The pleasant aspect here at Zea Zide Resort beside Prachuap Bay left an impression on me yesterday. A room with a sea view is virtually unheard of for the price we paid. Yet overnight things didn't go well. The primary objective of any accommodation is to have a good night's sleep, and that hasn't happened here. Something quite simple ruined the night for me. It was down to the pillows. These were so chunky that it became impossible to get into a good sleeping position. It became so bad that I used a towel instead. Needless to say, I didn't wake up in a good mood. A couple of other issues added to the problem, and I wondered if I could get a refund by cancelling the extra night here. I survived, of course, and headed downstairs for breakfast. It was then my partner spoke with the maid. It appears that new pillows had just been issued. A quick bit of thinking immediately resolved the issue when some older pillows were retrieved. Now that's much better.
Heading downstairs, I'm not filled with excitement as to what to expect. I already know that there is no restaurant here and that what they will provide will be in the reception area. Here, there is counter and seating space, so let's see what's here. OK, there's toast and jam with coffee provided self-service, but no warm food other than rice soup. There is, however, breakfast cereal, pastries, and buns. It will do and gives this hotel the edge on what we were provided with at Pinotel yesterday. OK, so what's the plan today? Although not set in stone, we could travel further down the Prachuap Khiri Khan coastline, where we know there are some nice beaches. By 11.00 AM that option is taken as we head to the Phetkasem Road, HWY 4.
Although we've explored most of this coastline before, maybe it's time for a refresher course. Within the hour we are on Surin Beach in Thap Sakae district, and memories come flooding back. I could have saved the detour since Surin Beach lies on private land. What is here is an excellent restaurant serving clients who rent property near the beach. Clients, incidentally, who have deep pockets. There is quite an ex-pat community here, many of whom are Scandinavian. I need to waste no time here, but we do need a lunch and end up with a European-style dish at a filling station along the highway in Saeng Arun.
We continue along the 4, turning off towards the beach. Approaching the coast, there is a headland with a hill called Thong Chai in view. We came here before in 2012 to explore Wat Thang Sai, a monastery constructed in 1994 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of the late King Rama IX. The temple is worth a visit to view its gleaming spires, its meditation halls, and views out to sea, including to the south, where there is our final destination today.
I mentioned earlier the beaches that are a feature of Prachuap Khiri Khan's coastline. One in particular has held great memories for me going back many years. Ban Krut Beach is a peaceful beach that has remained off the beaten track for most tourists but with a charm of its own. All you need here is to use one of the resorts and walk over the road to the beach. We arrive here today, and it's really quiet with little traffic. Bangla Road it is not.
Now in mid-afternoon, we call at the railway station, so convenient for the beach here. Regrettably, I've managed to miss a passing train, but at least I can confirm that this station is fully functional after recent upgrades to the track here and the station buildings. Picking up something from 7-Eleven, we head back to the beach, bringing out the camping chairs for what will be the final time before I leave Thailand.
We're quite relaxed today, but an issue with the car comes to a head. When the temperature warning light comes on again, the car will need attention in Prachuap before we return to Bangkok. It's too late today, though, but fortunately we arrive back in Prachuap with no issues after adjusting the fluid levels. We head straight to the hotel and park the car. We look around for a dinner and find a street seller where we can eat on temporary tables. Clearly there's nothing fancy on the menu tonight. All I can do now is make myself comfortable on the final night here and hope that a visit to Toyota here will solve any issues in the morning.

Source: Visit