Issues to do in Cha am: seashores, Buddhas and… bats?

Most individuals on the lookout for a Thailand seashore vacation are aware of Hua Hin which isn’t solely a favorite of the Thai royal household, however has turns into fairly a preferred place for a seashore getaway close to Bangkok. In case you’re trying to take pleasure in a much less crowded different to Hua Hin, take into account heading as much as close by Cha am as a substitute. I put collectively a information on issues to do in Cha am for anybody planning a fast Thailand trip

This publish is sponsored by SO Sofitel Hua Hin the place I used to be invited to remain for a number of days – try my lodge assessment for extra about this beautiful resort by the ocean. The lodge helped coordinate my transport and itinerary however I’ve additionally included info in case you had been planning this journey by yourself.

The place is Cha am?

Cha Am is Hua Hin’s lesser-known cousin, about 170+km south of Bangkok alongside the gulf of Thailand. Cha Am is situated en path to Hua Hin which is a further 30-40 minutes drive additional south.

Methods to get from Bangkok to Cha am

By automotive

It takes a minimal of three hours to drive from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Cha am in case you don’t run into any visitors jams.

You may as well use Klook to rearrange for switch between Bangkok/Airport and Hua Hin [affiliate link] for about S$90-S$140 for a small group. Take a look at this different Klook hyperlink [affiliate link] in case you are coming from different elements of Thailand like Pattaya, Kanchanaburi or Khao Yai for instance.

By prepare

When you have extra time or favor slower journey, you possibly can hop on a prepare from Bangkok’s primary railway station Bang Sue Grand Station. Trains take about 4-5 hours on common to achieve Ban Cha am [Google map], which actually is the gradual solution to get there.

How lengthy to spend in Cha am?

Whereas Bangkok is a fast 2 hour flight away for Singaporeans, you’ll nonetheless want a minimal of three hours of driving to get to Cha Am from Suvarnabhumi Airport as a result of as of 2023, there aren’t any direct flights to Hua Hin Airport, which principally imply about half your day spent in transit.

I’d advocate a minimal of 4D3N for a visit to Cha am, or longer in case you can afford the time to discover close by Hua Hin as nicely. Thai individuals like going to Cha am for a weekend journey so it tends to be crowded over the vacations and weekends, so it might be good to take an extended journey so you possibly can take pleasure in a mixture of issues open on weekends and a quieter time.

Issues to do in Cha am

Cha am Seashore

Cha am seashore is a fairly lengthy 5km+ stretch of white sand alongside the gulf of Thailand. I visited on a weekday so it wasn’t too crowded in any respect, however judging from the carparks and variety of umbrella distributors, I guess this place is completely packed on weekends.

Apparently the Hua Hin seashore is nicer as a result of the waves are a bit much less uneven and the water is clearer, however Cha am Seashore I assumed was good sufficient. Like Hua Hin Seashore, it’s apparently been affected by some erosion so there is likely to be sea partitions or dykes up in sure spots.

It was February so whereas the solar was pretty sizzling, it was a tad too windy the second you bought out of the water. The shore at low tide was fairly gently sloping and stretched fairly a protracted distance.

Solar loungers will be discovered alongside a lot of the seashore – we had been dropped off on the northern finish the place there was plenty of tree shelter as nicely, so bigger teams may go for chairs beneath the pine timber a bit additional again. We picked the loungers underneath the umbrellas on the shore. It value 100 THB (roughly S$4) per chair + umbrella and there was no time restrict.

I want I had a bit bit extra time to spend right here – alongside the 5km+ of seashore runs a parallel highway and a mixture of outlets, cafes, eating places and lodges which we didn’t get to discover.

Cha am Seashore หาดชะอำ [Google Maps]

Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park

Spend a morning mountain climbing the gorgeous limestone hills of Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park which provides some beautiful forests to wander via and panoramic views of the encircling panorama. This isn’t a leisurely stroll within the park although I wouldn’t say it was too laborious, however it’s an effective way to understand the natural world of Cha am.

The identify Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park won’t imply a lot to us, however these aware of the Thai people story Sang Thong may recognise that ‘Nang Phanthurat’ is the identify of a giantess within the story who disguises herself as a human, adopts the principle character Phra Sang when he was a toddler. He ultimately finds out she’s a bloodthirsty giantess and steals her treasures and escapes, and poor Nang Phanthurat dies of a damaged coronary heart. This park was apparently named as a result of from afar these limestone hills appear to be an enormous sleeping determine.

I point out these particulars to provide you extra context to the names of the varied landmarks and options you’ll come throughout as you hike the paths of this forest park that are named for moments within the story! In any other case it simply looks like bizarre names… this Bangkok Publish article is an effective learn if you wish to study extra.

