chumphon is one of the provinces in southern Thailand that many people might have looked over. Would you believe that our trip to an emerging Destination this time will consist of a lot of “unseen” destinations that you’ll fall in love with? We’ll stay at a seaside homestay at Kram Bay, try fresh seafood, join a rafting trip to explore nature, hike Doi Ta Pung, visit the peak at Khao Thalu, shop at a night market and much more!
Before we begin on the journey of beauty, let’s take a look at the itinerary for this trip first.
We departed Bangkok in the evening of 24 July and drove to chumphon.
DAY 1
- Travel to Malin Phato Rafting Service.
- Eat lunch at Sun Sai Seafood
- Spend the night at Dan Dome Homestay at Kram Bay.
DAY 2
- Travel up to get beautiful shots of Khao Thalu at Doi Ta Pung.
- Visit and pay respect to the Prince chumphon Shrine and Memorial.
- Coffee break at Tham Sing Fresh Coffee at Khao Matsri.
- Eat lunch at J Muay Kaeng Som Noodles.
- Second lunch at Hor Jia Dim Sum.
- Eat dessert at Farida Roti and stroll around the chumphon Night Market.
- Stay the night at Kiang Chan Resort.
DAY 3
- Visit Khao Dinso Viewpoint.
- Relax and stay the night at Talay Sai at Thung Wua Laen.
DAY 4
- Souvenir shopping at Por Ta Hin Chang.
- Return to Bangkok.
If you’re ready, what are we waiting for? Let’s visit this emerging Destination in the very best way.
On this trip, we drove to all of the destinations in chumphon. We began our trip in the evening of 24 July. The travel time from Bangkok to Chumphon is approximately 6 hours. The gas cost us around 3,500 Baht round-trip (we filled up twice during the trip).
- Travel to Malin Phato Rafting Service.
- Eat lunch at Sun Sai Seafood
- Spend the night at Dan Dome Homestay at Kram Bay.
DAY 1
We left the hotel at 08:00 Hrs. to go to the Malin Phato Rafting Service chumphon.
The Malin Phato Rafting Service chumphon is an environmental travel Destination that has been in service for 24 years. The activity that can’t be missed is a scenic rafting trip led by Uncle Long (the rower). We got on the raft at the pier which was approximately 5 kilomitres away (don’t forget to wear a lifejacket before getting on the raft). The rafting trip was roughly 2.5 hours. During the trip, we got to appreciate the nature and observe numerous plants, dip in cool refreshing water, and stop by several orchards to taste fresh mangosteen, rambutan, and durian picked right from the trees.
After the trip, we cleaned up and got ready for the “rafters’ meal” that was included in our rafting trip package. Whoever visits this place must try the meal since it is phenomenal. Pa Lek is a great chef. There are 7 dishes for this one and only meal in chumphon, which includes orange curry with wild banana stalks, Edible fern in coconut milk, mixed vegetable soup, Long Pae chilli paste, stir-fried Bai Liang with egg, fried local mackerel, banana leaves omelette, and rice in bamboo shoots. Refills are available for every dish, except for the omelette.
March – May is the high season when most tourists visit the Malin Phato Rafting Service. Moreover, there is an annual rafting festival on every second Saturday of February, which is organised by the district to raise funds for the community. People in the community will get together and help out when tourists visit. Since their primary occupation is agriculture, this is another way to distribute income to them.
If you’re interested, call Pa Lek to make a reservation at Tel.: 08 9592 8376 (a reservation must be made at least 1 day in advance since their staff need to prepare the rafter and the meals).
You can find get more information at https://www.facebook.com/malinraftingservice/
The Malin Phato Rafting Service opens at 10.00 Hrs.
The rafting trip costs 400 Baht per person and 600 Baht per person if including the meal. For children below the age for 12, it’s half price at 200 Baht for the rafting trip, and 300 Baht including the meal.
Furthermore, there is a homestay with air conditioner, which costs 1,300 Baht per person for adults, and 700 Baht per person for children younger than 12 years old.
The Malin Phato Rafting Service is located at 72/1 Tambon Phato, Amphoe Phato, chumphon 86180
By car : follow these directions: https://goo.gl/maps/RYN1xKVmzCR9hc4R6
Our next Destination was a lunch spot at Sun Sai Seafood.
