Readme before you journey
This trip was initiated by a member who had previously joined me on a trip to Lam Khlong Ngu. He suggested we organize a Full Moon trip. Since we were already going to Surat Thani, I thought it would be a good idea to also visit the Ratchaprapha Dam, as I had heard it was incredibly beautiful. I checked the Full Moon event calendar and found that there was one scheduled for May 21st, which conveniently coincided with a 3-day long weekend (Friday, May 20th, was Visakha Bucha Day). So, I organized this trip for May 19th - 22nd.
However, this trip will focus more on the Ratchaprapha Dam. Why? We'll find out soon.
Reviews of other past trips
- Backpack Solo Trip to Lipe: Diving Paradise at the End of the Axe Handle with a Budget of 4,000 Baht
http://pantip.com/topic/35172219
- Backpack Train hopping to Koh Tao solo with a budget of 2800 baht
http://pantip.com/topic/34871539
- The End of Leg Muscles at Phu Kradueng (Phu Kradueng 2 Days 1 Night Trip)
http://pantip.com/topic/34784230
Follow my page for new trips or inquiries.
https://www.facebook.com/IWouldGoAnywhereForYou/
This is a rough plan that I made before I left.
May 19, 2016
I'm taking a half-day leave to catch the 13.00 train from Hua Lamphong Station to Sungai Kolok. If you've read my review of Koh Tao, you'll know that this is the same train I took to Chumphon. According to the schedule, we should arrive at Surat Thani station at midnight (if the train is not delayed).
The atmosphere on the free train is lively, with vendors boarding at various stations to sell food, snacks, and drinks. Passengers need not worry about going hungry, even if they haven't eaten before boarding. However, prices on the train tend to be slightly higher than those outside.
During this free train ride, I got to try the famous Ratchaburi dry noodles. I had avoided them before because I was afraid I wouldn't be full, but this box only cost 10 baht. I also saw that they had a larger box for 20 baht.
I only sat in the chair for a moment before I had to get up. The owner of the seat came to claim it, so my friends and I had to move and sit near the bathroom.
On the train, we gained a new member to join our journey, his name is Carlos. Carlos boarded the train at Nakhon Pathom station, and by chance, we ended up sitting in his seat (we had tickets without assigned seats). So I had to get up and give Carlos his seat, as per the rules. Not knowing what to do on the train, one of my group members had the opportunity to talk to Carlos. We learned that Carlos is Spanish and had quit his job to start his own financial consulting company in Puerto Rico. But before opening his own company, he decided to backpack through Southeast Asia. He will be traveling from Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally ending in Singapore. Then he will fly back to Spain.
Carlos boarded this train because he intended to go to Koh Tao and take a boat to Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan. But when we told him our destination and showed him a picture of the Ratchaprapha Dam, Carlos became interested and asked to join us. We were okay with it. He was brave enough to ask, and we were brave enough to let him join us. 55555
I must say that my free ride this time surprised me a lot... because it wasn't late at all!!!! I arrived at Surat Thani station at exactly midnight, which meant that my plan to sleep at the train station was no longer necessary. During the time the train was arriving in Chumphon Province, I looked at the distance and time and saw that the train would not be late. So I did some research and found an inexpensive hotel near the train station. As soon as I got off the train, we walked straight to the hotel.
The hotel I'm talking about is Queen Hotel, which is about 300-400 meters from the train station. It takes less than 5 minutes to walk there. The room rate is 300 baht per night and can accommodate one person per room. The room condition is according to the price. Let's say it's enough to sleep in.
After a long day of travel, we sat down to drink beer and chat for a while before heading off to bed.
Summary of expenses on May 19, 2016
Bonchon fried chicken (bought by a friend to eat on the train) = 80 baht per person
The cost of the Queen Hotel is 300 baht per room / 3 = 100 baht per person.
The cost of beer is 100 baht per person.
Total 280 Baht
May 20, 2016
This morning, we have a mission to eat dim sum and pick up a rental car to drive to Ratchaprapha Dam (I arranged for the car to be delivered to Uncle's House Dim Sum restaurant). Some of you may wonder why I'm on a budget but chose to travel by rental car. If you look at my itinerary, you'll understand that the accommodation after my one-day trip to Ratchaprapha Dam is the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's guesthouse. This guesthouse is located deep inside the dam area, where there is no public transportation (although initially we were going to have a car from another brother who was originally going to join the trip, but they ended up being busy).
