True tranquility, Surrounded by sea
Sam Roi Yot is the perfect place for a relaxing holiday and for those who prefer a slow-paced life
Those looking for a place to take a long holiday or for a retirement spot, who have a fondness for seaside areas might have certain requirements when selecting the ideal location, such as the following: It should be near the sea, but should also have an unspoiled natural environment, with plenty of shady trees. It should be peaceful, and the local inhabitants should observe a simple, informal lifestyle. It should be near a big community or town where food and other necessities can be purchased, and also close to a hospital with a good, efficient staff and up-tp-date equipment.
HUSKY HORDES: Left, Sam Roi Yot in Prachuap Khiri Khan has many coconut farms.
Sam Roi Yot in Prachuap Khiri Khan province meets almost all of those conditions.
It is located on the seashore, only 43km from Hua Hin, a city that is like a seaside Bangkok with plenty of five-star hotels and private hospitals, as well as the government-run Hua Hin Hospital, which is a modern medical centre.
The district is only 20km from Pran Buri, a large commercial centre where temperate-climate vegetables as well as ham, cheese, beef, pork and chicken are available in abundance.
Sam Roi Yot ("Three Hundred Peaks") gets its name from a range of limestone mountains with tall peaks interspersed with smaller hills.
Some are islands in the sea while others are on land, near the shoreline. Estimates of their number range up to as high as 300. Sam Roi Yot is divided into two separate areas. The first is the entrance to the mountainous area, and is the location of villages called Ban Nong Khao Nieo, Ban Phu Yai, and Ban Phu Noi. There is also a beach that extends for more than 10km along the shore.
The second area contains a long range of higher mountains. There is a stretch of about 1.5km between the mountains and the shore that is moist and cool, as the mountains retain cool water and allow it to flow to the land below. They also provide shelter from the hot afternoon sun.
The fresh water and good weather make the area a good place for farming, and it is dense with coconut plantations, which range up and down over slopes and valleys into the distance. With its lush green carpet of grass under the trees it provides a view that is hard to match.
The population here is not dense. The people who live next to the sea are fishermen, and the shore has advantages over others in the area, even the one at nearby Pran Buri. At the end of Sam Roi Yot beach, there is a mountain set in the sea. It is called Koh Nom Sao ("Maiden Breast Island"), and it provides a natural windbreak during the monsoon season. The beach and seabed are therefore smooth, with shallow water extending quite far before the sea becomes deep, and the waves are not too strong.
Marine life is prolific here, especially near the island. There are many kinds of large fish and they are not disturbed much because most the fishermen pursue crabs, shrimp, and squid. These are caught by anchoring the boat and lowering a net into the water, then simply lying down and waiting for the catch. In the morning the net is hauled up and the catch taken. It's light work for the fishermen.
The big fish near the island, however, can only be caught the traditional way, with hooked lines, all night. This is more tiring that bringing in the catch with a net, so fewer fishermen do it and the fish are undisturbed.
Tourism in Sam Roi Yot is rather slow because Hua Hin and Pran Buri are the big tourist draws. They have hotels in every price range and many tourism promotional activities like jazz festivals on the beach, golf tournaments, antique car contests, and seafood festivals.
People who do go there are usually looking for some private relaxation time for themselves and their families. There are only a few hotels, most of which are marketed abroad and patronised largely by visiting European families during the winter. Thai tourists usually visit only on long weekends or days off.
When there is less tourist activity, outsiders are less tempted to flock to the area to exploit the situation and make money. Those working in the vicinity are locals who continue with their unhurried lifestyle. It's a place where everyone knows each other. There is also little in the way of nightlife, with an absence of bars, loud music, karaokes, or even pubs.
One negative feature is that there is also a lack of restaurants. There are only two good ones in the area. One of them is Pa Ueay and Pa Ing's Restaurant, which is located in the middle of the beach. It offers local seafood dishes like tom yum pla krapong (hot and sour spicy soup made with sea bass), pu pad pong karee (crab fried with curry powder), pla krapong pad prik (sea bass stir fried with chilli), and pu ma neung (steamed crabs).
The other shop is called Khrua Khun Noi, which is located in Ban Nong Khao Nieo at the end of the beach and sells both groceries and dishes like khao pad pu (fried rice with crab), pla krapong pad bai kra prao (sea bass fried with fresh basil, chillies and seasonings), and pla meuk choop paeng thod (deep fried breaded squid).
It is interesting that most of the quiet beach property has been bought by people from Bangkok as an investment or as a place to build a holiday home in the future. Thais like to live close to the sea.
There are currently a number of projects planned to build modern housing estates in the coconut plantations. These will offer a view of the mountains, and will not be too far from the sea.
They will be sold to Westerners as holiday homes, for use during the European winter months.
The area's big selling points are that it is shady and comfortable, with stunning views of the mountains and coconut trees; the sea is in comfortable walking distance; the vicinity is safe because of the dearth of people and vehicles; and it is an ideal location for exercising.
So, there you have it, an answer to the question of where to go for a peaceful stay with the sea nearby, amid natural surroundings and with the convenience of being able to make all your necessary purchases without travelling too far.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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