5 Things To Do in Tamot Phatthalung Thailand

Tamot Phatthalung in Thailand is one of the 11 districts in Phattalung province in the South of Thailand. Tamot is landlocked by districts like Kong Ra, Khao Chaison, Bang Kaeo, Pa Bon, and Palian (Trang Province). It is one of the up-and-coming tourist destinations in Phatthalung; and the best place to experience nature at its finest. It’s homestay program is also what makes Tamot unique.

Read for more things to do in Tamot Phatthalung Thailand

Water Rafting: Water rafting is one of the staples of activity you can do in Phattalung. I know it sounds daunting or scary especially for those who have not experienced it before but it really is not. The water rafting in Tamod Phattalung is actually beginner friendly. There are not a lot of rapids to be worried about so there is so much time for beginners to get used to the paddling before you encounter some of the mini rapids. Yes… mini rapids. The rapids are actually not that intense. Beginners and folks with kids will actually find it fun. But for those who are thrill seekers you might find it kinda dull. The water rafting here in Tamod can be good for groups looking for a team building activity, families on vacation, or tourists just looking to experience and bond with mother nature.

Train Canoe Ride: Getting pulled by a long tail boat while seated on a canoe along with your friends and given a tour around the dam is a different kind of experience. This is one of the interesting activities you’d find in Tamod. The water in the dam is so calm and the place is so quiet. This is also the place where dragon boat rowing teams come to practice.

train canoe ride at Tamot Phatthalung Thailans

The Sea of Mist: The sea of mist is a tricky one. If you really want to see it in its full glory you have to sacrifice waking up very early. There’s only a short window of time in the morning where you can see the clouds at its thickest. It also involves a bit of walking as cars and other 4 wheeled vehicles are not advised to go up the hill. If you are lucky enough to borrow a motorcycle then you could save yourself the hassle of hiking. But driving a motorcycle up there is quite dangerous as the slope is quite steep and there’s a lot of loose gravel.

There are quite a few viewpoints scattered around Tamot, and Kwantakhum view point is one of them. We particular visited this as it was nearest our next destination.

sea of mist view point Tamot Phatthalung Thailand
Khwantakhum View Point Tamot Phattalung

The Local Food: One local delicacy that you shouldn’t miss is Miang Kum (a leaf-wrapped bite-size appetizer). Most Miang Kum/ Miang Kham use fresh betel leaves but in Tamod Phattalung they replace it with Lotus flower petals. I was amazed! Lotus flowers are literally omnipresent in the South and it’s a perfect subject for photography but little did I know that it can also be eaten. And it tastes as good as it looks.

A bunch of gracious local ladies prepared all these when we visited Khok Nong Na Model Rice Field. Just by looking at the ingredients you’d know the tremendous amount of preparation they had to put in. It was so very nice of them, and we were absolutely grateful.

To shed light about Khok Nong Na Model builds sustainability and its importance in the economy of Thailand click the link.

Watch the video below to see it. For a complete recipe of Miang Kham check out “Miang Kham” Wild Betel Leaf Wrap เมี่ยงคำ.

Miang Kham Tamot Phatthalung
Miang Kham

Experience Homestay: If you’re visiting Tamot for a few days, you could stay in one of their homestays. One of our out-of-school activities was held in Tamot, teachers and students had to stay in the homes of locals who are participating in Tamot’s homestay program.

It was definitely an experience to remember. The people, as well as our hosts, were welcoming, gracious, and ready to help. It was the best way to experience their way of living.

For more information on Tamot’s homestay program visit their Facebook Page โฮมสเตย์ชุมชนตะโหมด พัทลุง

MORE on PHATTHALUNG HERE

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stainless steel temple

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol: Stainless Steel Temple

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol is located up on a hill (Khao Kho Hong) behind Prince of Songkhla University in Hatyai City, Thailand. A chartered/private vehicle is the best way to come here. The already paved winding road is narrow, and traffic going up would have to yield to cars moving down.

I found this pagoda really fascinating. Hanging around are metals that chime as the wind breezes around. Together with the natural sound of the forest around, the overall ambience is that of calm and tranquility. Totally peaceful! A great place for meditation.

Here’s a short clip of Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol. Watch this before you go to have an idea of what’s in store.