Sun Sai Seafood is a seafood restaurant on the beach with accommodation on the side. They have been selling seafood for 20 years. There are both indoor and outdoor seats for us to choose from, but the most popular area would be bamboo arches by the beach because of the beautiful scenery and chilled vibe. Moreover, we can go for a dip and enjoy cool breeze at Bang Nam Chuet sea while gazing out to see Ko Phitak in front of us. The fresh seafood starts at 150 Baht and a cooked to order dish starts from 45 to 320 Baht.
Recommended dishes that you must order here are shrimps in tamarind sauce, fried fish with herbs, spicy horseshoe crab roe salad, sweet and sour soup with squid roe and Sun Sai spicy salad. The restaurant gets very crowded during the weekends. Therefore, if you prefer a peaceful meal and prompt servings, you should come during the week.
The restaurant only accepts reservations on weekdays. Take-home and delivery services are available to nearby resorts. Please contact Tel.: 08 7283 2554 (Pi Sao)
For the beachside accommodation, it’s just a few steps away from the beach. Room rates start from 600 to 900 Baht.
Sun Sai Seafood opens every day from 08:00 – 21:00 Hrs.
By car : follow these directions: https://goo.gl/maps/SGAKVsnKK4cEwuys9
By public transportation : If you’re taking a train, get off at Lang Suan Railway Station or contact the restaurant for a pick-up and drop-off service.
Our accommodation tonight was the Dan Dome Homestay at Kram Bay.
Ban Kram Bay is an environmental and ecological tourist destination. This small village comprises 20 households. We chose to stay at Dan Dome Homestay, which belongs to Uncle Jak. Uncle Jak is a funny man. Anyone who has met him would definitely get a good laugh from his jokes. Uncle Jak’s accommodation is designed in a fisherman’s style. There are three houses in total: a small house for less than 8 guests, a medium house for 10 guests and more, and a large house for everyone, including Uncle Jak.
Since this is a homestay, we had to bring personal belongings; such as, soap, toothpaste and toothbrush. There’s no air conditioner in the bedrooms, but there’s a mattress, pillow, mosquito net, and a fan for us to truly experience the nature.
The accommodation cost 900 Baht per person.
With this price, what did we get from Dan Dome Homestay?
- A night in the large house.
- 3 meals (we arrived in the evening, so we only had dinner and breakfast. We had stir-fried Bai Liang with egg, steamed crab, fish with chilli sauce, and boiled squid for dinner, and fish porridge for breakfast.
- Activities: Free squid catching and plankton watching (depending on the day and opportunity) You definitely shouldn’t miss the blue plankton watching tour at night because it’s absolutely stunning. This is one of the “unseen” destinations that we mentioned earlier. We guarantee that you’ll definitely not be disappointed.
Dan Dome Homestay offers full service to guests from a refrigerator, toilets, bathrooms, dishes and cutlery, to free Internet connection. However, you must wash your dishes and clean up after yourselves. Pets aren’t allowed. Check-ins are at noon or in the evening depending on your preference.
If snorkelling and exploring corals are your cup to tea, a 12-person boat rental is available for 1,000 Baht. There are free kayaks available on the island as well. The entrance fee to the island is 40 Baht for adults, 20 Baht for children. The boat ride from our accommodation to Ko Kula took approximately 20 minutes.
On the way to Ko Kula, Uncle Jak took a boat out to release some horseshoe crabs back to the sea since his house is an educational centre and horseshoe crabs nursery. This is called “grilling horseshoe crab roe” by returning it to nature. We really admired this since Uncle Jak put his heart into doing something for the greater good and to preserve the lives of these aquatic animals without expecting anything in return. Kudos to Uncle Jak!
For those to want to experience this lifestyle and participate in the fun, local activities. Contact Tel.: 08 6941 7046 to make reservations before 21.00 Hrs.
For more information, click on https://www.facebook.com/DanDomeHomestay/
Dan Dom Homestay is open every day from 08:00 – 21:00 Hrs. A deposit of 1,000 – 2,000 Baht is required to make a reservation.
**Dan Dome Homestay is available for a visit in March – October.
The entrance to the accommodation is a steep slope. Cars with low suspension may not be able to enter.**
By car : follow these directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/bqzq73v6XjSEJXZdA
By public transportation : If you are taking a train or a public bus, Dan Dome Homestay offers a pick-up and drop-off service from a the train station and Sawi Police Station. The service costs 1,000 Baht for a round-trip for up to 10 passengers.
- Travel up to get beautiful shots of Khao Thalu at Doi Ta Pung.
- Visit and pay respect to the Prince chumphon Shrine and Memorial.
