It's been quite a relaxing night at Norn Na Homestay, and that is what I had hoped for this trip. I still can't find anything to complain about here, only the point I made yesterday about parking. Aware that we need to take care of ourselves here regarding breakfast, we're well equipped to deal with it. With regard to onward travels today, I'm looking forward to the day and the prospect of sun, sea, and sand I planned for.
As we depart, I see there is a table and chairs outside each of the five units at Norn Na Homestay we could have used.
During days of transition, I try not to look for attractions, but today we have plenty of time. Yesterday I checked for options and came up with something we could try. Before long we're at Wang Suan Ban Kaeo, a palace of royal significance. It was here that Queen Rambhai Barni, the consort of King Rama VII, spent her final years.
In her life there was great upheaval starting in 1932 when the absolute monarchy in Thailand ended. She joined the king in voluntary exile in the UK only to live through war-torn Britain. In 1949 she returned to her own country and settled here at Suan Ban Kaeo. The palace she built is modest by royal standards but heavily influenced by British culture and design. In the palace grounds is the main residence containing many personal items that belonged to the queen. This is all good stuff, but we need to make progress.
Hopefully, without losing much more time, there is something natural we could try. After half an hour we reach Chantaburi Grand Canyon, which is unlikely to be as spectacular as the one in Arizona. We locate it after turning off the main HWY 3. It consists of clear water lakes and exposed rocks that appear to be the result of quarrying in the past. Taking some photos is all I need to do here. We return to the main highway and cross into Trat Province. It's just an hour from here to Ao Thammachat Pier, the pier for Koh Chang. Before we take the ferry, though, we need to stock up with food and fuel, which will be more expensive on the island.
It's mid-afternoon as we reach the ferry pier and then have to queue. The ferries run frequently, but there's also big demand for their services. Still, we're crossing over within the hour. It's a beautiful day out there, and I'm looking forward to my second visit: 15 years has been far too long since I was here.
It's now a question of finding our accommodation, which isn't far away. We've bucked the trend by choosing the less popular east coast, where there are few beaches. It will be interesting to see what we end up with.
Arriving at Kohchang FuengFah, it's not obvious to us where the accommodation is. All we see is a restaurant, but soon we learn that the 'cottage' we booked is at the back on the side of a hill. Now this could be interesting. There is a staircase up to the cabin-style building, which is a bit of a nuisance, but it's what the room is like that's more important. Well, as we take a look inside, there are immediate concerns, but I have to remember we're not on the mainland now. It's a bit of a culture shock, but gradually we figure things out.
My first reaction is the worry about no fridge in the room, followed by not seeing the remote for the air-conditioning. I soon realise that the fridge is in an open space, call it a kitchenette, beside the property, and then find the remote. Things now don't seem so bad. The only other comment I have is the lack of a TV, but that's a minor issue for us. As things stand, we can accept a cabin-style life for just two nights.
After relaxing for the rest of the afternoon, we head out looking for food. That turns out to be easier than last night with steak on the menu at a restaurant near the resort.
As was expected, this side of the island is quieter than the west coast, where the beaches are. We will visit some of those tomorrow, but over dinner the talk is about securing better accommodation for the last two days on the island. We have options, which we will explore tomorrow, and we're confident of getting a better deal. On this occasion calling around seems to work better. We will see in the morning, but it's definitely going to be quiet back at Kohchang FuengFah tonight.

Source: Visit