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol

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singha park chiang rai

Singha Park Chiang Rai: A Must Visit

Boon Rawd Farm, famously known as Singha Park, sits a few kilometers away from the center of Chiang Rai. It is less than 10-minute drive from the White Temple. Singha Park Chiang Rai is one of the visited attractions in the city. Aside from it’s vastness and beauty, going in and exploring the place is free of admission.

Singha Park/ Boon Rawd Farm/  บุญรอดฟาร์ม.

It is a vast open land with so many beautiful attractions.  A giant effigy of a Lion (Singha in Thai) greets visitors at the entrance with numerous variety of colorful flowers prettily landscaped behind. There’s a designated place for parking. Cars are allowed during low seasons. There are however two means of going around the park,  biking and by trams. There are different types of bikes for rent -mountain bikes, grandma’s bike,  and double bikes at 120 baht an hour.  Trams are scheduled at regular intervals and it cost 1.67 USD (50 THB) per child and 3.34 USD (100 THB) for adult. This takes tourists around the park and stops at the park’s destinations.

Telephone: 091 576 0374

Opens: 9.00 am to 5:00 pm from Saturday to Sunday

Attractions in Singha Park

  1. Flower Park. Different species of beautiful, colorful flowers are displayed here for at least a week or two and mostly during the first two weeks of January. The flowers were totally breathtaking.  The park is quite big that a couple of hours, which was the only time we had, is definitely not enough to leisurely roam around. And I suggest that you fully charge your mobile phones and cameras before coming,  The place is so amazing you can’t stop clicking.  I would certainly go back as I have not really fully enjoyed the place due to lack of time. I’d also make it sure that I have the appropriate camera. The photos I’ve taken of the flowers and the place are not great due to again lack of time and limited battery life.  In fact there were several attractions I haven’t photographed.  
  2. Swan Lake. Next stop is the swan lake. From the name itself this huge lake has plenty of white swan, and giant coy fish. Children could feed them through bamboo tubes that piped the sides of the lake. And just recently (as of November 2019) at the opposite side of swan lake is a large effigy of a rat made from hay.
  3. Tea Plantation follows. Here, you’ll see vast field of tea plants, such a pleasant sight of well-contoured greens. There’s a tiny station around here that sells tea powder. They also got customs and baskets tourists could use to take photos with.
  4. Zoo. Watusi cattle and short-legged horses are the main attractions in this part of the park.
  5. Strawberry farm. During the winter season that is from December to February, strawberry is aplenty. They are big and sweet in this part of Thailand.
  6. Mushroom and Herbs. As of 2019, they have develop a certain variety of mushroom (please see video). They also have variety of herbs like rosemary, thyme, basil, and many more.
  7. Zipline. Oh yes, I guess one of the highlights! We Zipline for the First Time, Made the More-Than-24 Hour Car Drive Worthwhile! This is the last stop of the tour. This place has a very nice restaurant that opens until the night. They also sell their own-made ice cream, the Boon Rawd Ice Cream. The zipline has a separate fee of 10 USD (300 THB). Aside from the zipline, they also offer other activities like wall climbing, biking, and survival trail.

Here’s a short video clip of the rock climbing activity in SIngha Park.

There you go folks. Hope you’ll have a great time there.

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AQUARIA PHUKET

A Submarine in the Newest and Biggest Aquarium in Thailand

Aquaria Phuket, Thailand’s newest and biggest aquarium opened in Phuket Island just last month (August, 2019). It’s located at Central Phuket Floresta shopping mall. This state of the art aquarium surprisingly incorporated a submarine wreckage from World War II called the USS Lagarto. A Submarine in the Newest and Biggest Aquarium in Thailand? How cool is that!

Watch this short video to see the USS Lagarto inside Aquaria Phuket. Enjoy!

USS Lagarto (SS-371), a Balao-class submarine, was a US Navy submarine named after a lizardfish. Its wreck found in 2005 was missing a starboard torpedo, suggesting it went down fighting.

A Submarine in the Newest and Biggest Aquarium in Thailand

I must say, the USS Lagarto definitely adds drama in that aquarium. Watching fishes swim around it coupled with the ambient sound of a submarine certainly gives an eerie feel. The concept is new (well at least on this part of the world). It is interesting. And it’s something educational. A great springboard to discuss a piece of history to children.