- Coffee break at Tham Sing Fresh Coffee at Khao Matsri.
- Eat lunch at J Muay Kaeng Som Noodles.
- Second lunch at Hor Jia Dim Sum.
- Eat dessert at Farida Roti and stroll around the chumphon Night Market.
- Stay the night at Kiang Chan Resort.
DAY 2
After eating breakfast at Uncle Jak’s house, we hurried to take a ride up to witness the beauty of Khao Thalu at Doi Ta Pung.
A viewpoint at Doi Ta Pung is a natural tourist attraction. The best part is going up to photograph Khao Thalu with a sea of mist. The entry is free. To travel up the mountain, we had to park our car at the meeting point and contact Phuyai Prasert to reserve a ride up to Doi Ta Pung, which was approximately 3 kilometres or 20 minutes by car from the meeting point. Only the villagers’ cars are allowed to drive up Doi Ta Pung. Due to a very steep and rough course, it’s best to let the locals who are familiar with the area sit behind the wheel. The ride cost 500 Baht for a round-trip and could fit up to 10 passengersThere were only 6 cars available for the ride since the villagers’ primary job is rubber tapping.
Our driver told us that a lot of tourists visit during Songkran (Thai New Year) and New Year. Some come to camp overnight while some are only here for the scenery. The viewpoint opens from 05.00 Hrs. until the evening.
At Doi Ta Pung, mist is visible early in the morning. Luckily, there was a slight sea of mist for us to see after the rain. Who would’ve thought that there are mountains and a sea of mist to visit in chumphon too!
Things you should bring up to the mountain are water, tissue paper, a hat, umbrella and a sunscreen since there is no vendor up there. Mostly, on both sides of the route are villagers’ homes and rubber trees, which you can enjoy seeing during the ride up to the mountain.
If you’re interested, you can visit Khao Thalu at Doi Ta Pung at any time. No advance reservation is needed. You can also contact Phuyai Prasert at Tel. 09 8821 9831 for more details.
By car : follow these directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/FK9e1mbRix9Qx4iw9
After returning from Doi Ta Pung, the next Destination we stopped by was the ‘Prince chumphon Shrine and Memorial’. It’s a sacred place for the people of chumphon and also a historical tourist attraction. Whoever visits Chumphon must pay respect to the Shrine for propitiousness. Moreover, it’s a memorial to Prince Chumphon, who established the Royal Thai Navy. The Shrine wasestablished in 1942 and has been renovated from time to time until it became the spectacular architecture we see today. In the beginning, it was only a regular wooden shrine.
This memorial is designed to look like a triangular pavilion on the HTMS Phra Ruang war vessel on the beach. Roses are used to pay respect to Prince chumphon since he was fond of roses.
The Shrine opens for tourists to pay respect every day from 08:00 – 20:00 Hrs. It’s especially crowded on weekends and holidays. There is no entrance fee. On 19 December of every year, there’s an annual celebration for Prince chumphon’s birthday, and the celebration lasts for 3 days and 3 nights.
Don’t be scared if you hear loud noises! Those aren’t gunshots or bombs, but firecrackers. Firecrackers are set off all day long. Whenever someone makes a vow, he/she would light the firecrackers as a way to pay respect at the room prepared especially for this ritual since Prince chumphon liked shooting and the sound of the gun. You can call 077-501-831 for more information.
By car : follow the https://goo.gl/maps/8j2oa7w71seRFUhK7
Afterwards, we took a coffee break at Tham Sing Fresh Coffee at Khao Matsri for coffee and the beautiful scenery. The café is located on Khao Matsri overlooking a beach. It’s a minimal loft-style café with both indoor and outdoor seats.
The recommended item on the menu is honey black coffee. Coffee lovers definitely shouldn’t miss it. They’re the first producer of high-quality Robusta coffee beans in southern Thailand that they use for their coffee. It’s not acidic and definitely a must-try if you have the chance to visit this café. However, we ordered iced blended mango and soda with red syrup which were very tasty. The price starts from 50 to 65 Baht.
The café opens every day from 07.00 – 19.00 Hrs.
For more information or inquiries, click on https://www.facebook.com/ThamsingCafe/ or call Tel.: 08 6942 1792.
By car : follow these directions : https://goo.gl/maps/bqzq73v6XjSEJXZdA
It was almost lunch time when we left the café, so we stopped for lunch at J Muay Kaeng Som Noodles. This restaurant has been in business for about 10 years. They offer seafood noodles, cooked to order dishes, and other Thai dishes. The restaurant is in 2 spacious townhouses with both indoor and outdoor seats.
