Had Yai – Nakhon Si Thammerat (Day 7)

Phraek Muang-Fang Tanawok, 72km.

Another day, another detour.

Once again I opted for an inland route instead of following the highway along the coast. With all the shrimp farms, creeks, rivers, and swamps there aren’t too many options here. An easy 43km along the coast turned into a 72km loop. Plenty of sunshine today, clouds and a few drops of rain were welcome. Finally reached the seaside for my overnight stop. Dinner by the sea as usual, but with a sea wall instead of a beach this time. Never mind, enjoyed the breeze and the cold Leo did taste great after today’s long ride! 😋

Skies looked clear this morning, all the more a reason to get away from the coastal road. While Route 4013 isn’t a big highway, it still is a wide two lane road with shoulders, traffic zipping past at high speed, and precious little shade. More than forty kilometers of that, all straight, just behind the coast, in the full sun? No, thanks. Off to the hinterland it was.

I turned left just after the large bridge past Phraek Muang Beach Park and then followed the first canal heading North. It was pleasant countryside cycling now, quite some shade, and very little traffic on those narrow paved roads without center lines. I crossed the main road at Hua Say, a small town somewhat inland. The market was very busy in the morning, plus plenty of food stalls and small restaurant, a good option for a food stop.

I continued along the canal, all small roads, sometimes West, sometimes East of it. At one point there was a group of cows grazing along the small farm road I was one, with flooded fields left and right. For some reason the cows went completely berserk, even when I got off the bike and walked. The were obviously scared, but with no way to escape left of right into the flooded fields the galloped up and down the little road, until finally being brave enough to stand still and watch me pass.

Finally the canal converged with another one, near where it flows into the sea. I crossed it near the convergence point at Wat Khok Mamuang. From there on it was mostly rural roads until I had another canal to follow at Wat Sa. The area around Wat Sa was green and leafy, with quite some shade from some tall trees. Ice cream and cold drinks it was in a nearby store along my route.

I skirted the Eastern outskirts of Pak Phanang but headed for the seaside instead of the town center. There’s accommodation available there, but I wanted to spend another evening by the sea as I had grown fond of those little restaurants and their bamboo salas right on the beach. It was only about five kilometers anyway, following a small road along a small canal. The sun was already low on the horizon by now, a joy to cycle now through the sun-drenched countryside.

I checked out SC Villa near the sea, modern bungalows type rooms, a nice garden, and a very friendly care taker couple on top of it. Just down the road at Tua Ti Pier there were a few seafood restaurants, my choice for tonight’s dinner. It wasn’t as nice as my previous beach dinners as there are sea walls here to protect the land, but I had a table overlooking the ocean, food and drinks, not too bad either.

These restaurants are quite a bit busier than the ones further down the coast. This might be because of the town of Pak Phanang and even Nakhon Si Thammerat not being too far away and people driving to the sea for a nice dinner. Talked a while with a group of curious youngsters, but declined their invitation to drink whiskey with them. No thanks, cycling with a headache is no fun!