Kids and adults alike were awed by the huge structure inside the aquarium. It is something to marvel at.

What we really appreciate!

  1. Submarine wreckage. For us this is the main attraction of Aquaria Phuket. Whoever thought of this must be a genius. We love the idea. It’s refreshing, certainly different from the other aquariums we’ve gone to.
  2. Great Edu-tainment. Coming to any aquarium for that matter is certainly educational. But having this piece of history right in front of your eyes, gets into your emotions. And it actually gets you thinking of its history. Kids would start asking the whats, whys, and the hows.
  3. Basic information. Around the area are basic information about the displays and the sea animals in the tank. Plus additional information about the environment.

What’s more?

Aquaria Phuket also houses the biggest underwater restaurant in Asia, the Andasi Lounge and Restaurant. It is located right in front of the biggest tank, so you’d have a great view of the aquarium while enjoying a meal or snack.

people sitting outside an underwater restaurant in front a tank with A Submarine in the Newest and Biggest Aquarium in Thailand
ANDASI Lounge and Restaurant

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Songkhla Night Market: $10 Feeds a Family of Four

If you’re on a budget travel to Thailand , one important thing to plan is where to eat. This touristy country certainly has so many restaurants to choose from but one sure place to get super affordable food is the Night Market.

Please watch this short video to find out where you could get the best value for your money.

Night Market is the place to go. Night markets or night bazaars are street markets, which apparently opens at night. It is certainly cheaper than regular restaurants, or fastfood chains. Aside from this, the night market is the best place to experience Thai food and delicacies at an affordable price. Also, most night markets promote local traditions like the Thai puppet show, folk songs and dances, so this is the place to go to feel authentic Thai vibes.

a boy holding strawberry smoothie at the night market
Derick and Summer Thailand @the night market

As seen in the video, 10USD has bought a family of four enough food for dinner. And below are the food they bought in the night market.

  1. Fried rice with vegetables and salted fish.
  2. Bamboo shoot spring rolls
  3. Roasted pork
  4. Deep fried chicken
  5. Crispy fried seafood with vegetables
  6. Local french fries
  7. Strawberry shake
  8. Crispy pancakes
  9. Bottled water

It is a tradition and certainly a great one. Going to a night market, especially in big cities is like one-stop shopping as it also has shops for Thai souvenirs and memorabilia. Definitely the best place to go if you are on a budget travel to Thailand or to any Asian country.

One downside though, which by the way is being looked at for solution, is the amount of plastics used.

Have you ever been to a night market?

If you are looking for an affordable place and at the same time loaded with so much fun to visit with your family, you might want to consider going to the most affordable aquarium in Thailand.

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hotel landscape

Longkang Chomdaw Resort Review: Hotel By The River

Accommodation: Longkang Chomdaw Resort at Phattalung Thailand @61/1 Moo 1, Lankoi Phatthalung 93210

This short video clip gives you a glimpse of the resort’s room, ground, river, and other attractions that you and your family may love.

Room/Bungalow: If you are coming, make sure to get the bungalows along the river. The place is huge, and the resort has quite a number of bungalows scattered all over the place. But I say, those along the river are the best. Although as seen in the video, all the bungalows are equally cute and aesthetically pleasant to look at; the ones along the river however has the best ambience- calm sound of running water from the river, soft chirps of birds from the forest across your room, and the gentle rustling of leaves as they sway with the wind. 

  • The bed in bungalow 13 has just the right firmness and softness I like in my bed. It is sturdy. It does not make any creaking sound or shakes as you change sleeping position. 
  • The bathroom, although I’m not a fan of nude cement wall, my husband is. He loves the simplicity of it. My kids love the shower; they say the water fell down like rain.^_^ Also, something different in this bathroom that we haven’t seen in any accommodations we have been to before, is the fibreglass roof right above the shower. So the bathroom is super bright during the day, and in the night you could enjoy your night shower while looking at the stars. Just my thought, wouldn’t it be extra special had there been a bathtub?
  • The back balcony is a very nice place to have your afternoon coffee/tea break. It is refreshing with all the trees around and the river below, or even to just chill out, be lazy, and wait for time to pass by.

