Phuket is our domicile as well as that's non probable to change, but my married adult woman as well as I produce similar other parts of Southern Thailand too. Phang Nga has some bully scenery which nosotros similar to explore, as well as nosotros love to become as well as relax at Khao Sok inward the hills. But when at that topographic point is fourth dimension nosotros caput over to the eastward coast of Thailand, inward detail to Chumphon as well as Prachuap Khiri Khan. From our solid it's simply nether 400km to Chumphon, driving via Phang Nga as well as Surat Thani. Normally takes almost five hours campaign at a sensible speed. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 flake longer if nosotros campaign via Ranong.
We've been this mode many times. I get-go went at that topographic point to a greater extent than than 10 years ago. My married adult woman get-go saw Chumphon inward 1976 on the twenty-four hours she was born - yes, Chumphon (ชุมพร) is her domicile town. Our miss was born inward Chumphon also - nosotros were living inward Phuket at the fourth dimension but my married adult woman wanted the solid unit of measurement around. At that time, ix years ago, the solid unit of measurement lived close the oculus of town, a curt walk from the railway station inward a solid past times the river. When my married adult woman was immature they used to swim inward the river as well as the town was less built up. By the fourth dimension I get-go went, a modest route close the solid was beingness used equally a shortcut from town to the principal highway.. add together inward some trains as well as occasional longtail boats on the river, as well as I cry back some nights staying at that topographic point amongst non much sleep!
The Family
This post service is non meant to live an autobiography, but .. a few lines almost my in-laws. Meeting the in-laws is a foreign sense at whatever time. Will they similar me? My married adult woman was a picayune worried almost them coming together me. The solid unit of measurement is quite traditional. Her dad was a police pull officer. When I get-go saw him, he was inward uniform... but nosotros broke the H2O ice past times drinking a few beers as well as singing karaoke (I seem to cry back CCR as well as The Scorpions). Later my married adult woman told me he never unremarkably drinks. That was his mode of welcoming me, since I drinkable similar a fish! That is the exclusively fourth dimension I induce got e'er seen him tipsy. I saw him induce got 1 drinking glass of beer 1 other fourth dimension at a birthday party. I was glad to live welcome. The solid unit of measurement is great. The photograph inward a higher identify shows quondam solid unit of measurement portraits - that's my begetter in-law's granddad as well as grandmother as well as his mother.
And hither are the in-laws! My wifes Mum as well as Dad are great, real sort people.
Both photos inward a higher identify taken piece eating out past times the Beach in Thailand. Chumphon town is non on the Beach in Thailand. There is some other town nearby called Pak Nam Chumphon which is the line-fishing port, as well as at that topographic point are two prissy Beach in Thailandes non also far away. About 15km North West is "Cabana Beach", existent lift Thung Wua Laen Beach, in all likelihood the nicer one, has some accommodation, has quite a lot of restaurants as well as the final two times nosotros induce got visited, nosotros induce got been to play puddle at a real funky picayune bar run past times Pak as well as Pippa, a Thai/English couple. Pak speaks English linguistic communication similar a Cockney. The bar is called "Funky's Beach Bar". And it's for places similar this that I similar Chumphon - a practiced intermission from the far to a greater extent than developed basis of Phuket. I am sure Phuket had funky picayune thatch-roof Beach in Thailand bars 25 years ago. Chumphon has it now. Get it piece it's hot. I'll induce got to induce got a photograph of the identify side past times side time!
The other Beach in Thailand is Sairee Beach, almost 20km South East of Town, simply due south of Pak Nam Chumphon. Sairee is prissy too, quite scenic amongst some modest islands offshore, as well as nosotros spent quite a flake of fourth dimension hither final visit. My wife's sis got married latterly as well as her husband's solid unit of measurement has a solid hither on the Beach in Thailand. Well, I say house, to a greater extent than similar a modest mansion! Only simply completed as well as non fully furnished yet, but damn nice! There are restaurants hither too. The H2O inward the Gulf of Thailand as well as on the eastward coast Beach in Thailandes does tend to live a flake less idyllic as well as bluish compared to the westward coast, but I tin see the expanse developing over the side past times side 20 years. Chumphon has a modest airport, it's on the principal route as well as develop draw of piece of occupation from Bangkok too. The town has developed over the final 10 years. For the better? Is a Tesco Lotus store as well as a Carrefour a practiced thing?