Phanthurat’s Mirror

Proper on the entrance of the park is a brief path as much as a gap in a rock generally known as Phanthurat’s Mirror, which is meant to be the mirror that the giantess used to test that her human disguise was nonetheless working.

For us regular people, it’s a steep however quick and nicely paved stair climb as much as a ledge the place there’s a small shrine Mae Nang Phanthurat Shrine, and a 4m-tall oval formed opening within the rock resulting in a viewpoint.

From the Mirror, you possibly can lookup throughout the park and faintly see the Thung Setthi Viewpoint platform within the distance, and whereas it seems impossibly distant, we made it there ultimately!

From the mirror, we doubled again to the doorway and headed to the precise primary path of Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park.

Woman Glass Shoe Discipline

The primary primary landmark we handed via is a spot known as Woman Glass Shoe Discipline. Don’t know if it truly seems like a shoe, however it’s principally a flat clearing with a bunch of timber and apparently a reasonably in style pictures spot.

Close by this space is one other place known as Sang Thong’s Holy Properly, which within the story is the place the protagonist Phra Sang bathes himself and turns his whole physique golden as a disguise to flee Nang Phanthurat (let’s not fear about logic at this level), which is why there’s a barely creepy golden statue by the pond right here.

Khok Chang Viewpoint

The primary viewpoint we get to is Khok Chang Viewpoint – on a really clear day you possibly can apparently see all the best way to Khao Wang within the distance! It overlooks fields the place cows and pasture are discovered. Elephants had been apparently discovered right here too however in line with the Sang Thong story, this was Nang Phanthurat’s favorite Elephant searching floor.

Thung Setthi Viewpoint

The trail adjustments alongside the best way and turns into a bit extra rugged. Usually all the pieces is first rate situation, however the path does get rougher the upper you go. I actually loved the sections the place there have been a number of bamboo crops – we had been there in February which is the cool/winter season so the bottom was coated in dried bamboo leaves like a wierd hybrid of Autumn and Winter.

Lastly after about 2 hours, we discovered ourselves up at Thung Setthi, highest level on the path and the place we by no means thought we might truly climb as much as!

The complete hike took about 3 hours in complete and was a pleasant morning spent getting a exercise and having fun with nature. Positively do that within the cooler months and go up within the morning when it’s not as heat – you possibly can head to the seashore to chill out after this!

When you have extra time to spare, you can even take into account visiting Kaeng Krachang Nationwide Park which is about an hour’s drive west of Cha am, or heading additional south in direction of Hua Hin the place Khao Sam Roi Yot Nationwide Park is 1-1.5 hours drive away.

Nayang Bat View Level

One of many extra attention-grabbing issues you are able to do in Cha am is to take a look at the bats at sundown. Whereas it’d sound like a bizarre issues to do, each night over 2 million fruit bats emerge from a cave that they stay within the mountains and go searching for dinner.

I’ll preface this by saying that the expertise in particular person is much more wow that what you may take away from taking a look at these footage. Whereas it’s not a batman scenario the place the bats all emerge directly and blanket the sky, watching them stream out of their cave like smoke looks like watching a NatGeo documentary in actual life.

You don’t truly go to the cave itself, however a viewing platform situated in somebody’s home in Nayang Village. It’s non-public property however simple sufficient to seek out with Google and a automotive. The platform is raised and has a number of picket benches which you could sit at whereas ready for the solar to set. We reached there a bit earlier than 550pm and waited round till 630pm for the bats to emerge.

Whereas the solar units, you may spot hawks circling round – they’re ready to eat the bats after they emerge. Guess it looks like a buffet line~ Our information stated that is likely to be mountain goats as nicely if we seemed laborious sufficient, which could have simply been a solution to hold us from becoming bored haha.

We had been there a bit early simply to ensure that we wouldn’t miss the second when the bats emerged. After about 40 minutes of ready, the primary slew of bats confirmed up, streaming out from the mountain like a really small stream of smoke. That stream grew bigger and bigger and weaved round – you know the way they painting terrible music notes in cartoons? It felt like that to me!

It felt like for much longer, however the entire rising truly took about quarter-hour or so. Our information stated we had been fairly fortunate to see plenty of bats – her earlier expertise noticed rather a lot much less. Ultimately the bat stream thinned out and shifted with the wind, dispersing because the little fruit bats flitted previous us searching for fruit timber and orchards. They might return again to the cave on their very own time at round 3-4am earlier than the solar got here up.

I noticed bats asleep within the timber in Tioman, however this bat feeding expertise was one thing fairly sudden for me, I positively advocate it in case you haven’t seen one thing like this earlier than.

