Day 10, Sunday 16 October
Late Start.......The final night in Trang had ended and we face another day of transition. A feature of the Hop Inn chain is the provision of a coffee machine, hot water dispenser and microwave but there is nothing in the rooms meaning a ritual trek down to reception before removing the sleep from one's eyes. I'd prefer an earlier start to take in more attractions in Trang province before moving on but the convoy can only move at the pace of the slowest ship and that means a start at gone 10.30am. Not ideal at all but nevertheless I will try to tick as many boxes as I can. The first visit of the day was missed off our city tour.
Trang Church.......Trang Church dates back to 1915 but the new church structure beside it dates from 2007. Being a Sunday there is a church service being conducted in the main hall. We are most welcome to attend the service but there's simply no time I can allocate to it. We must head south to the next location.
Precipitation.......As I write up these notes, pictures are emerging on social media of flooding in Phuket Town. It's a pity for the tourist industry there which has hardly recovered from Covid but at the same time it's no surprise. I can imagine Phuket Island covered with tropical rain forest much as many islands in the south still are but where you build a hotel you can't grow a tree. Wikipedia defines Tropical rainforests as rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season; all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest. True rainforests are typically found between 10 degrees north and south of the equator. Phuket is within this band as is Trang and 60 mm of rain has to go somewhere.
Thung Khai Botanic Garden.......Thung Khai Botanic Garden, just off highway 404, 10 kilometres south of Trang is a prime example of how the ecology of the rainforest works. In terms of rainfall, it acts as a sponge absorbing most of the rainfall. This park has a well-maintained pathway of around a kilometre where many rare examples of flora can to found. Some of these are tagged with QR codes to help with identification. Pictograms provide information on various aspects such as reproduction, fungi and the roll of ants. However, for most people the most important feature of this park is the canopy walk consisting of towers and suspended walkways high above the forest floor in the tree canopy. It's a rare opportunity to see the forest from this perspective.
Tide's Dam Saline.......As we move further south, about 5 kilometre from the 404 is a viewpoint. This viewpoint lies at the head of the Palian river estuary. It consists of a concrete walkway leading to two pavilions. These give you the perspective of actually being on the river itself and on the subject of rain you can just imagine what this river looks like in flood. As I proceed to tick my boxes, what has been threatening to happen all trip finally kicks in. No marks for guessing; the heavens just opened.
The next on my list is Deta Garden but we can't even find the turning with all the spray. Of more interest is the Charcoal Mining Museum but the GPS tells me it's temporarily closed. Instead, we follow a route the leads down to the coast in Palian district.
Leam Yong Star.......Leam Yong Star is a small headland, not much more than 100 metres wide at its narrowest point. At the end is a parking area and viewpoint but the rain persists and just as I'm out taking some photos the deluge intensifies and I have to run for shelter in a pavilion, not even an umbrella sufficient to protect me. Just a but further around the coast is the fishing village of Yong Star but at this point we have to abandon any thoughts of adding more attractions and head towards a Trang exit despite there being some important sites in the provincial border region. Noting these as we pass through we finally crossover into Satun province making it the furthest point reached by car on any tour.
Green Resort at Pak Bara.......I decided that the best place to head for to give us options is Pak Bara Beach. A good part of Satun province can be reached from here. No accommodation has been booked and no apartment type hotels will be found here but after a few enquiries we find ourselves at Green Resort and mighty glad we are to arrive here. It's 4.30pm and immediately we are provided with everything we need from an attentive owner and begin to settle in. By planning ahead, we have brought our dinner so now it doesn't matter what the weather is doing now but let's hope it is kinder tomorrow.
Next Page.
Late Start.......The final night in Trang had ended and we face another day of transition. A feature of the Hop Inn chain is the provision of a coffee machine, hot water dispenser and microwave but there is nothing in the rooms meaning a ritual trek down to reception before removing the sleep from one's eyes. I'd prefer an earlier start to take in more attractions in Trang province before moving on but the convoy can only move at the pace of the slowest ship and that means a start at gone 10.30am. Not ideal at all but nevertheless I will try to tick as many boxes as I can. The first visit of the day was missed off our city tour.