Also at Sairee Beach is a identify of pilgrimage - the shrine to the "Prince of Chumphon", existent lift Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, whose begetter was King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The prince studied naval warfare inward England as well as is known equally the "Father of the Royal Thai Navy". Many people come upward hither to say a prayer. The shrine overlooks Sairee Beach as well as below the shrine is an quondam Thai Navy boat which tin live climbed all over, much to the enjoyment of our kids.
(above) Our miss on the deck guns of the boat at Sairee Beach in Thailand. And below - my dearest wife's oculus looking through a gun emplacement on the boat.
Chumphon has 1 affair that Phuket does non induce got - trains! You tin larn a develop from Chumphon to Bangkok or fifty-fifty through to Malaysia. The station is small, unopen to the oculus of town as well as railway buffs volition love it :)
Outside the station on the route into town are some quondam locomotives. The photograph below could induce got been taken inward 1940. Or 2009.
The solid unit of measurement does non alive inward town whatever more. Dad retired from the police pull a few years ago, as well as they bought a novel solid inward a novel evolution simply out of town. Very tranquillity but simply 10 minutes campaign into the center. Chumphon Town is quite a flake smaller than Phuket Town, as well as (so far) it's non a blast town. We induce got seen changes inward the final few years amongst novel houses as well as shopping centers, but Chumphon does non induce got a tourist industry. Chumphon is a lot to a greater extent than traditional as well as "olde worlde" compared to Phuket, as well as the toll of living is certainly cheaper. We mightiness terminate upward living at that topographic point some day.
(above) inward the principal marketplace inward Chumphon town.
Mostly when nosotros become to Chumphon nosotros simply hang around, chill out, we're at that topographic point for some solid unit of measurement time. We induce got been a flake farther North to Prachuap Khiri Khan a few times - my married adult woman has solid unit of measurement at that topographic point too. Also a real prissy area. And it's less than two hours campaign to Ranong - nosotros visited some hot springs at that topographic point this year. The route betwixt Chumphon as well as Ranong has some bully views. The best is for sure the 1 below - a colina called Khao Fa Chi. Wow.
Around Chumphon, nosotros similar to explore - simply equally nosotros produce inward Phuket, induce got some dorsum roads as well as see what nosotros find! There are also some to a greater extent than obvious things to see.
This Big Buddha is correct past times the principal highway almost 15km due south of Chumphon. It's simply on a slight hill, plenty to aspect across to the body of body of water to the east. Nice identify to stop.
One time, nosotros took a longer drive, almost 50km south, hence some other 50km westward to a identify called Phato, upward inward the hills where the Langsuan river winds it's mode from origin towards the Gulf of Thailand. My wife's sister's hubby arranged it, I had no thought what to await - a bully twenty-four hours out rafting on the river!
And sometimes nosotros simply remain home. The novel solid has something that looks similar a canal side past times side to it, though its truly a real long, sparse pond. And it does induce got some fish. Below - our boy line-fishing amongst my wife's sister's fellow (she has two sisters).
I went to Chumphon for Songkran this year, get-go fourth dimension I had been at that topographic point for this festival. It was real prissy to live component of the solid unit of measurement at this fourth dimension of year. Songkran is good known for all the H2O throwing as well as partying, but at that topographic point is also the traditional Songkran, as well as the ceremony called "Rod Nam Dam Hua" - see photograph below - is real important, where the younger generation launder the hands of their elders.
