Day 2, Saturday 8 October
Reminder.......Today I'll just have to remind myself why I'm here In Prachuap Khiri Khan. Well, earlier I explained that I had some business to do in Cha-am which is on a direct route to the South of Thailand. Deciding that this would be the direction of travel for my 1st long duration trip, the next thing I considered was what events sites and attractions there were for me to visit on this occasion. So, recently both myself and Katoon have had an interest in attending Thai football games especially those in Thai league 1 of the TPL. Today Prachuap will host Police Tero FC at 6.30pm this evening.
Breakfast at The Rest is a simple affair just coffee and toast but it's enough for the time being. As regards today's other activities, this has yet to be decided. There are a good number of attractions I've covered in this province already so today I will look around the city district to see what else I can find.
We head towards the beach area passing the sports stadium which will be featured later. Then, in the distance is a rocky hill on top of which is a royal temple.
Wat Thammikaram Worawihan.......Wat Thammikaram Worawihan is located on the top of Khao Chong Krajok hill overlooking the bay of Prachuap Khiri Khan with stunning 360 degree views. Khao Chong Krajok hill and the temple itself are home to a large troop of macaque monkeys which roam freely largely unafraid and unbothered by human visitors.
At the car park at the base of the hill I stare up at the temple and the flight of steps leading up to it. It's a challenge at the best of times so like the monkeys I'll stay near the base of the hill and pass it by for now and head for somewhere less demanding. Just 10 minutes away is another temple.
Ao Noi Temple.......Ao Noi Temple or Khao Teum Khankradai Temple has as its main feature a golden teak wood viharn beautifully carved in Thai style built from scarce and valuable materials. Inside there is enshrined a marble Buddha image while there are framed pictures of the Buddha's life on the side walls. Surrounding the viharn are two king 9 headed nagas in glittering gold. A walkway leads to the reclining Buddha Cave on the hillside which takes 10-15 minutes. There the reclining Buddha (Phra Non) is in U-Thong/Rattanakosin contemporary art several hundred years old while inside the cave it is calm, cool, shady and clear with natural light in some places.
Feeling that ascending to the cave would be less of a challenge I decide to go for it and while I certainly underestimate the distance and elevation, I find it less of an effort than I expected but judging by the sweat, it certainly is a good workout. That excursion brings us into the lunch window spent at a local restaurant in far different circumstances than yesterday; tasty and cheap.
Khan Kradai Railway Station.......My fascination with trains in Thailand leads me to my next destination just a few kilometres away. Khan Kradai is the last station before Prachuap Khiri Khan. It handles just four stopping trains per day. Surely there is nothing here worthy of recording yet as I arrive, I'm confused. Here is a brand-new station with new platforms and facilities but not only is it functional but incredibly attractive, the buildings painted red and cream and the ironwork in grey. It's relevant to ask why is there so much investment here on a little used station. The answer is that this is part of a major reconstruction of Thailand's railway system to allow for conversion to dual track. Here, Khan Kradai is a prime example of the result of these upgrades. The next destination is more natural.
Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park.......Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park lies at the north end of Prachuap Bay on a headland. This is a particularly attractive part of the coastline attracting visitors to the coffee shops and trail to an amazing viewpoint looking north towards Sam Roi Yot. We make the most of the facilities here and I stretch it out as long as I can but all to soon it's time to head back to The Rest to prepare for the evening's entertainment, stopping on the way to buy tickets for the football game.
Sam Ao Stadium (Prachuap FC v Police Tero).......At 5.30pm we head off to the Sam Ao Stadium home of Prachuap FC. This second game in a week we will have attended kicks off at 6.30pm. In the stadium we find a seat in the covered stand near the halfway line and take in the atmosphere as we did last Sunday. Sam Ao Stadium is a less substantial stadium compared with the one in Chonburi but still has amazing facilities in this all-seated venue. Prachuap FC today are playing Police Tero from Bangkok. The game gets underway in view of a waxing moon above the stunning Wat Thammikaram Worawihan on the top of Khao Chong Krajok hill in the distance.
The game itself is a six-goal thriller but unfortunately the home side concedes four goals which as quite harsh considering they had a lot of possession an put in a good shift yet they were punished on the break with better finishing conceding two goals in each half. FT 2 : 4 (HT 1 : 2). While I would have preferred a home win, I saw six good goals in an evening's entertainment that was amazing value for money. Tero supporters will be happy tonight winning their first game of the season.
Today I took advantage of a light day of travel and visited some interesting attractions but tomorrow is all about driving as we should cover a distance of 500 kilometres.
Next Page.