Amenities: Longkang Chomdaw Resort offers the usual amenities and complimentaries – toiletries, bottled water, coffee and tea, small fridge, and flat-screen TV that shows Thai channels only.

  • WiFi is the resort’s weakness. Although in the hotel’s meeting hall the internet connection is strong, in the bungalow however, it is non-existent. So if you’re a blogger/vlogger and are planning of mixing R &R and work at the same time, you might find it totally frustrating. So, this may not be the right place for you. But if having no internet connection is not an issue, then this is a great place to visit.
hotel landscape
Longkang Chomdaw Resort Review: Hotel By The River

Hotel ground: The hotel ground is huge, really huge! There are plenty of places for everything like parking, pond, wooden bridge, huge Stonehenge, instagram-worthy ground structures placed on the hilly part of the resort, and all sorts of flowers and trees here and there.

Food. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were superb, well, at least to us adults. My kids couldn’t say the same. The meals prepared for us were all healthy, tasty, spicy Thai cuisine with lots of fresh greens and seafoods. 

Hotel staff. The staff, although there were a few negative comments in their Facebook page about them, from experience however they were accommodating. They were helpful regarding my kids’ requests during meal time. We had to be creative with their food as they can’t handle spicy food and the staff were very understanding of this.

river near the hotel restaurant longkang chomdaw resort
Longkang Chomdaw Resort Review: Hotel By The River

Activities: One of the major activities that visitors do whenever they visit Longkang Chomdaw Resort is to go river kayaking. My kids, having experienced this outdoor activity in Satun, were beyond themselves with excitement. Sadly though, the weather did not cooperate with us. The hotel had to cancel it. Well, there’s always a next time.

Overall our stay at Longkang Chomdaw Resort at Phattalung Thailand had been a pleasure. The entire place is well-kept, clean, and definitely a breath of fresh air. We strongly recommend this place for families, group of friends, and even for companies to conduct their trainings or workshop. The resort’s meeting hall is large, it could accommodate hundreds of people.

Southern Thailand is developing at a pace we could not even imagine. and surely a place not to miss. Two hours drive from Phattalung is the largest province of the south, Songkhla province. Please visit hotels in Songkhla for lists of hotel and affordable accommodations.

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ao nang regent hotel

Aonang Regent Hotel, Krabi Thailand: Hotel Review

Accommodation: Ao Nang Regent Hotel, Krabi Thailand is located at
262/24 Aonang soi 11 Leela Valley Moo. 2 Aonang Muang , , 81000 Ao Nang Beach, Thailand. We booked this hotel through booking dot com.

Hotel Room

My family and I stayed in a Deluxe Triple Room, which was pretty spacious for a family of four. The overall design was simple, functional, no nonsense type. It was fitted with wooden cabinets with built-in, wall size mirror,  wooden dresser and tables. Walls are clean with no photo frames whatsoever. The private balcony over-looking the mountain and pool below was where we had our snacks and light meal. The large, clean bed was on a solid wooden platform. It was so comfortable; we woke up refreshed and relaxed.

The bathroom was large with dark-colored tiles, but I could tell they were clean. We love the huge shower which gives off large volume of water but lands softly on the skin. The standard, american-size toilet needed upgrading though. It was clean but there were corroded portions around the seat that were rough and stained. It looked a bit icky.

songkran at aonang regent hotel

Amenities and Complimentary

It had the usual amenities like coffee maker, hair dryer, medium-size fridge, and freebies like toiletries, coffee, tea, and bottled water. But take note, there were two sets of bottled water, the ones in the fridge are for sale. This room’s aircon unit is big and strong. The flat-screen TV has English channels to choose from.

A hanger rack for drying clothes was also provided which was really convenient as we were there to celebrate Songkran 2019, and to go island hop as well, so, you could just imagine the wet clothes that needed drying.

Aonang Regent Hotel also offers free Tuktuk ride around Ao Nang, twice during the day from 8 a.m until 5 p.m. If you avail this beyond these hours, a service charge of 50 Baht per person is incurred.

The flat-screen TV had a few bilingual channels to choose from. These are pretty convenient channels as you have the option to choose the audio. But there will be a need for you to tinker with the remote before getting to it. The channels are usually in Thai as it is the standard setting and the English audio is the secondary choice.

Wifi is strong. The internet connection in this hotel is excellent. We were able to log in immediately without problems. We were able to stream movies and even play mobile games.