UPDATE 2013 ... Last twelvemonth nosotros did quite a flake of exploring some Chumphon, it deserves it's ain weblog soon! One interesting identify nosotros found, as well as my married adult woman had never been before, nor had whatever of the family, was Koh Pitak, a modest isle simply offshore, some 60km due south of Chumphon town close Pak Nam Langsuan. They produce homestays there, though nosotros arrived on a tranquillity twenty-four hours as well as at that topographic point was exclusively 1 modest eating seat to larn some food, as well as the classic local store called seven Elephant ... larn it?
I liked Koh Pitak a lot ... to a greater extent than photos on Flickr : Koh Pitak Island close Chumphon
My wife's sis as well as her hubby right away induce got a solid past times the Beach in Thailand, close Pak Nam Chumphon, non far from Sairee Beach. If tourism e'er takes off, it mightiness attract early on risers .. I produce similar sunsets, but the tranquillity Beach in Thailandes of Chumphon simply later sunrise are bully too. This is the persuasion from what nosotros right away telephone band "the Beach in Thailand house" :)
And final see nosotros drove North to see a temple called Wat Kaew Prasert, close a line-fishing hamlet called Bang Boed, non far due south of Bang Sapan which is inward Prachuap Khiri Khan, the side past times side say to the north. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bully persuasion from the temple ...
Much of the coastline inward the expanse is undeveloped, real beautiful, as well as amongst minimal facilities for tourism. This mightiness modify inward the side past times side 10 years, we'll see. Another beautiful identify nosotros flora almost 40km due north of Chumphon was Thungsang Bay ...
(above) Family members jumping .. nosotros enjoyed an eve BBQ at Ao Thungsang Bay as well as volition become at that topographic point again!
Chumphon (or Chumpon, or Chumporn withal you lot wanna spell it) is similar my 2nd domicile inward Thailand. I silent induce got a photograph inward my wallet - my married adult woman as well as I on Thung Wua Laen Beach, a long fourth dimension agone on my get-go see to Chumphon earlier nosotros had a solid unit of measurement of our own. And who knows.. nosotros mightiness become as well as alive at that topographic point 1 day. We love Phuket, but we're also real fond of Chumphon!
More information on Chumphon:
• Chumphon Hotels
• Songkran 2011 inward Chumphon Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com
We've been this mode many times. I get-go went at that topographic point to a greater extent than than 10 years ago. My married adult woman get-go saw Chumphon inward 1976 on the twenty-four hours she was born - yes, Chumphon (ชุมพร) is her domicile town. Our miss was born inward Chumphon also - nosotros were living inward Phuket at the fourth dimension but my married adult woman wanted the solid unit of measurement around. At that time, ix years ago, the solid unit of measurement lived close the oculus of town, a curt walk from the railway station inward a solid past times the river. When my married adult woman was immature they used to swim inward the river as well as the town was less built up. By the fourth dimension I get-go went, a modest route close the solid was beingness used equally a shortcut from town to the principal highway.. add together inward some trains as well as occasional longtail boats on the river, as well as I cry back some nights staying at that topographic point amongst non much sleep!
The Family
This post service is non meant to live an autobiography, but .. a few lines almost my in-laws. Meeting the in-laws is a foreign sense at whatever time. Will they similar me? My married adult woman was a picayune worried almost them coming together me. The solid unit of measurement is quite traditional. Her dad was a police pull officer. When I get-go saw him, he was inward uniform... but nosotros broke the H2O ice past times drinking a few beers as well as singing karaoke (I seem to cry back CCR as well as The Scorpions). Later my married adult woman told me he never unremarkably drinks. That was his mode of welcoming me, since I drinkable similar a fish! That is the exclusively fourth dimension I induce got e'er seen him tipsy. I saw him induce got 1 drinking glass of beer 1 other fourth dimension at a birthday party. I was glad to live welcome. The solid unit of measurement is great. The photograph inward a higher identify shows quondam solid unit of measurement portraits - that's my begetter in-law's granddad as well as grandmother as well as his mother.