Wat Cha am Khiri

There are many temples throughout Thailand and Cha am is not any exception. Wat Cha am Khiri is a small temple complicated relationship again to 1864 with some historic cave shrines. Probably the most spectacular bit in fact is the doorway – a 112-step golden staircase with 7-headed nagas on both facet. Alongside the best way up there are 7 bells (representing the 7 heads) which you could ring for blessings.

On the left facet of the stairway is a small cave shrine – it’s worthwhile to take away your sneakers right here, and thru the small opening is a cave that’s larger than you may suppose, in addition to a number of Buddha statues which might be fairly previous too.

We headed to the correct of the stairway the place there was one other bodhi-leaf formed cave known as Bai Pho cave. There have been wind chimes put in right here so it felt very peaceable.

One other cave simply past the Bodhi Leaf Cave felt rather a lot like being in a tomb raider film.

There are numerous smaller shrines and what seems like a cemetery and crematorium space as nicely there – we didn’t spend too lengthy earlier than we headed again to the principle highway.

I wished to take a look at the Mrigadayavan Palace, summer season palace to King Rama VI however sadly it’s at present closed to the general public.

The place to eat in Cha am

The principle factor it’s worthwhile to eat right here is seafood. Cha am is thought for its low cost and good seafood and there are many seafood eating places throughout. The lodges even have their very own eating places that do serve up extra western model seafood, however I like to recommend consuming at an area Thai seafood restaurant.

Khrua Khiang Khluen

I name this the KKK in my head as a result of I can by no means get the pronounciation or spelling proper, however this restaurant was really useful by our lodge receptionist as a spot locals would deliver their mates to eat at. It’s situated simply north of Cha am Seashore proper by the ocean, so positively beautiful seaside vibes.

You realize it’s fairly an area joint as a result of there wasn’t very a lot English spoken in any respect right here, although fortunately that they had some English translations on the menu. Judging from the variety of tables and workers that they had round on a weekday, I feel this place will get fairly crowded on weekends, however we had our alternative of seats and didn’t have to attend too lengthy for our meals both.

Finally we selected a seafood tomyam soup, squid fried rice, curry smooth shell crab and a few river prawns that turned out to be completely gigantic. All that together with some Chang Beer value about 1,000 THB which works out to about S$10 per particular person (i.e. very low cost certainly!).

There are a number of seafood eating places alongside this stretch and alongside Cha am seashore as nicely in case you’re driving and wish to discover. View Talay Restaurant was one other place I thought-about, although I used to be largely amused by the opinions of individuals saying that there isn’t any sea view on the restaurant as a result of it’s a bit extra inland

Khrua Khiang Khluen ครัวเคียงคลื่น [Google maps] Open 9am – 9pm, closed on Wednesdays.

Panna Cafe

Hua Hin has some Instagrammable hotspots, and Cha am truly has some cute little cafes price trying out as nicely. My schedule was fairly packed, so I made a decision to take a look at Panna Cafe, a cute little spot amidst rice paddy fields the place you possibly can sip on fairly drinks whereas having fun with the countryside view.

I actually appreciated the nettings that we may sit back on whereas having fun with the view. There weren’t any crops planted whereas we had been there, however we did have a few cows grazing for firm.

I want we had a little bit of time to eat – their vermicelli with grilled pork is meant to be fairly good, however alas we had lunch deliberate so we simply stopped in for a drink. You may positively have lunch right here as they’ve an honest meals choice that features rice and noodles.

That they had fairly a big selection of cafe-style drinks: I had a ardour fruit sorbet whereas my mates had the coconut frappe and a strawberry-matcha latte. Drinks vary from 65 – 95 THB (S$2.50-4).

Another cafes I had on my listing to go to embody SoulMarch cafe which is a cute little home that is still me of a Korean-style cafe, as is One thing to Really feel. Le Cereste has European backyard cafe vibes

Panna Cafe ปันนา คาเฟ่ [Google Maps] . Open 930am – 5pm, closed on Mondays.

Tumlay Bar and Cafe

TUMLAY is situated proper subsequent door to the SO Sofitel alongside the coast and an amazing place to get a drink and snacks whereas admiring the seaview. It’s additionally a part of a mini caravan tenting park known as Away by aday Hua Hin the place you possibly can keep in a single day by the seashore in repurposed trailers!

TUMLAY Cafe and Bar [Google Maps] is situated proper subsequent to SO Sofitel Hua Hin. Open 10am – 9pm (Opens at 830am on Sat and Solar).

Cha am Night time Market (Wed solely)

Cha am does have its personal evening market close to Cha am prepare station, however it solely opens on Wednesdays so I didn’t get an opportunity to test it out sadly.

You’ll want to move over to Hua Hin in order for you your Thailand evening market repair – learn extra in my Hua Hin publish.

