Four-Week Journey Through Southern Thailand and Angkor (page 11 of 12)

Hello,

The photo where you can see the limestone cliffs was taken from the town. The military base (where the prettiest beach and the monkeys are) is at the foot of one of those cliffs. While the entrance to the base is only 1.5 km from the town center, you pretty much have to cross the entire base to reach the monkeys. If my memory and impression aren’t off, I’d estimate about 4 kilometers. Also, it depends on which part of town you’re starting from! Those without a car usually get there by tuk-tuk or bike.

I think you might be mixing up the locations a bit. Take another look at my travel journal with a map of southern Thailand in front of you (easy to find on Google).

Honestly, in this part of the country, Bang Saphan isn’t super interesting. We much preferred Prachuap and Sam Roi Yot. You’ll find more details and photos in my 2015 travel journal, since we went back to the area.

Yeah, I switch between travel stories and Google Maps, which can be a bit of a juggling act . I also grabbed a paper map. We adjust our plans based on the weather, but there’s a good chance we’ll focus on Prachuap after reading your roadbook. I’m worried I’ll get bored in Bang Sapang. Khranom and Chupon were tempting too, but since we also want to see Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, etc., we’ll have to make some choices!

Hi there, I’m joining the conversation because I went to Prachuap at the beginning of last year after reading this travel journal—thanks, Jojoone! We spent a few really nice, laid-back days there. We rented bikes for 1 or 2 euros a day to ride to the lovely beach at the maritime base every day—it was clean, gently sloping, with cheap restaurants, and shaded by big trees, perfect for us. On the other side of the bay, we also biked to the fishing village, which was a great little trip. In the evenings, we ate at small restaurants along the bay or at a big square with food stalls all around (just like everywhere in Thailand)—good and cheap. The town is mostly visited by Thai tourists. I think it’s Friday nights when there’s a big market and tons of street food along the bay. We’re planning to go back every year. The only downside is that it takes quite a while to get to Prachuap from Bangkok… but that’s what keeps it so peaceful and authentic. Happy travels!

I never thanked you for that last contribution to my travel journal. Since I see you're still logging in, I'm doing it now. It's never too late to do the right thing!

I'm still here, loyal to VF, which gave me invaluable tips for getting off the beaten path in Thailand and beyond. I’ve shared some advice myself and continue to do so, but since illness sneaked up on me, I’ve been sticking to Europe and making the most of it...

You're far from the only one in this situation. After hearing our elders tell us so often to enjoy life to the fullest, it's now our turn to pass on the same advice. Sending you lots of positive thoughts.

Hi Joel,

I just finished reading your travel journal in one go. Your photos are amazing!😍

Do you know if there are still langurs in Prachuab?

Anyway, thanks for this wonderful travel journal.

I read a recent travel journal from someone who hadn’t seen the langurs. My last trip was in 2020—there were plenty back then, but we didn’t find them on our own. It was a tuk-tuk driver who took us at feeding time... once they’ve got full bellies, they disappear. I can’t seem to upload photos to my travel journal anymore—just a red error message about an attached image, and I don’t get it. I tried copy-pasting, but it only grabs part of the image. The new VoyageForum is so complicated; lately, it’s unreadable on my smartphone. Hard to stay motivated.

Thanks for the compliments; the photographer is my wife Françoise. I’m just her assistant 🙂

As I mentioned in another recent thread, there were apparently three large groups of langurs a few years ago. Well-fed by locals and tourists, their population had grown quickly. The authorities probably decided to relocate a large number of them to areas where they were absent or too rare. We went there last year and only saw a few in the afternoon. Obviously, it’s better to go in the morning.

There are quite a few around Sam Roi Yot, about 70 km from there.

Thanks Noëlle for your feedback.

For photos, below the message you want to send, you’ll see “choose a photo”—you can select it from your photo library, then you need to click “Upload the photo,” and then insert it into the text. The process is still the same. It hasn’t changed since VF reopened.

Thanks for the details. Anyway, I don’t think we’ll have time to make that detour during a two-week trip. But your wife’s photos are seriously tempting. I’m still planning the stops and deciding whether we want to do part of the North and South or just one of the two regions. Tough choices!😉

Whatever you do, don’t try to cram both the north and the south into just 2 weeks. Even on our 4-week trips, we didn’t do that.

Why not start a thread with your itinerary plans? There are at least 3 or 4 people here who can help you move forward.

Hi,

reflect on whether we want to do part of the North and South or just one of the two regions.

It’s not just the North and South—the middle is also worth visiting and helps reduce the number of kilometers you’ll have to travel. I’ll join Jojoone in encouraging you to create your own thread.

Thanks Joël and Thierry for your encouragement! Before starting my own thread, I’ll keep digging into the topic. 🙂

North and/or South—it’s always a big debate. Normally, I prefer visiting just one region when time is short, but sometimes it’s nice to see a little bit of several regions, even if it means coming back later to explore the one we liked best. Anyway, nothing’s decided yet, and I also have to consider my husband’s opinion—he really wants to see Phang Nga Bay. But an itinerary *only* in the South doesn’t appeal to me. To be continued… 😏😉

We can’t blame him for wanting to discover one of the most beautiful spots on the planet!

A little gift link: https://the-bay-tour.my.canva.site/travel

Small suggestion: you can easily ask the pilot to skip some of the more touristy spots like Kho Panyee (or caves if they don’t interest you) and replace them with a tour near other islands in the area.

Thanks Joel! :)

The bay is indeed really beautiful.

It really is magnificent... in pictures, because in person, aren’t there *"a few"* tourists who block (and ruin) the scenery (and the fun 😕)?

Since I’m neither very tall nor very broad, I won’t ruin the scenery 😉

It’s best to set off at dawn and hit the most touristy spots before the crowds roll in (like James Bond Island, for example). The locals guiding tourists are usually pretty flexible and can adjust the route to suit your preferences. This might mean choosing a hotel or guesthouse closer to the coast.

I also skip Koh Panyee—it’s always featured in French TV reports about Thailand, and you can get sick of it before even seeing it in person!

Don’t forget there’s plenty of space: to the north, you’ve got the mangrove routes with stunning limestone peaks, and just a few kilometers south, there are loads of islands. You can circle them for photos or sometimes land on the beach or explore a cave.

Hi Joel,

I just read your travel journal in one sitting. Your photos are amazing!😍

Do you know if there are still langurs in Prachuab?

Anyway, thanks for this wonderful journal.

There are still langurs at the military base, which has reopened since the conflict with Cambodia has calmed down.

Sure, the big groups seen about ten years ago—relocated due to too many conflicts among them—are no longer there, but you can spot lots of juveniles: you won’t miss out, they’re hilarious.

A tip: it’s best to be there around 9 AM. They love corn, peanuts, and juicy fruits. Bananas too, by the way.

Thanks Joël for the info, but my post and our trip are a bit old now. 😅 We got back at the end of January and for now, we haven’t planned to return to Thailand.