Fitness Center is open to all guests. It has the usual equipment like treadmill, benches, dumbbells, pulldowns and machine fly, as well as hula hoops which the kids had fun using.

Kids pool was a jacuzzi-converted type. It was originally meant to be a jacuzzi so having it right next to a hotel room was a grand idea. A guest would just have to jump into their swimwear, open the door and just jump right in to the jacuzzi. But, having it converted into a kids pool presents a bit of a problem. You could just imagine the noise the guests had to bear, and water coming in the room floor as children play and splash water around. I think this is something the hotel management has to look into.

Food

We opted out breakfast. The breakfast was a bit pricy. Although, the rate is comparably higher as this is a touristy area, there are still places that sell food at a slightly cheaper price. So we decided to walk around and explore the place.

Clientele

Aonang Regent Hotel is popular to both local and foreign tourists. It’s a pleasure looking and listening to people talking in different tongue.

Staff

The lady in the receiving desk could speak English and was accommodating and friendly. She patiently answered our inqueries regarding the hotel, island hopping itinerary, and many more.

Overall

We had a great stay at Aonang Regent Hotel. We would certainly recommend it for guests who are on an average budget. And for those who would like to have an easy access of the beach but would like to have peace and quiet during the night.

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How to Compile an Impressive Slideshow from Travel Photos

Koh Lipeh Thailand

To be quite frank the majority of travel slideshows can be a bit boring and tedious. More
often than not they come off as a collection of random photos from a trip, and are way too long.

If you want to compile an impressive slideshow that actually draws makes people
interested, there are a few things that you need to do:

  1. Decide on the story that you’re going to tell

Think about the narrative of your slideshow, and the story that you want it to tell – and try to focus it on a specific topic. The goal should be for the story to showcase the emotions that you felt on your trip, and convey that to the people that are watching.


2. Curate the photos and select only the best

Based on the narrative you’ve decided on, you should start to curate the photos from your trip. Only the very best photos should make the cut, and you should keep the total number of photos small so that the slideshow isn’t too long.

Typically about 20 photos is a good number, as that will create a slideshow of about 1 minute and 40 seconds if each photo is displayed for 5 seconds.

Any photos that have poor quality should be immediately discarded. Of those that remain, you should think about how they can be arranged to best tell the story. Don’t be afraid to break the chronological order if you feel it would help.


3. Make sure all the photos are uniform

Every photo in your slideshow should be uniform in terms of its dimensions, orientation, and color.

In some cases you may have to rotate some photos or crop them in order to make them fit. If you must you could even resize certain photos – though you should be careful that it doesn’t affect their quality.

As a rule it helps to color correct all your photos so that none look too out of place. On top of that however you should try to select photos that don’t vary too much in terms of their colors – or group them together at very least.


4. Find the right music for the slideshow

The background music that you choose to accompany your slideshow should be specifically designed to complement the mood of its story. It could be tense, mysterious, high-paced, serene, or something else entirely.

Make it a point to browse collections of royalty-free music if you want to get an idea
of some of the options that are out there.


5. Use transitions – but sparingly

Placing transitions between some of your travel photos can help to accentuate specific points in your slideshow. For example, a fade out transition at the end could draw it to a close.

However you should take care that you don’t use too many transitions as it can be distracting for viewers. More importantly if your slideshow is full of transitions it will look really tacky.

Actually learning how to make a slideshow with music is the easy part, and all you need is a decent slideshow software. For example you could try Movavi Slideshow Maker if you need one that has all the bells and whistles that you could possibly require.

At the end of the day if you follow the steps described above you should end up with a travel photo slideshow that is much more compelling and interesting to viewers. In fact you can use what you now know to actually snap better travel photos – with an eye towards eventually compiling them into a very impressive slideshow.

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Neca Reiche: Hotel Review

Accomodation: Neca Reiche

Location: 736/2 Poonnakan Rd, ตำบลคอหงส์ Amphoe Hat Yai, Chang Wat Songkhla Thailand 90110

The Room (Standard II, L705):

At first glance this hotel room is the most modern we have ever seen. The concept is just state of the art. The way they made use of the space is so ingenious. The wall that separates the entrance and the bathroom hides the ref together with the closet and a tiny safety box. The closet can be accessed both from the outside and from the bathroom. A sliding door with a full body mirror camouflages this part. Next to it is the sliding door for the bathroom which is a translucent glass. You got to be very careful though as one can easily get their hands pinched by the alternating sliding doors.