Hua Hin Night time Market (open each evening) is a standard Thai evening market close to Hua Hin Prepare Station promoting souvenirs, meals and lots of seafood eating places. That is your only option for weekdays.

On weekends you’ve gotten a bit extra choice in case you go a bit additional south to Khao Takiap Highway in Nong Kae – Cicada Market (Fri-sun evening solely) is a classy weekend design and craft market with sections for meals and artwork. You need to alternate cash for coupons for the meals stalls, they usually even have 2 levels with stay performances for leisure.

Simply subsequent to Cicada Market is Tamarind Market (Fri-sun evening solely), a devoted meals market with stalls promoting Thai/Worldwide meals on weekends. In addition to fodo stalls, there’s a honest quantity of open-air seating and a small stage showcasing stay performances. It’s a pleasant place to have dinner on a cool night!

Cicada Market ซิเคด้า มาร์เก็ต [Google maps] and Tamarind Market แทมารีน มาร์เก็ต [Google maps] are situated near Nong Kae Prepare Station. The well-known Wat Khao Takiap temple on a hill by the ocean can be not too distant.

Close to Cha am: Issues to do in Petchaburi

Cha am city is certainly quieter than Hua Hin additional south, however one factor you are able to do en path to Cha am from Bangkok is to pop by some attention-grabbing spots in Petchaburi en route – it’s not a nasty solution to stretch your legs from the lengthy drive.

Tham Khao Luang

Tham Khao Luang is a cave temple that was a favorite of some Thai Kings, but in addition as a result of it has some notably picturesque moments in case you come on the proper time. It’s not notably previous – a few hundred years or so constructed by King Rama IV aka King Mongkut who cherished the cave and constructed the stairway main down into it and put in a few of the Buddhas which you could see in it immediately. His son King Rama V aka King Chulalongkorn developed it additional in honour of his father.

The primary chamber has a gap within the ceiling, and in case you google ‘Tham Khao Luang’, you’ll see many pix of the cave with these ‘god rays’ shining in, which is what attracts most individuals to go to the cave. These rays are finest seen on a sunny day within the late morning/early afternoon. There’s a place for prayer and likewise apparently the Buddha’s footprint right here as nicely.

There’s a smaller 2nd and third chamber past the principle chamber that host some smaller Buddha statues inside. Within the 2nd, there’s additionally one other spot with the god ray impact for pix. You used to have the ability to exit by the smaller third chamber within the again however that stairway is at present blocked so simply return out the entrance.

A observe that the carpark space is situated at a temple on the foot of the hill known as Wat Bun Tawee which felt a bit bit extra touristy. In addition to a temple, there’s a cafe situated there and tuktuks to shuttle you as much as the cave entrance on the hill.

Phra Nakhon Khiri Historic Park (Khao Wang)

Near Tham Khao Luang is one other very outstanding sight you’ll see alongside the path to Cha am. Phra Nakhon Khiri Historic Park sits on high of Palace Hill or Khao Wang. This assortment of historic royal buildings had been inbuilt 1859 by King Mongkut and have an uncommon mixture of Western and Chinese language architectural types and had been typically used to host overseas envoys.

There are 3 primary peaks and areas on this park, however we didn’t have plenty of time so we solely walked round the principle space close to the cable automotive. You may hike up the mountain as a substitute of taking the cable automotive in case you favor.

We headed over to the Nationwide Museum, the preserved home the place the King and friends lived in. You need to take off your sneakers to enter and there’s an entrance charge, however sadly I can’t present any footage of the inside as a result of images aren’t allowed. It’s an attention-grabbing mixture of western and Thai types and theKing lived in a really small area in my view!

The park is a really lush space, with paved paths and plenty of timber throughout and you can simply spend an hour or two simply strolling round. Beware the monkeys throughout although!

The place to remain in Cha am

SO Sofitel Hua Hin

I stayed at SO Sofitel Hua Hin resort which is situated a brief distance north of Cha am Seashore. It’s a beautiful resort alongside the coast thats very serene and price contemplating in order for you a pleasant, snug and luxirious keep in Cha am. Take a look at my SO Sofitel lodge assessment for extra particulars or head over to SO Sofitel Hua Hin on reserving.com [affiliate link].

Different choices

I seemed up some different lodging choices which you could try relying in your finances with a caveat that I haven’t tried them out for myself, however these have excessive scores on reserving.com [affiliate links] and are locations I’d take into account primarily based on my traditional analysis to get you began:

My keep in Cha am was sponsored by SO Sofitel Hua Hin – try my lodge assessment to study extra about this beautiful resort.

Have you ever been to Cha am? Inform me what I missed! Searching for extra locations to go to outdoors of Bangkok? Take a look at Ayutthaya or Amphawa or see extra Thailand posts.