Trang Church.......Trang Church dates back to 1915 but the new church structure beside it dates from 2007. Being a Sunday there is a church service being conducted in the main hall. We are most welcome to attend the service but there's simply no time I can allocate to it. We must head south to the next location.
Precipitation.......As I write up these notes, pictures are emerging on social media of flooding in Phuket Town. It's a pity for the tourist industry there which has hardly recovered from Covid but at the same time it's no surprise. I can imagine Phuket Island covered with tropical rain forest much as many islands in the south still are but where you build a hotel you can't grow a tree. Wikipedia defines Tropical rainforests as rainforests that occur in areas of tropical rainforest climate in which there is no dry season; all months have an average precipitation of at least 60 mm and may also be referred to as lowland equatorial evergreen rainforest. True rainforests are typically found between 10 degrees north and south of the equator. Phuket is within this band as is Trang and 60 mm of rain has to go somewhere.
Thung Khai Botanic Garden.......Thung Khai Botanic Garden, just off highway 404, 10 kilometres south of Trang is a prime example of how the ecology of the rainforest works. In terms of rainfall, it acts as a sponge absorbing most of the rainfall. This park has a well-maintained pathway of around a kilometre where many rare examples of flora can to found. Some of these are tagged with QR codes to help with identification. Pictograms provide information on various aspects such as reproduction, fungi and the roll of ants. However, for most people the most important feature of this park is the canopy walk consisting of towers and suspended walkways high above the forest floor in the tree canopy. It's a rare opportunity to see the forest from this perspective.
Tide's Dam Saline.......As we move further south, about 5 kilometre from the 404 is a viewpoint. This viewpoint lies at the head of the Palian river estuary. It consists of a concrete walkway leading to two pavilions. These give you the perspective of actually being on the river itself and on the subject of rain you can just imagine what this river looks like in flood. As I proceed to tick my boxes, what has been threatening to happen all trip finally kicks in. No marks for guessing; the heavens just opened.
The next on my list is Deta Garden but we can't even find the turning with all the spray. Of more interest is the Charcoal Mining Museum but the GPS tells me it's temporarily closed. Instead, we follow a route the leads down to the coast in Palian district.
Leam Yong Star.......Leam Yong Star is a small headland, not much more than 100 metres wide at its narrowest point. At the end is a parking area and viewpoint but the rain persists and just as I'm out taking some photos the deluge intensifies and I have to run for shelter in a pavilion, not even an umbrella sufficient to protect me. Just a but further around the coast is the fishing village of Yong Star but at this point we have to abandon any thoughts of adding more attractions and head towards a Trang exit despite there being some important sites in the provincial border region. Noting these as we pass through we finally crossover into Satun province making it the furthest point reached by car on any tour.
Green Resort at Pak Bara.......I decided that the best place to head for to give us options is Pak Bara Beach. A good part of Satun province can be reached from here. No accommodation has been booked and no apartment type hotels will be found here but after a few enquiries we find ourselves at Green Resort and mighty glad we are to arrive here. It's 4.30pm and immediately we are provided with everything we need from an attentive owner and begin to settle in. By planning ahead, we have brought our dinner so now it doesn't matter what the weather is doing now but let's hope it is kinder tomorrow.
Next Page.
Trang Province
Trang Church, Nai Mueang
Thung Khai Botanic Garden,
Yan Ta Khao District
Tide's Dam Saline, Yan Ta Khao District
Laem Yong Star, Palian District
----------------------------------------------------
Satun Province
Green Resort, Pak Nam, La-Ngu District
Trang Church, Nai Mueang
Thung Khai Botanic Garden,
Yan Ta Khao District
Tide's Dam Saline, Yan Ta Khao District
Laem Yong Star, Palian District
----------------------------------------------------
Satun Province
Green Resort, Pak Nam, La-Ngu District