Recommended dishes are Kaeng Som Chao Samut noodles, spicy soup with fish head, Chao Samut Yentafo noodles, boiled fish (mixed seafood set), fried rice with shrimp with a lot of condiments. Every dish was absolutely delicious. Prices start from 50 – 120 Baht.
The restaurant opens every day from 10:00 – 23:00 Hrs.
Je Muay Kaeng Som Noodles is located across from the 7-Eleven at Wat Pho Karam right before the Pho Ta Rot Intersection, Tambon Tha Tapao, Amphoe Mueang, chumphon.
By car : Just keep in mind that the restaurant is right across from the 7-Eleven at Wat Pho Karam just before the Pho Ta Rot Intersection or follow these directions: https://goo.gl/maps/ECaw7EhD5PAwF56d8
Somehow just one lunch didn’t seem to satisfy us, and we could feel some empty space in our stomachs, so we made a second lunch stop at Hor Jia Dim Sum at chumphon, chumphon’s famous Chinese restaurant. The restaurant is known for their scrumptious dim sum, which we couldn’t miss. The owner is Aunty Duang. The restaurant has already been in business for 3 years. Recommended dishes are their secret recipe of bak kut teh, freshly made shu mai (shrimp, pork, crab). They even have salmon shu mai, too. The restaurant is in a roomy, open-air space which allows the breeze to flow freely. You can walk over to pick the dim sum, and waiters will heat them up for you before serving them right to your table.
The dim sum restaurant opens every day from 06:00 -21:00 Hrs.
If you come in a large party and are afraid there won’t be any seats, call to reserve at Tel.: 08 6476 2406 (Aunty Duang) or 08 1535 5355 (Khun Kay). Calls are available 24 hours.
You can also find more information on their Facebook page at https://1th.me/hXOD
By car : follow these directions: https://goo.gl/maps/wv5mStdUFfEFYhrE8
We concluded our feast on the second day at Farida Roti and strolled around the chumphon Night Market to digest.
Farida Roti, the famous roti shop in the Night Market, is a dessert shop that mainly sells roti and rice with chicken massaman curry. We went to their first branch, which is located in an open-air 2-unit townhouse with fans but no air conditioner. A lot of tables are available both indoors and outdoors.
Recommended menus are roti with massaman curry, regular egg roti, charcoal roti with every filling, and Thai iced tea. The roti is soft and delicious. Unlike other roti shops, they don’t drizzle condensed milk on the roti here, but put it on the side instead. The shop is always crowded. Prices start at 20 – 70 Baht.
The shop opens every day. There are two branches in the same area.
Branch 1 opens from 06.00 – 23.00 Hrs.
Branch 2 opens from 10.30 – 23.00 Hrs.
Reservations are available. Call to make a reservation or inquire for more information at Tel.: 08 0695 1996.
By car : follow these directions:
Once we had our dessert, we strolled around the Night Market to digest a little. The Market compiles all the food from chumphon in one place, both savoury and sweet. The Market has it all, whether it’s Phat Thai, fried oysters, Khanom Bueang, fruit shakes, you name it! This market used to be called Phat Thai Road since almost all the vendors were selling Phat Thai and fried oysters, which they still do today. The atmosphere is lively just like any other food market. There are people searching for food at every vendor. It’s especially crowded on weekends with the locals and tourists.
There’s not a lot of parking available. Thus, you must find your own parking spot. Since the market is located in the middle of the road, street parking isn’t allowed. You can park at the pizza restaurant for 20 Baht per car. The chumphon Night Market is located near the Chumphon Railway Station on Krom Luang Chumphon Road.
By car : Park at the pizza restaurant near the Night Market. Follow these directions:
https://goo.gl/maps/ess7GgvhEmmMBY5Q6
After we were satisfied from eating, we headed to our accommodation for the night at Kiang Chan Resort to rest. The Resort is a pale brick orange colour, and is conveniently located near tourist attractions. There’s a visible large sign at the entrance, so it’s not hard to find. The room rates start from 400 -1,500 Baht. The rooms are fully-equipped with amenities to offer you convenience; such as, TV, a toilet, air conditioner, refrigerator, sofa, closet, and free Internet. The interior is also spotless.