We checked out of the hotel at 6:30 am and walked to have breakfast at Uncle Lung's Dim Sum restaurant, which is 200 meters from the hotel. It took us about 2-3 minutes to walk to the restaurant.
While we were in the south, we had to have some dim sum. The damage for this meal was 720 baht, which divided by 6 comes out to 120 baht per person.
After a while, the car company I booked the car from called and said that there was no one to deliver the car today, but they would send a driver to pick me up at the dim sum restaurant and then pick up the car at the airport instead. I agreed because the train station and the airport are not far apart (in terms of driving). Then the person from the car company picked me up at the restaurant and then went to pick up the car at the airport. I went alone and then drove back to pick up my friends.
Here is our car, a Toyota Altis with a 1600 engine and automatic transmission. Before you sign for the car, don't forget to take photos of the car all around as evidence.
After picking up the car, we drove back to pick up our friends at the dim sum restaurant and then headed to the Ratchaprapha Dam. We took Highway 401 (Surat Thani - Phang Nga), which is considered one of the most beautiful roads in Thailand. We drove along a road that passed through mountains, and since it was the beginning of the rainy season, we could still see the fog cutting through the mountains, making it even more beautiful and mysterious.
When you see this sign, turn in. The dam is 10 kilometers away.
Once you enter the dam area, before reaching the pier, you will come across a dam crest. Tourists often stop to take pictures at this point.
After taking photos, we headed straight to the pier and contacted the booth of the tour company where we had booked our trip for 950 baht per person.
10.30 We boarded the boat and set off for the real Ratchaprapha Dam...
Before I came here, people told me that this place was one of the most beautiful in Thailand. They talked about the turquoise lakes and the majestic limestone mountains. Today, I can confirm that they were right.
After about 45 minutes, we arrived at the highlight of the Cheow Lan Dam, which is the Khao Sam Kler.
As we approached Khao Sam Kler, the boat driver stopped the boat so we could take pictures. We had to hurry, or the current would carry the boat too close to the mountain and we wouldn't be able to get a good angle for the photos.
After visiting Khao Sam Kler, the boat will take you to Pa Nang Prai floating market. The boat will stop for about 10 minutes so you can visit the fish farm located in the area.
Video of a boat ride through a storm
https://www.facebook.com/IWouldGoAnywhereForYou/videos/1788337368068731/
After visiting the fish palace, we left Nang Phai Floating Market and headed towards the coral cave. It turned out that it rained heavily on the way to the coral cave. The rain mixed with the strong wind from the boat hitting us, making us feel cold. Luckily, when we reached the point where we would start walking to the coral cave, the rain stopped. But...
Reaching Tham Phakarang Cave isn't as simple as just taking a boat. (Or maybe it is, and I'm just unaware.) The boat will drop you off at the start of a walking trail, which I believe is part of a nature study path. From there, it's about a 30-minute walk to the pier where you can board a raft that will take you to the cave. And because the rain had stopped, on the way back from Tham Phakarang, I slipped on the muddy ground and fell on my butt 2-3 times.
What you see blurry on the left, that's all fog.
At the point where the boat departs, there will be vendors selling snacks and drinks.
After walking and taking a raft, we finally arrived at the Coral Cave. Before entering the cave, the guide will lend you a headlamp if you don't have one. He will also take you to see various rocks. Inside the cave, there are quite a few stalactites and stalagmites with strange shapes and faces. However, I was quite indifferent because just a few months before this trip, I had visited the Stone Pillar Cave and the Swiftlet Cave in Lam Khlong Ngu National Park, which were much more spectacular.
The stalactites resemble many elephants.
A stone shaped like a coconut.
The water droplets seeping out from the water source inside the mountain are very strange. I've never seen anything like this before.
This rock is beautiful. When the light shines on it, it looks like I'm standing on stage. 55555
Strange-looking insects
This is a stalactite dripping down. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to capture it when it was a long drop. It dripped down before we could find a spot to shine the light, so that there was enough light for the camera to focus.