The room smells like heaven. They have these perfumed, dried flowers that make the room smell so fresh. It’s the first thing that greets you the moment you open your room.

The room size will not blow you away but it is big enough to be comfortable. A queen size bed is nestled in the middle and a sofa bed tucked in the end of the room. There’s enough walking space in-between furniture but that’s it. You’d be risking stubbing your toe if you are not careful though.

The place is definitely clean, although we are not fond of black tiles for the floor (bathroom) as they never look/feel clean, they are very particular with cleanliness. The nooks and crannies even under the bed was vacuumed.

The room is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It’s a well thought of design and arrangement. Even the small details like paintings/photo on the wall, the hanging lampshade on each sides of the bed, even the TV rack is pleasing.

The only flaw we saw, which basically ruined it all for us was the bathroom. I guess being aesthetic does not always equate to functionality. We were not able to fully enjoy the bathtub or even just our bath for fear of flooding. If one is not careful, water could easily and we mean easily flood the room. The bathtub is located next to the bathroom door and the bathroom-floor and the room-floor are level. Well, we have seen modern bathrooms like these but I guess the basics of slightly angling the floor towards the drain should still be observed. Instead the water flows outside of the bathroom. It really freaked us out when we saw water going out of the bathroom while using the bath. We literally had to towel the floor down and squeeze the towel in the sink.

Ant problems also put us off. I woke up with ant bites and they were all over the floor the next morning. As a plush hotel in downtown Hatyai this should not have not been an issue but it is.

Now this is just based on the room we stayed in.

This video was taken at Neca Reiche Hotel.

Sockets:

At this modern age of gadgetry we have made electric sockets our best friend. And having plenty of them in a hotel room is a necessity. We always bring a ton of gadgets with us and re-charge all of them in the evening and we were not disappointed. Sockets were aplenty

Wifi:

Another downside of this hotel is their WIFI connectivity or the lack of it. We were not able to connect at all during our stay. We called the front desk for assistance thinking we may have made a mistake in connecting and someone did come to our AID to help us connect but still no connection at all. For us it was fine since we do have internet in our mobile devices because we live here in Thailand but if you are a tourist on a tourist SIM card you might really really want a hotel wifi connection and this will be outrageous and disappointmenting.

Amenities:

They have got the usual complimentary bottled water, towels, toiletries, shower caps, flat-screen TV, fridge, electric kettle, and hairdryer.

Pool:

They have a pool located on the 6th floor of the building. The pool is tiny. You’d have to literally wait for your turn to get into it. They do not have a kiddie pool so kids shorter than 4 feet will need a flotation device. The tiles are dark blue almost black so we could not be sure if the water was clean. We did not take a dip.

Food:

The food was the saving grace of this hotel. They were generous of the food. They served ham and eggs, fried rice, fruits and vegetables, complementary drinks, salad dressings, soup, porridge, bread, and a lot of condiments. They replenished the food the moment they see it’s running low. We have seen stingy hotel restaurants who would not refill the serving plates right away to discourage clients from having seconds.

Staff:

The hotel staffs were friendly and courteous. They could speak decent English so communication is not a problem at all.

Clientele

Neca Reiche hotel is a good place to stay if you plan to go around Hatyai City. It is famous among Malaysians, Singaporeans, Expats, and local tourists.

Overall

At 49.90 USD/per night for a family of four in a Standard II room, I think it is a good deal. Overall, in terms of aesthetic, cleanliness, and location, this hotel is great. And the whole experience which could have been even greater if not because of the bathroom and WIFI connection. If Neca Reiche addresses these, then I would say it is the total package but until then, I would not return.

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11 Things to Enjoy in Samila Beach, Thailand

Samila Beach is one of the two beaches in Songkhla Province in Thailand, the land of smile. It is famous to locals and tourists alike; one’s visit to Songkhla is never complete without stopping by Samila Beach. It’s a 2 kilometers stretch of beige sand, from the mermaid statue at the south end, near PB Samila Hotel, to the northern end where the magnificent sculpture of Nag the serpent is.

