Our late arrival in Cha-am yesterday meant that it took a while to wind down, but we saw enough to realise we were experiencing how tourists live. Asia Cha-am is classy, without being over the top, but is still a cut above how we normally stay on a budget. It's clear we have secured an off-season bargain here, but that won't extend to breakfast at the price, which would likely be enough for lunch and dinner as well. Instead, this morning, all I need to do is walk out into the street and secure enough food to keep us going. Now, the same question arises. What is the plan for today?
It's 11.00 AM, and a lazy morning has been most welcome, but the only thing I can think of going forward is a visit to Cha-am Railway Station. That's just 10 minutes away. I could just hop on a train and head over to Hua Hin, but there's nothing for over an hour. Instead, let's just drive instead. I could catch a train coming back.
I should mention that I spent some happy hours in the area when I was younger, but things have changed a lot since then. As we head towards Hua Hin, Katoon turns left to an attraction I never knew existed. We arrive at a car park near the Mrigadayavan Palace. This palace is a 1920s beachfront summer palace of King Rama VI featuring buildings on stilts connected by verandas. Katoon is interested in exploring, but it's very hot today, and this visit wasn't what I had in mind. When I learn there's a significant entrance fee, I'm not enthusiastic. The historical significance will not be lost if I decline the opportunity. I'm happy to wait for my partner to have a look around, but it appears she's been here before. We press on into Hua Hin still with no clear plan. It's now past midday, and lunch is due. Hua Hin is really busy and not conducive to a quiet lunch, but I know somewhere that will be quite relaxed.
Another 20 minutes south of Hua Hin, there are some nice beaches, and one in particular springs to mind. We're soon at Haad Sai Noi, a small but particularly attractive bay. It's here I used to come with my young family. During the approach to the bay, I noticed a significant number of new holiday homes had been built, and that has had a big and sadly detrimental effect on the bay. Once a secret place, it's no secret anymore. Parking has become a nightmare. Any idea that we would stay here a while disappears with the hard sell of deckchairs. Nevertheless, we find a reasonably priced restaurant nearby, and that's lunch sorted. With our premature departure comes another opportunity, though, as I know of another beach. We backtrack towards Suan Son Pradiphat Beach. This beach is bigger than at Sai Noi but is less commercialised as it lies on land owned by the military. There is a fee to pay of just 20 baht. Located in this area is the new Suan Son Pradiphat railway station. This station has been completely rebuilt as part of the State Railway's Southern Line upgrades, which include the conversion to dual track as far as Chumphon. Waiting in the station is an ordinary train soon to depart for Bangkok. Regular and excursion trains arrive here for little other reason than to serve the military and the beach lovers. I'm happy to wait for the train to depart and record yet another video. It's time to head to the beach. The beach is always kept clean of debris by military personnel financed by a restaurant and shops. There are restrictions, though, on commercial enterprise. In particular, you are not troubled by hawkers or any form of hard-sell. For us there is an opportunity to take out our folding chairs. We can now do what many tourists do. Just laze around in the shade of sea-pine trees. With the sun out and low tide, the scene is almost mesmerizing, prompting the obvious question, 'why don't we do more of this?' The time here is precious, but soon umbrellas get folded and the beach lovers start to disperse. That's the signal to head back to Cha-am, where another big meal is taken in the town. Much as I try, I just can't seem to diet.
The day has been more active than I imagined and justifies my decision to come here. We head back to Asia Cha-am Hotel for a quiet night. Tomorrow we head back to Bangkok with mixed emotions.

Source: Visit