And hither are the in-laws! My wifes Mum as well as Dad are great, real sort people.
Both photos inward a higher identify taken piece eating out past times the Beach in Thailand. Chumphon town is non on the Beach in Thailand. There is some other town nearby called Pak Nam Chumphon which is the line-fishing port, as well as at that topographic point are two prissy Beach in Thailandes non also far away. About 15km North West is "Cabana Beach", existent lift Thung Wua Laen Beach, in all likelihood the nicer one, has some accommodation, has quite a lot of restaurants as well as the final two times nosotros induce got visited, nosotros induce got been to play puddle at a real funky picayune bar run past times Pak as well as Pippa, a Thai/English couple. Pak speaks English linguistic communication similar a Cockney. The bar is called "Funky's Beach Bar". And it's for places similar this that I similar Chumphon - a practiced intermission from the far to a greater extent than developed basis of Phuket. I am sure Phuket had funky picayune thatch-roof Beach in Thailand bars 25 years ago. Chumphon has it now. Get it piece it's hot. I'll induce got to induce got a photograph of the identify side past times side time!
The other Beach in Thailand is Sairee Beach, almost 20km South East of Town, simply due south of Pak Nam Chumphon. Sairee is prissy too, quite scenic amongst some modest islands offshore, as well as nosotros spent quite a flake of fourth dimension hither final visit. My wife's sis got married latterly as well as her husband's solid unit of measurement has a solid hither on the Beach in Thailand. Well, I say house, to a greater extent than similar a modest mansion! Only simply completed as well as non fully furnished yet, but damn nice! There are restaurants hither too. The H2O inward the Gulf of Thailand as well as on the eastward coast Beach in Thailandes does tend to live a flake less idyllic as well as bluish compared to the westward coast, but I tin see the expanse developing over the side past times side 20 years. Chumphon has a modest airport, it's on the principal route as well as develop draw of piece of occupation from Bangkok too. The town has developed over the final 10 years. For the better? Is a Tesco Lotus store as well as a Carrefour a practiced thing?
Also at Sairee Beach is a identify of pilgrimage - the shrine to the "Prince of Chumphon", existent lift Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, whose begetter was King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The prince studied naval warfare inward England as well as is known equally the "Father of the Royal Thai Navy". Many people come upward hither to say a prayer. The shrine overlooks Sairee Beach as well as below the shrine is an quondam Thai Navy boat which tin live climbed all over, much to the enjoyment of our kids.
(above) Our miss on the deck guns of the boat at Sairee Beach in Thailand. And below - my dearest wife's oculus looking through a gun emplacement on the boat.
Chumphon has 1 affair that Phuket does non induce got - trains! You tin larn a develop from Chumphon to Bangkok or fifty-fifty through to Malaysia. The station is small, unopen to the oculus of town as well as railway buffs volition love it :)
Outside the station on the route into town are some quondam locomotives. The photograph below could induce got been taken inward 1940. Or 2009.
The solid unit of measurement does non alive inward town whatever more. Dad retired from the police pull a few years ago, as well as they bought a novel solid inward a novel evolution simply out of town. Very tranquillity but simply 10 minutes campaign into the center. Chumphon Town is quite a flake smaller than Phuket Town, as well as (so far) it's non a blast town. We induce got seen changes inward the final few years amongst novel houses as well as shopping centers, but Chumphon does non induce got a tourist industry. Chumphon is a lot to a greater extent than traditional as well as "olde worlde" compared to Phuket, as well as the toll of living is certainly cheaper. We mightiness terminate upward living at that topographic point some day.
(above) inward the principal marketplace inward Chumphon town.