The resort is especially crowded during festive seasons. If you’re looking for accommodation in the Amphoe Sawi area, call to make a reservation for 24 hours at Tel.: 077 557 221, 08 1092 9649, or find more information at https://1th.me/w48N . You can also make a reservation through a hotel-booking application, too.
By car : The accommodation isn’t hard to find. Just simply follow these directions:
- Visit Khao Dinso Viewpoint.
- Relax and stay the night at Talay Sai at Thung Wua Laen.
We left the accommodation early to go to “Khao Dinso Viewpoint” because we had to hike up the mountain. It got extremely hot later in the day, and we weren’t too fond of sunburn. After we parked at the parking for the viewpoint, we had to hike up a natural educational trail for approximately 900 metres or 40 minutes to get to the viewpoint. During the hike, we found langurs in groups which made us realise that this forest is rich in natural resources. A little tip for hikers: bring your own water but don’t forget to clean up after yourself and help preserve nature.
Opens every day for visits from 06:00 – 18:00 Hrs.
There are vendors selling drinks and snacks at the parking lot during the week. They open from 08:00 – 17:00 Hrs. on weekdays, and 08:00 – 18:00 Hrs. on weekends. There is no entrance fee.
Khao Dinso Viewpoint has a total 360-degree view. If you look towards the west, you can see Myanmar’s border. If you look towards the east, you can see chumphon’s coastal line.
Another thing that can’t be missed is raptor watching. During September – October, there will be plenty of tourists visiting since it is the raptor watching season. Moreover, Khao Dinso is a significant spot to learn and observe the birds’ migration.
By car : Set Khao Dinso Viewpoint as your Destination on Google Maps, and you’ll be directed to the right location.
**Do not set Khao Dinso as your Destination because it will direct you to the wrong spot.
After we had exercised by hiking up Khao Dinso, we headed to our accommodation to rest. Talay Sai at Thung Wua Laen is a beachside hotel in bright colours, which is easy to spot. The highlight of this hotel is that it’s right next to Thung Wua Laen Beach. It’s clean and is fully-equipped with amenities. You can just simply walk-in to contact the front desk and enquire for a room.
The amenities include an air conditioner, TV, water heater, hairdryer, refrigerator, kettle, working desk, and free Internet.
There’s also a parking lot available. Furthermore, there’s a lounge area, a beachside party area, and a seminar room to support 140 guests. However, if you want to take a dip in the sea, the hotel also has a shower zone and towels provided.
Check-ins are available after 15:00 Hrs. Check-outs are before noon.
Inquire for reservations at Tel.: 077 622 789, 08 1607 0505, 09 1034 0404 (available from 05:30 - 01:00 Hrs.) or contact through Line by adding Line ID: talasai-hotel, or get more information at http://www.talaysai-hotel.com/
By car : The hotel is on the right-hand side across from Thung Wua Laen Beach.
- Souvenir shopping at Por Ta Hin Chang.
- Return to Bangkok.
Before we called it a trip and headed back to Bangkok, we stopped by Por Ta Hin Chang Shrine to pay respect and buy souvenirs first.
Por Ta Hin Chang Shrine is a sacred place of Tambon Salui, Amphoe Tha Sae. There is a stone Ganesha statue located inside the Shrine that has been there since 1952. Local vendors told us that if someone needs to fulfil his/her vow, he/she should present fresh bananas to the Shrine or light firecrackers. Moreover, people who drive pass the area will also honk their horns too as a way to pay respect.
After paying respect to the Shrine, we looked for some souvenirs to buy. There are approximately 100 vendors here selling mainly fresh dainty bananas, byproducts from bananas, and other kinds of souvenirs. All the goods are from OTOP. The byproducts from bananas are made by the locals, but other souvenirs are from outside sources.
It’s open for business every day from 08:00 – 20:00 Hrs. (some are open all night). We recommend Choom Thip shop for souvenirs. Contact Tel.: 08 6596 9928 or find more information at https://www.facebook.com/bananafactoryth/
By car : follow these directions:
Like they say, all good things must come to an end. This is it for the 4 Days 3 Nights trip to an emerging Destination like chumphon. We are proud to say that this was an unforgettable trip as we didn’t expect Chumphon to have all these amazing hidden gems. Apart from all the attractions, another thing that impressed us was the local people, their generosity and hospitality, which made us want to return to this city again. Because “the emerging Destination must be experienced in the best way”, now we know that an emerging destination is really second to none, and you’ll fall in love with it over and over again, just like we did!