Reminder.......Today I'll just have to remind myself why I'm here In Prachuap Khiri Khan. Well, earlier I explained that I had some business to do in Cha-am which is on a direct route to the South of Thailand. Deciding that this would be the direction of travel for my 1st long duration trip, the next thing I considered was what events sites and attractions there were for me to visit on this occasion. So, recently both myself and Katoon have had an interest in attending Thai football games especially those in Thai league 1 of the TPL. Today Prachuap will host Police Tero FC at 6.30pm this evening.
Breakfast at The Rest is a simple affair just coffee and toast but it's enough for the time being. As regards today's other activities, this has yet to be decided. There are a good number of attractions I've covered in this province already so today I will look around the city district to see what else I can find.
We head towards the beach area passing the sports stadium which will be featured later. Then, in the distance is a rocky hill on top of which is a royal temple.
Wat Thammikaram Worawihan.......Wat Thammikaram Worawihan is located on the top of Khao Chong Krajok hill overlooking the bay of Prachuap Khiri Khan with stunning 360 degree views. Khao Chong Krajok hill and the temple itself are home to a large troop of macaque monkeys which roam freely largely unafraid and unbothered by human visitors.
At the car park at the base of the hill I stare up at the temple and the flight of steps leading up to it. It's a challenge at the best of times so like the monkeys I'll stay near the base of the hill and pass it by for now and head for somewhere less demanding. Just 10 minutes away is another temple.
Ao Noi Temple.......Ao Noi Temple or Khao Teum Khankradai Temple has as its main feature a golden teak wood viharn beautifully carved in Thai style built from scarce and valuable materials. Inside there is enshrined a marble Buddha image while there are framed pictures of the Buddha's life on the side walls. Surrounding the viharn are two king 9 headed nagas in glittering gold. A walkway leads to the reclining Buddha Cave on the hillside which takes 10-15 minutes. There the reclining Buddha (Phra Non) is in U-Thong/Rattanakosin contemporary art several hundred years old while inside the cave it is calm, cool, shady and clear with natural light in some places.
Feeling that ascending to the cave would be less of a challenge I decide to go for it and while I certainly underestimate the distance and elevation, I find it less of an effort than I expected but judging by the sweat, it certainly is a good workout. That excursion brings us into the lunch window spent at a local restaurant in far different circumstances than yesterday; tasty and cheap.
Khan Kradai Railway Station.......My fascination with trains in Thailand leads me to my next destination just a few kilometres away. Khan Kradai is the last station before Prachuap Khiri Khan. It handles just four stopping trains per day. Surely there is nothing here worthy of recording yet as I arrive, I'm confused. Here is a brand-new station with new platforms and facilities but not only is it functional but incredibly attractive, the buildings painted red and cream and the ironwork in grey. It's relevant to ask why is there so much investment here on a little used station. The answer is that this is part of a major reconstruction of Thailand's railway system to allow for conversion to dual track. Here, Khan Kradai is a prime example of the result of these upgrades. The next destination is more natural.
Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park.......Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park lies at the north end of Prachuap Bay on a headland. This is a particularly attractive part of the coastline attracting visitors to the coffee shops and trail to an amazing viewpoint looking north towards Sam Roi Yot. We make the most of the facilities here and I stretch it out as long as I can but all to soon it's time to head back to The Rest to prepare for the evening's entertainment, stopping on the way to buy tickets for the football game.
Sam Ao Stadium (Prachuap FC v Police Tero).......At 5.30pm we head off to the Sam Ao Stadium home of Prachuap FC. This second game in a week we will have attended kicks off at 6.30pm. In the stadium we find a seat in the covered stand near the halfway line and take in the atmosphere as we did last Sunday. Sam Ao Stadium is a less substantial stadium compared with the one in Chonburi but still has amazing facilities in this all-seated venue. Prachuap FC today are playing Police Tero from Bangkok. The game gets underway in view of a waxing moon above the stunning Wat Thammikaram Worawihan on the top of Khao Chong Krajok hill in the distance.
The game itself is a six-goal thriller but unfortunately the home side concedes four goals which as quite harsh considering they had a lot of possession an put in a good shift yet they were punished on the break with better finishing conceding two goals in each half. FT 2 : 4 (HT 1 : 2). While I would have preferred a home win, I saw six good goals in an evening's entertainment that was amazing value for money. Tero supporters will be happy tonight winning their first game of the season.
Today I took advantage of a light day of travel and visited some interesting attractions but tomorrow is all about driving as we should cover a distance of 500 kilometres.
Next Page.
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Wat Thammikaram Worawihan,
Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan
Wat Ao Noi, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Wat Ao Noi Cave, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Khan Kradai Railway Station, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Prachuap Bay, Mueang District
Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Sam Ao Stadium,
Wat Thammikaram Worawihan,
Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan
Wat Ao Noi, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Wat Ao Noi Cave, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Khan Kradai Railway Station, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Prachuap Bay, Mueang District
Khao Ta Mong Lai Forest Park, Ao Noi, Mueang District
Sam Ao Stadium,