phukaew Thara homestay and restaurant near Ton Plio waterfall. This friendly and well kept place featured a full restaurant along a stream, with jungle dishes on the menu, and a camping ground, but no rooms otherwise. Thus I decided to continue towards highway 406, and quickly as a thunderstorm was building up over the mountain range.

With the thunderstorm in the neck and lightning crackling several times behind me I sped down the gentle slope, zigzagging through more rubber plantations, until reaching a village along the highway and a local motel called Ounrak resort. After a quick shower I was ready for another beer in a shop along the main road, getting there just in time before heavy rain drops started their drumming on the iron roofing. What a great day!

Contact us if you would like to report changes or updates.

3N/3D-ride from Ratchaburi to Bangkok

Down to Hualamphong railway station in Bangkok to catch train 167 at 18:30hrs to Ratchaburi. This Surat Thani bound train has a freight car and accepts bicycles. They trip to Ratchaburi took about 3hrs, and a short bike ride took me to the Click Resort, a drive in style resort along the Ratchaburi Southern bypass road. Rooms were brand new, well equipped and good value for money. Buono Dine&Wine a few steps down the road had a band going, a bit and a few cold beers in a pleasant outdoor area until midnight.

Ratchaburi to Ban Pong (Day 1 – 55km)

The first day took me from Ratchaburi to Ban Pong, along the Maeklhong river. First I took a look at Wat Koh Nammatha Pathawalancharam, a quiet temple on a small island on the river a bit South of the bridge in Ratchaburi. The last stop in town at Cafe’ Society, just next to the bridge, provided the morning caffeine before crossing the river. I then followed the smallest possible roads along the river, from temple to temple, until about 3km before the small town of Potharam. About 6km before the point where I crossed the river, at Wat Chet Samian, there was a small restaurant for a quick meal. Likewise, about 2km past the bridge, there were several restaurants, and I had picked Auntie Huay’s Old Style Noodle Shop as my lunch place. This local restaurant is a popular stop for people traveling along route 4038 and as I got there around lunch time I had to wait to be seated. That’s always a good sign, and yes, their noodles were excellent and the crew running the place was very friendly.I had tried a detour inland to the railway line before traversing the river and lunch, however this little expedition failed as there was a huge new factory compound – not yet on GE satellite images – barring my way and it was impossible to go around nearby as the railway line was fenced off.

After lunch I went back to the small road along the river and continued North. Wat Khanon Nang Yai was the next major stop. The shadow theater art museum is well worth to remain for a while before setting out for the last leg to Ban Pong, about 10 more kilometers away. Along this leg I passed a few resorts and restaurants, I liked Sirisup resort and Sangfar resort, directly on the river and with local restaurants and shops nearby. I continued on the East bank of the river up to the second bridge and doubled back into the town center from there, staying at Baan Khun Nine Bed&Breakfast, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Modern, clean rooms, coffee shop and a restaurant with river view terrace made for a pleasant stay, food was good and beer was cold. A perfect way to end this ride, albeit I passed several river view restaurants on the East bank of the river before crossing the bridge, so there’s no need really to stay right at the river, any hotel or guesthouse in town would do.

Contact us if you would like to report changes or updates.