The guide shone a light through a group of stone walls, and the shadow fell on the other side of the cave wall, forming a shadow of a witch.
This is right at the entrance of the cave. When we walked in, we didn't notice it. When we were about to leave the cave, the guide pointed up to the ceiling and we saw this rock. The guide said that this is the 'heart of the cave'. Well, I think it's pretty good.
We spent 30 minutes exploring the cave and then returned to the boat via the same route. We then headed to the Pa Chiew Lan Tour raft to have lunch (but it was already 2:30 pm by then).
All of our food is refillable except for fish.
After finishing our lunch, we had about 1 hour left to play in the water before the boat had to return to the pier at 5:30 PM.
At Pa Chiew Lan Tour, there is a diving tower like this for you to play. We also went for a dive. 1 boom.
https://www.facebook.com/tar.sammatid/videos/vb.100000334870280/1170945696259915/?type=3
If you're wondering how deep the water is, I can tell you that it's... well, you can't see the bottom! From what I've heard, most of the area around the raft is 30-50 meters deep, but in some places it can be as deep as 100 meters.
After playing in the water for about an hour, it was time to go back. I'll definitely find a chance to stay overnight on the raft next time.
And then we arrived back at the pier. The tour owner came to welcome us back and asked us how we felt about the tour. He also recommended a restaurant near the dam for us. He knew that we were going to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan but didn't have a place to stay, so he called a budget bungalow that he knew to book for us.
The map of various locations within the dam area, including the pier where we boarded the boat for our one-day trip, is located in the upper right corner.
After that, we drove to our accommodation. However, on the way, we had to stop by Baan Dala to check in and pick up the key. After completing our business, the officer volunteered to drive us to our accommodation. Since the roads inside the dam area are quite winding, it's easy for first-time visitors to get confused.
Our house is called Baan Supannikan 5, which is located right next to the forest (see map). If you think it's quiet, it is quiet. But you can also think it's scary. So it's more suitable for staying with many people than Baan Supannikan 5. It can accommodate 6 people.
We put our belongings away and took a shower at the guesthouse, then went out to eat dinner at Buapud Restaurant, which is located near the dam's golf course. I didn't take any pictures here because I was so hungry. 555555 But the damage for this meal was 1300/6 = 217 baht per person.
After finishing our meal, we returned to our accommodation, had some beers, chatted, and then went to sleep.
If you are interested in staying at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's guesthouse at the Ratchaprapha Dam, you can check out the details of the various houses or rooms available on this website.
http://rpb.egat.com/index.php/reception
Summary of expenses for May 20, 2016
The cost of dim sum is 720 baht, which is 120 baht per person.
Car rental 1400+400 /6 = 300 baht per person
One day trip to Ratchaprapha Dam 950 Baht
Accommodation cost 1100/6 = 183.33
Dinner cost at Krua Buapud 1300/6 = 217
Beer cost = 100 per person
Total 1870 Baht
If you include the first day, it will be 1870 + 280 = 2150 baht.
May 21, 2016
This morning, we planned to leave our accommodation at 6 am, but it turned out that we didn't leave until almost 7 am. This meant that we were late for our appointment with the car rental company, where we were supposed to return the car by 7:30 am. T_T As we were leaving our accommodation, we decided to stop and take some photos of the popular view of the dam.
We then drove to the train station to book a train ticket for the next day. We then hired a pickup truck to take us to Donsak Pier and asked the driver to wait for us at the airport. We then took the car to Surat Thani Airport. In total, we were charged an additional 400 baht for the late car return.
It takes about 1.5 hours from Surat Thani Airport to Don Sak Pier. There are actually Phantip buses that run from Surat Thani Airport to Don Sak Pier, and the Phantip bus schedule is based on the flight times (they wait to pick up people from the plane to go to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, etc.). However, because we woke up late, we missed the 8:30 bus, and if we waited for the next bus, we would miss the ferry ticket we had booked for 12:00. We later found out that as long as we booked a ticket for that day, we could take any ferry we wanted.
