So, another mini tour is winding down, the last significant activity before I return to the UK at the weekend. Yesterday, we didn't take advantage of the pleasant surroundings here at Zea Zide Hotel as we visited beaches to the south. A good night's sleep was, however, most welcome, fixed by simply changing a pillow. Regarding the room itself, I'm still not impressed. An accumulation of furniture could be avoided by simply providing counter space. The metal table and chairs, in particular, should be sent for scrap. OK, enough of that. Let's just concentrate on the free toast and jam in reception.
While our journey back to Bangkok today is straightforward, there is the matter of getting the car looked at by Toyota here in Prachuap. Any other activity on the way is dependent on the result of the visit.
We arrive at the garage before 10:00 AM, and the inspection begins. As expected, there is a bit of a wait while they investigate an issue with a warning light. By 11:30 we can continue our journey, as no major issue is found. The warning was likely due to air in the pressurised cooling system, which they've managed to bleed. Fortunately, we still have time to visit an attraction on the way back to Bangkok.
Anyone who has travelled south along the Phetkasem Road, HWY 4, must have noticed a detached mountain range between it and the sea occupying two districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan province. This is Khao Sam Roi Yot, a marine national park covering 61,300 rai, or 98 square kilometres (38 sq mi). While we have passed these mountains many times, we have yet to enter the park itself. A visit is long overdue then. It's just after midday when we turn right off HWY 4, first locating Sam Roi Yot railway station. Yes, the railway line to southern Thailand also passes to the west of Khao Sam Roi Yot. I've checked the timetable and been lucky this time to find a train due within 15 minutes. This is the 254 Ordinary service to Lang Suan I missed yesterday. I must admit, this recently modernised station is such a lovely station with views of the mountains. OK, I've recorded my stay here so, it's time for lunch. We follow the signs to the 'Kissing Cave,' not knowing anything about it. We miss a turning, which proves most fortunate as we arrive at a local restaurant that would be totally out of place in Phuket. Unacceptable to many, this type in rural Thailand is where ingenuity makes use of whatever resources are available—planks of wood, bamboo, anything. We find a seat, and the family here is most welcoming. It's in these situations we learn an awful lot about what there is to do and see. Of course, this is a bonus, but what about food? Well, it's the same story of using whatever is available locally. I noticed on the way some shrimp farms, and kow prik gang goong (prawns in red curry) is what I order. When the dish arrives, the prawns look huge, and they have not been economical with the quantity either. My partner just revels in situations like this, and a friendly conversation develops. We take our time in this lovely setting, and then when I settle up, it's just outstanding value for a good meal. Now let's get into some kissing!
We find the road to the boat pier and find this is one of the entrances to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. It's here I realise that we need to take a boat to the Kissing Cave. The fee for the boat is a reasonable 600 baht, which could be divided by up to four if there were more than the two of us. There is also a 200-baht park entrance fee for me. From the pier the majestic mountains appear before us, while all around is wetland registered by RAMSAR. It's through this wetland that the boats travel to reach the Kissing Cave. When we depart, the scene is magical, with such stunning beauty. I soon realise that I've missed a trick in the past. Heading for the mountains, we witness the sight of wetland birds, an ornithologist's paradise. When we reach the cave, we can disembark to view a small cavity in the rock. Venturing inside and looking back, we see the reason for the name. Up above, the sides of the cavern seem to meet face-to-face! Re-embarking, we soon reach another attraction as we explore Wat Puttha Uthayan Tham Ko Phai, a cave temple inside the park. All is eerily quiet and peaceful. Regrettably, it's time to return to the pier. The boat trip is amazing as we head back through the reeds, spotting more bird life. A beautifully coloured moorhen disappears into the reeds with her cute hatchlings nearby. Wonderful!
We are now well into the afternoon and have made little progress towards reaching Bangkok, not far short of four hours away. Still, there is so much to see in the area; it would be a shame to leave now. Katoon leads the way to another attraction within the park.
We reach Lotus Sea Mon Island, and it's here that the true expanse of the wetland becomes clear. Sure, it's not the largest in Thailand, but it makes up for that with its beauty. This wetland is noted for its lotus flowers, which provide an explosion of colour in winter. Unfortunately, we're past that now, but it's still amazing to be here. The park fee we paid at the pier gives us access here too, although they require another 40 baht for parking. What this gives you access to is the visitor centre and the intricate pattern of walkways through the wetland. We're fortunate that Thailand didn't have the resources to drain this land for agriculture, but that has left us with something much more valuable. The visit to this park has made such an impression that I just must return again when I'm in the area. There's certainly a lot more to see here. Now, at around 4:00 PM, we must make progress. An 8:00 PM arrival in Bangkok is the best we can do, but there's still dinner to arrange. It's time to head north through the rest of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, through Phetchaburi province, and into Ratchaburi province, where we stop for dinner. Having just connected with the Rama II Road, HWY 35, we pull into a PTT filling station in Wang Manao. It's not usual for us to eat at one of these stations, but this one has a good selection of dining options, including a McDonald's, but we chose the Gogo Sushi restaurant instead. The teriyaki chicken is amazing and excellent value. We continue towards the city, along the Rama II Road. This takes us into the heart of the city through Khlong Toei, where there are no major delays this late in the day. We can now use the tollways, heading towards Ramintra and home. There's just the matter of collecting some provisions for tomorrow, and that's another trip over as we arrive at a reasonable 8:30 PM.

I conclude that this has been another excellent short tour. Sure, we've covered some of the ground before, but I've been to another football game, seen a train, and explored a new part of Prachuap province, which was most impressive. The maximum point we reached was about 380 km (236 mi). The weather maxed at just over 30 degrees Celsius, just a few degrees down on Bangkok.

Source: Visit