It is a major stop over for tourists coming to Songkhla from Malaysia, Singapore, or nearby provinces. A tour of Songkhla is incomplete without coming here, after all the symbol of Songkhla is found here.  For now, let me share with you some of the things that you could enjoy in Samila Beach.

Here are list of things you can do when in Samila Beach

1. Frolic in the beach, and the best time to do this is late afternoon, when the sun is still out; it’s warm, but not scorching hot. The water is low and calm; it is safe for children, and a perfect time for swimming and sunbathing. In terms of swimwear, there are no rules. Wear whichever you are comfortable in. People are tolerant, courteous, and generally are just minding their own business.

2. Picnic or read a book. A large portion of Laem Samila is shaded by canopies of tall Pine trees. Benches are available, lounging at one of them with your favorite read is another awesome way to relax at Samila beach. If you are with friends be sure to bring a picnic mattress and some snacks from the nearby 7-11 or local food stalls, lie down, relax and gaze up at the blue skies, feel the cool sea breeze, and “chat the noon away.”

3. Enjoy local snacks. Along Laem Son Rod, there are variety of places where you could grab something to eat. As mentioned there’s 7-11 just outside BP Samila Hotel near the roundabout. There’s an Amazon Cafe for coffee aficionados, which is right in front of the beach, on the hillside. And there are plenty of local food stalls along the road selling variety of street food, deep-fried hotdogs, deep-fried shrimp-pancakes, papaya salad, grilled meats, variety of local drinks, and Thai ice cream.

4. Play bubbles. This one is for the kids and kids at heart.  There is no need for you to make your own bubble concoction, you can rent it there for 30 baht (0.91USD or 3.81RM).

5. Horse riding. Yes, you read it correctly. For 150 baht (4.55USD or 19.07RM) you can go on a horse ride, and gallop the whole stretch of Samila beach. I know what you’re thinking, horse manure. Of course, horses do their thing there (they can’t help it ^_^), but it’s owners look after this and see to it that their horse is not soiling the beach. So what they do is they use tissue paper to collect the manure, and place this in a plastic bag (yep plastic bag), and dispose of properly in a bin.

6. Fly a kite. The beach is a nice place to fly a kite. There is no shortage of space and wind. In the afternoon when the water is low, it exposes a vast area of the beach, a totally great place to enjoy kite flying.

7. Beach volleyball. Samila beach has been a regular venue for Beach Volleyball competition which includes the Asian Beach Volleyball Championships and  the AVC Asia Beach Volleyball Championships. Next year, June 19 to 23, 2019  Samila Beach will host the 2019 edition of the men’s and women’s FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships.

8. Take a photo with Samila mermaid statue. One of the most photographed part of Samila Beach is the Bronze Mermaid Statue.  It had been the symbol of Songkhla for over 50 years. Sculpted in 1966, this blackened bronze statuette was the work of master Jitr Buabut who was honored as a national artist and awarded a visual arts award in 2002. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 100.

Another prominent statue found in Samila beach are the Cat and Mouse which represents Songkhla and the Island in front of Samila Beach respectively. There is a bit of wonderful history behind these statues which I will be sharing in the next post.

9. Sunset photography, Wedding photography or selfie. Samila beach can be a sight to behold especially during sunset. Visitors could not help take photos of the beach or take a selfie with the sunset, or the long stretch of khaki sand, or the bright azure sky, or the lush green, shady Pine trees, or mermaid statue at the background.

10. Walk and feel the sand. During the late afternoon when the water is low, it exposes a long, off-white powdery sand, a perfect time and place to re-connect with Earth; ditch your footwear, walk, and feel it. After a days work or a long, cold stay in a conference room, or after long hours of being cramped up in a vehicle, wake your senses up and get your daily dose of vitamin D and “sea” by hanging out on the beach.

11. Dine. And after all these, it is time to fill your growling tummy with fresh, yummylicious seafood or any Thai cuisine of your choice. You don’t have to look far, as there are several seafood restaurants along Laem Son Road just outside the beach shore.

So there you go. I will keep this post updated for what’s up and what’s new with Samila beach.

If you have comments, suggestions, and questions please leave them at the comment section below or you could send me a message at my Facebook page which you could find at the right side bar of the post. Thanks.

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