SE ASIA - Day 50 - HUA HIN to CHUMPON

This time, as I have booked the hotel without breakfast. Tried to check-out at 6.30am but their reception only opens at 7.00am. Since I have already paid for everything and there are no consumables in the fridge, I slipped in the key through their reception office door and moved off since the room have been paid for.

Setting out early in the morning does makes a lot of difference getting out of the town where traffic is really smooth. Did an average of 120km/hr throughout.

I had a few stops along the petrol station for top up/rest  and light breakfast at 7-11 store there.
The petrol price of 95 octane level is 28.41THB per litre, that works out to be SGD1.17/litre . While Malaysia still have the best rate, both Cambodia and Laos still offers rather competitive rate at about SGD1.30/litre. Singapore petrol price is the most outrageous, close to double of Thailand and even triple of Malaysia rate.

I normally choose to top up at PTT because their gas station have lots of facilities, including a 7-11 store and many eateries and a clean toilet. You can easily spot the PTT station from far as their logo signboard are normally raised quite high.

The 7-11 store is always the first store beside the exit of the petrol station and the toilet are at the middle of the area. Same design everywhere for PTT petrol station and very predictable.

I trust Google map's prediction of time taken because apart from just judging by the speed limit of the highway like what Maps.me does, it actually take account of the actual speed of every vehicle using Google map that travels along the same route. If there are road works/accidents/flood, it will take account of it and pre-warn you ahead of the slowness ahead of you and account for it on the time taken to arrive. Really good job here done by Google, too bad the navigation system can only be used in limited countries, Laos and Cambodia excluded.

I arrived at the same Nanaburi Hotel at about 11am, the same hotel I have stayed previously in Chumpon when I was on my way out for this trip. While there are nice resort hotels near the Chumpon beach but these places are really deserted and isolated from anywhere. If you stay at these resorts, you may have nice view and access to the beach but you will be forced to eat at their restaurants and it is up to your luck if you get good/cheap food or otherwise.

I am that kind of person that prefers to avoid such blackmailing situation, so I still choose to stay at the Chumpon town. The same Nanaburi hotel, with big comfortable rooms, fast and strong signal Wifi at 700THB/night (SGD29) without breakfast. To include breakfast, it will cost me additional of SGD9 while a 7-11 breakfast will only cost me at the most SGD2.

Minus points for the hangers they have. Don't you hate having hangers that can be hanged only in the closet ? There are lots of travelers like me that do our own laundry and having a hook hanger will make a lot of differences.

Yes, they can potentially make money from the hotel laundry, but sometimes, it just doesn't work because I want to check out of the hotel early in the morning tomorrow and don't want to be delayed because the laundry is not ready.

But I am all prepared for this. I brought along some comms-cord string to tie it to the curtain railings. These strings are so useful, heavily utilized during my army days.

If you have missed my previous blog about Chumpon town, the most exciting place in the entire town is the Ocean shopping mall. It has a Watson, KFC, MK(Thailand Steamboat chainstore) and an emporium selling various items just like OG in Singapore. I have tried MK many times previously and find it not worth the money.

Then I use Google map to search for a restaurants, it suggested me this Dimsum restaurant. I tried to come here previously while I was here 1 month ago but it was closed. It is only opened for breakfast and lunchtime, don't trust Google map saying that it will re-open at 5pm, they don't.

So I went there and it was opened !! There were quite a few customers eating at the shop while I was there.

You get to pick what you want from this glass cabinet.

Then they will steam it for you based on what you have chosen, nothing was pre-cooked.
Along with the free green garnish and a local cola drink, it cost 104THB. (SGD4.20)
Note: The chicken feet was with the bones, not something extracted by mouth if you were thinking of this -> Link 

It was a great meal and well worth the money. Ingredients were fresh.
Back at the hotel, Nana, the cat mascot of the hotel was loitering in the hotel lobby. She is beautify, isn't she ?

With the good Wifi, I watched some movies on Youtube and before I know it, it's dinner time.
I went to the same night market, the most exciting part of the town at night. I have been seeing lots of BBQ fish and never had the courage to eat it because the fish is huge and I would not be able to finish one all by myself. A big one cost only 180THB, but I hate to waste food.

For this stall, I see that in additional to the Red Tilapia, they have Seabass fish of smaller size. Although much more expensive, Seabass taste must better and less muddy.

So I bought a BBQ Seabass at 230THB(SGD9.60) and brought it back to the hotel.

The skin is covered with salt to avoid charring of the surface during BBQ, so avoid the skin as it is very saltish. The fish is fresh and taste great with the chilli. They too provide side green garnishes and some vermicelli to go with. Nice meal. To-do-list: EAT BBQ FISH - 👍

Okay, time to plan for my next route to Krabi and the hotel booking.
Weather in Krabi certainly doesn't look good. I am back into the tropical region with torrential showers. Gotta pack my raincoat into easily accessible part of my panniers for tomorrow's journey to Krabi.

Day 51 - Chumpon to Krabi Ao Nang Beach