You can check the Panthip shuttle bus schedule on this website.
http://www.phantiptravel.com/index.php?mo=10&art=42147323
We arrived at Donsak Pier around 11:30 am. Then we walked into the passenger terminal and looked for this booth. It is a booth for selling ferry tickets. If you don't have a ticket yet, you can buy it here. But if you have booked a ticket from the Raja Ferry website, you can show your booking confirmation to exchange it for a real ticket here. On the right side of the ticket booth, there is a mini mart in case you want to stock up on food or snacks before boarding the ferry.
For those of us who booked tickets in advance through the website, we can exchange the proof of purchase for a ticket that looks like this.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the 12.00 pm ferry tickets are not available for purchase at the counter. They are only available on the Raja Ferry website.
After a while, our ferry arrived at the pier, and we joined the queue to board. As expected, the crowd was thick on the day of the Full Moon Party.
The interior of the passenger compartment is crowded. People are packed in tightly. On the boat, they sell instant noodles, water, and coffee.
The boat took 2 and a half hours to reach Koh Phangan. The pier is called Thong Sala Pier.
Upon arriving at the pier, we were confused about the accommodation. We couldn't figure out where it was located. We called, but no one answered. We asked the locals, but they pointed us in different directions. Finally, we had to call the owner of the Khao Sok tour back to find out the exact location. He initially told us it was near the Tonsai Pier, but it was actually quite a distance from the pier, about 700 meters to 1 kilometer.
In summary, our accommodation for tonight is Phangan Bungalow, which costs 700 baht per night. We will be sleeping 6 people in a room that can actually accommodate 4. The room has two large beds.
After that, we all took a break from our long journey. We sat around, took naps, walked to take photos of the beach, and drank beer while Carlos roasted the head of the Full Moon party's organizer. Carlos also ran into a friend he had met while traveling in Chiang Mai during Songkran. His friend was staying in a bungalow right in front of us.
And because I went to sit and burn my head with my Finnish and English friends at Carlos's place, I burned my head a bit too much. I drank 8 bottles of beer by myself without eating much beforehand. In short... I got drunk and threw up, so I didn't go to the Full Moon party. When I realized I was drunk and threw up, I went to bed and told my friends to wake me up if they were going to the Full Moon party. But my friends said that when they woke me up, I said I wasn't going... I confess that I didn't realize it at the time. 555555 So I didn't go to the Full Moon party as planned.
From where we stayed, we could hail a songthaew (a shared taxi) that runs around the island. It cost 100 baht per person to take us to Haad Rin, where the Full Moon Party is held. The return trip also cost the same price.
May 22, 2016
The original plan was to relax today and find a way to catch the 3 pm ferry. By the time everyone was ready to go out, it was already noon. So we decided to visit the Talay Waek (Separated Sea) at Mae Haad Beach by renting a motorbike from our accommodation.
Unfortunately, when we arrived at the Talay Waek, the water level was a bit low. However, it was still a great place to relax and unwind. There weren't many people around, so we spent about 2 hours at Mae Haad Beach taking photos and just chilling out. We decided to change our boat trip to the 5:30 PM departure instead. Around 4 PM, we drove back to the bungalow to return the car and then walked to order some takeaway food for the boat trip. While waiting for the food, I had a sudden feeling that something wasn't right, so I checked the boat schedule on my phone. It turned out that the boat actually departed at 5:00 PM, not 5:30 PM as I thought. So, I rushed to the pier and told my friend to take a motorbike taxi to the pier as soon as they got the food. And guess what...
We fell off the boat!!!! And that was the last ferry round for the day. Falling off the ferry caused us to miss the train we booked before crossing to Koh Phangan. As for the ferry ticket, you can actually ask for a refund in case you fall off the boat or change your mind about going, but it must be a ticket purchased back at the Raja Ferry booth. If it is a ticket booked from the website, you will not be able to get a refund. That means we lost over 400 baht for free (train fare and boat fare).
