I wake up this morning looking for inspiration. We have essentially achieved what we came for over the last two days. I open my laptop and an idea springs out. It not at all what I was expecting but wait: It's Valentines day in just a couple of days and there's a lovely place to spend it. The downside is that it's over 4 hours away. By 10:00 AM accommodation has been arranged and we're ready to leave Chatkaew Hotel but not Dan Chang just yet. It's too nice a day not to have a final look around Krasieo Reservoir.
Remembering a previous visit, we make our way round to the western side of the lake. As we skirt around the dam itself, raft huts come unto view. I note that even though there's been no rain for a couple of months, the water level is still quite high. It will be at least another month before the level drops to expose a huge freshwater beach this area is famous for. Right now the beach huts around the Fisherman's Village are practically deserted. As we move up the western side of the lake, we note the vending stalls at Tha Khuean Krasiao Beach that will be busy later, are staffed by just a few resolute individuals hoping against expectation for business. All I can remember is that when we came here before it was bustling with activity but today little of the sandy beach is visible. We return past a cattle grazing area beside the beach turned into a peaceful attraction as I continue to take photos provided by this lovely place.
It's time to head south and whittle down the miles but little did I know there was a problem developing until Katoon points out a warning light on the car dash which indicates the engine is overheating. It's too serious to ignore on this very hot day. We stop the car and phone a friend but we simply need to get the car fixed. The best option now is to get to a dealership and fortunately we're only 10 minutes from the one in Dan Chang. First though, we have to let the engine cool down. Katoon calls the dealership but learns that the staff is on a lunch break. That works fine as we can have our own break at a resaurant not too far away. Lunch over, we ensure the water reservoir is topped up. 10 minutes should be OK to get us to the garage.
We arrive at the Toyota franchise and get the VIP treatment as the mechanics get to work on diagnostics. We sit back in the customer services lounge and wait for the results but are kept up to date on progress. Bit by bit they work through the possibilities. Fortunately, a worse case scenario is avoided as the problem with engine overheating come down to a pressure valve spring that failed, preventing water circulation to cool the engine. It's a simple fix and test in the end, but we have lost nearly 5 hours in the day. At 4:30 PM, Katoon gets her head down to recover some of those hours. As we leave Dan Chang, we can't expect to reach our destination much before 9:00 PM. Our journey now will take us south through Suphanburi province then through Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi provinces and into Phetchaburi province. Despite stopping for a meal we arrive in Cha-am well before 9:00 PM. We'll done Katoon.
Our accommodation tonight will be more expensive than the average I pay in Thailand but not for a beach location. Arriving at Asia Cha-am, I first think I'm at the wrong place. I rub my eyes in disbelief. It seems I have a last minute bargain. I'm in for a couple of days of luxury, so appropriate for Valentine. It's been a long wait to get here but alls well that ends well. What's going to work well for us here is the convenience of walking straight out into the street for most everything we need including the beach just across the road.

Source: Visit