Day 5 - Wednesday 1 February 2017

Yet another move........Smile Boutique has given me the opportunity to draw breath from travelling. I can take advantage of the conveniences nearby and with no clear objective today, it’s a lazy morning and I stay in the room till 11am. When I do inform reception that I would like to stay another night, I’m told I have to move anyway: Upstairs. Quite why I don’t know because the rooms upstairs are really spacious but I’m not charged extra for the inconvenience. However I seemed to have caused panic as staff descends on the room frantically removing my belongings to the upstairs room. I guess that’s the spark I needed to get the day underway finally. Initially I head into town and make my first stop but it’s only a photo opportunity.
Rattanarangsarn Palace........Google Map. The throne hall at Rattanarangsarn Palace was built by Phraya Damrong Sutjarit Mahitsornpakdee (Kor Sim Kong) for the residence of King Rama V during the royal visit to Ranong Province on 23–25 April 1890. It is located on the hilltop named "Niwest Kiree". The original throne hall was later dismantled and replaced by the city hall and then a new provincial hall, built in 2002. It was made from teak wood.

Japanese........From the palace we have a look around for somewhere to take lunch. There are a couple of guesthouses in the area with their own restaurants but Katoon has her eye on a Japanese restaurant which seems out of place here. I normally see them in shopping malls. She seems serious maybe due to the budget living over the last few days but I worry it will be too much to take in at this time of day and so it proves. However it’s an experience in itself. The giant prawn noodle soup and tempura prawn salad is amazing. The restaurant is called Kaw Su Chi.
Disinterest........To assume that what is to follow is a city tour would be a big mistake. There is little else of historical significance here. This is still a sparsely populated province which was only taken over by the Siamese in the Ayutthaya Period. Although there is a sizable fishing industry here and cross border trade with Myanmar, there is little for the tourist in the town. Most tourists are more interested in the visa run to Kawthoung Google Map / Visa Run or heading off to Koh Chang or Koh Phayam. This at least gives us a chance to go down to the pier at Tai Kak Google Map to use up some time. Here we can see why this port hasn't developed. There is a tangled mass of waterways here lined with mangrove.

Around 2pm we head back to the Petkasem Highway, then back past Smile and up the Hat Som Paen river valley past the hot spring. There are three possible sites to visit further up the valley.
Wat Hat Som Paen........Google Map. Wat Hat Som Paen is a temple on a klong with that name providing a sanctuary for a shoal of soro brook carp .....more.
Hat Som Paen Reservoir........Google Map. Hat Som Paen Reservoir is formed by the construction of an earth and stone dam in the valley of the Hat Som Paen River. It supplies fresh water to Ranong.

Ranong Canyon........Google Map. Ranong Canyon is just a few kilometres further up the valley. If there was a canyon here there isn’t now. There’s just a lake where you can feed the soro brook carp .....more.

No further options........As I head back to Smile, there’s a feeling that Ranong hasn’t delivered anywhere near the level of interest I normally expect. Of the sites listed for this province, I’ve either passed them on the way here, found them near the town or still waiting to find them in other districts. In other words, I see no further point in staying here and I have already made enquiries as to what I might expect further down the coast.
More seafood........Venturing a little further away from Smile along the city side if the highway we find a few restaurants offering mid range dining and with savings made on accommodation I can experiment with the interesting seafood dishes and for a change try the shellfish. Somehow dining out today has been a bright point of a day that has been somewhat disappointing. By lights out my blog is up the date for a change which gives me options for a better start tomorrow. Next Page.