Mostly when nosotros become to Chumphon nosotros simply hang around, chill out, we're at that topographic point for some solid unit of measurement time. We induce got been a flake farther North to Prachuap Khiri Khan a few times - my married adult woman has solid unit of measurement at that topographic point too. Also a real prissy area. And it's less than two hours campaign to Ranong - nosotros visited some hot springs at that topographic point this year. The route betwixt Chumphon as well as Ranong has some bully views. The best is for sure the 1 below - a colina called Khao Fa Chi. Wow.
Around Chumphon, nosotros similar to explore - simply equally nosotros produce inward Phuket, induce got some dorsum roads as well as see what nosotros find! There are also some to a greater extent than obvious things to see.
This Big Buddha is correct past times the principal highway almost 15km due south of Chumphon. It's simply on a slight hill, plenty to aspect across to the body of body of water to the east. Nice identify to stop.
One time, nosotros took a longer drive, almost 50km south, hence some other 50km westward to a identify called Phato, upward inward the hills where the Langsuan river winds it's mode from origin towards the Gulf of Thailand. My wife's sister's hubby arranged it, I had no thought what to await - a bully twenty-four hours out rafting on the river!
And sometimes nosotros simply remain home. The novel solid has something that looks similar a canal side past times side to it, though its truly a real long, sparse pond. And it does induce got some fish. Below - our boy line-fishing amongst my wife's sister's fellow (she has two sisters).
I went to Chumphon for Songkran this year, get-go fourth dimension I had been at that topographic point for this festival. It was real prissy to live component of the solid unit of measurement at this fourth dimension of year. Songkran is good known for all the H2O throwing as well as partying, but at that topographic point is also the traditional Songkran, as well as the ceremony called "Rod Nam Dam Hua" - see photograph below - is real important, where the younger generation launder the hands of their elders.
UPDATE 2013 ... Last twelvemonth nosotros did quite a flake of exploring some Chumphon, it deserves it's ain weblog soon! One interesting identify nosotros found, as well as my married adult woman had never been before, nor had whatever of the family, was Koh Pitak, a modest isle simply offshore, some 60km due south of Chumphon town close Pak Nam Langsuan. They produce homestays there, though nosotros arrived on a tranquillity twenty-four hours as well as at that topographic point was exclusively 1 modest eating seat to larn some food, as well as the classic local store called seven Elephant ... larn it?
I liked Koh Pitak a lot ... to a greater extent than photos on Flickr : Koh Pitak Island close Chumphon
My wife's sis as well as her hubby right away induce got a solid past times the Beach in Thailand, close Pak Nam Chumphon, non far from Sairee Beach. If tourism e'er takes off, it mightiness attract early on risers .. I produce similar sunsets, but the tranquillity Beach in Thailandes of Chumphon simply later sunrise are bully too. This is the persuasion from what nosotros right away telephone band "the Beach in Thailand house" :)
And final see nosotros drove North to see a temple called Wat Kaew Prasert, close a line-fishing hamlet called Bang Boed, non far due south of Bang Sapan which is inward Prachuap Khiri Khan, the side past times side say to the north. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 bully persuasion from the temple ...
Much of the coastline inward the expanse is undeveloped, real beautiful, as well as amongst minimal facilities for tourism. This mightiness modify inward the side past times side 10 years, we'll see. Another beautiful identify nosotros flora almost 40km due north of Chumphon was Thungsang Bay ...
(above) Family members jumping .. nosotros enjoyed an eve BBQ at Ao Thungsang Bay as well as volition become at that topographic point again!
Chumphon (or Chumpon, or Chumporn withal you lot wanna spell it) is similar my 2nd domicile inward Thailand. I silent induce got a photograph inward my wallet - my married adult woman as well as I on Thung Wua Laen Beach, a long fourth dimension agone on my get-go see to Chumphon earlier nosotros had a solid unit of measurement of our own. And who knows.. nosotros mightiness become as well as alive at that topographic point 1 day. We love Phuket, but we're also real fond of Chumphon!
More information on Chumphon:
• Chumphon Hotels
• Songkran 2011 inward Chumphon Sumber http://jamie-monk.blogspot.com