We were all so frustrated that we just sat there and ate our lunch boxes. Suddenly, the Raja Ferry ticket collector pointed out a ray of hope for us. "There's a sleeper ship, kid. The ship leaves at 4 pm and arrives at 5 am. You can get off at the pier in Surat Thani city center. Over there, that ship," he said. We turned to follow the direction he pointed, and we found our last way out. So we walked over to ask the sleeper ship ticket seller (the table will be located at the pier where the ship docks) for information. The price was 400 baht per person. We chose the sleeper ship because at least it saved us the cost of accommodation.
Here is a picture of the sleeping quarters and the interior conditions. Back in February of this year, I had the opportunity to take a sleeping boat from Chumphon Pier to Koh Tao. But the boat that went to Koh Tao was much bigger than this one, so I didn't feel the boat rocking at all. The air conditioning was also cold. But this time, I could clearly feel the boat rocking a lot. Anyone who gets seasick easily might vomit. And on this boat trip, besides my group, the rest were all European tourists. (Similar to the atmosphere when I went to Koh Tao) May 23, 2016
At 5 am sharp, we arrived at the Surat Thani pier. Carlos parted ways with us here, as he was continuing on to Krabi. As we disembarked, someone offered us tickets to various destinations, including Krabi. I asked the price for Carlos, which was 100 baht, which was reasonable. We hugged Carlos goodbye, wishing him luck and fun on his journey, and hoping that one day we would have the chance to meet again.
After that, we took a songthaew to the train station and had breakfast at a restaurant across the street. There were many options, including porridge, chicken rice, pork leg rice, etc. Then we went to take a shower and waited for the train at the station to return to Bangkok. We took the express train No. 40 from Surat Thani to Bangkok, which departed at 10:40 and arrived in Bangkok at 19:45. The ticket price was 601 baht.
The train on route 40 is only available on the second floor. It is an air-conditioned train with reclining seats. Lunch is served once, consisting of canned fish in teriyaki sauce with snacks and orange juice (or coffee).
At 7:00 PM, we arrived at Bang Bamru Station. We chose this station because our accommodations were all on the Thon Buri side of the river. This concludes our trip, which left us with a lingering sense of incompleteness (we intended to go to the full moon party, but we didn't make it, haha). As a result, we've decided that we'll definitely have to go back. I'll be sure to write another review when we do!
Financial Summary
May 19, 2016
Bonchon fried chicken (bought by a friend to eat on the train) = 80 baht per person
The cost of a room at the Queen Hotel is 300 baht. If there are 3 people, the cost per person is 100 baht.
Beer per person = 100
May 20, 2016
Dim sum costs 720 / 6 = 120 baht per person.
Rent a car 1400+400 /6 = 300
One day trip = 950 baht
The cost of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's housing is 1100/6 = 183.33
Dinner cost at Krua Buaphuth 1300/6 = 217
Beer cost = 100 per person
May 21, 2016
The cost of a shared taxi is 1500/6 = 250 per person.
Trains (not going) = 257
Car oil 500/6 = 83.3 per person
Lunch cost (bought to eat on the boat) = 50
Bungalow 700/6 = 116.6 per person
Motorcycle 300/6 = 50 per person
Roundtrip ferry fare Donsak - Koh Phangan = 420 Baht
May 22, 2016
Breakfast box 50
Lunch box 70
Sleeping room 400
Evening rice box 70
May 23, 2016
Express train ticket 601 baht
Joke + Pa Tong Go 2 pairs 40 baht
Black coffee 25 baht
Total rounded to the nearest whole number
4700 baht (but will only use 3600 baht if friends don't fall off the ferry like me)
Tips & Tricks
1. If you don't want to stay overnight on a raft or can't book a cheap national park raft, and you don't mind waking up to see the fog in the morning near the dam, it is recommended that after finishing your one-day trip, you return to Surat Thani city to sleep. It will be more convenient to travel to Don Sak Pier.
2. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's guesthouse is located deep inside the dam, with no public transportation available. A private vehicle is recommended.
3. However, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) guesthouses offer a 50% discount to members who are civil servants.
4. Raja Ferry tickets (Donsak Pier - Koh Samui/Koh Phangan) can be used for any round trip on the same day of purchase.
5. The price of a songthaew from Thong Sala Pier to Haad Rin (Full Moon Party venue) should not exceed 100 baht per trip.
Anywhere For You
Friday, September 27, 2024 10:19 AM
