Ratchaburi - Pong Yup

Pong Yup is like in Phae Muang Phi in Phrae and Lalu in Sa Kaeo, but much smaller.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2012/06/sa-kaeo-lalu-2.html

Moreover, it is on private land, so there is a fee to be paid. Inspired by the Thai government's policy at national parks, the land owners have decided to charge Westerners a lot more then Asians.  After paying the fee, you are left to your own devices; there are no guided tours.

Pong Yup Pillars

However, as the area is quite small, completing the path around the area is done in less than ten minutes even at a very leisurely pace. Like the other places, erosion has left behind some earthen pillars, but more impressive are the mini-canyons.

Pong Yup Canyon

All in all, this destination is not a must-see, but as it is only roughly 5 km from Suan Pheung town, it is not a major detour to stop by.

Ratchaburi - Suan Pheung Update

Things move ahead in Suan Pheung district

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2013/04/ratchaburi-suan-pheung.html

Since my last visit, they have got far along in the process of expanding the road connecting the provincial capital (Ratchaburi) with the discrict "capital" (Suan Pheung). The number of resorts, coffee shops, and fake sheep farms keep increasing. Note: the sheep are not fake, but the farming is - the sheep are there to allow Bangkokians to come in close contact with cute "nature".

When I visited, the hot spring was crowded with people from Bangkok, but Kaeng Som Maew was not. It seemed only locals were picnicking there and enjoying the rapids. However, there was some screaming when a snake decided to also take a swim in the midst of people enjoying themselves.

Kaeng Som Maew in rainy season

Another relatively undisturbed destination was a seemingly Hindu (or at least Indian) inspired temple. Instead of a Buddha statue, there was a large guy with an elephant's head.

A rather cute concept was that there were two over-sized rat statues ready to grant wishes. One had to whisper the request into one rat ear, while covering the other rat ear (to keep the wish a secret), and the rat would then consider granting the request.

Tell me your dreams

I must not have passed muster because I have not yet won in the lottery.

Ratchaburi - Khao Krajom (2)

In an earlier blog, I vowed to return to Ratchaburi and drive to the top of Khao Krajom during the rainy season.

http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2013/04/rachaburi-khao-krajom.html

As expected, what had been a walk in the park when the track was bone dry, had now become more challenging. Whereas use of 4WD was merely a recommendation during the dry season, it is a must during the rainy season. And yet, there were only two spots where one had to use the low range and had to be stubborn.

One was a stretch with deep ruts cut by rain water. The computerized traction control (limited slip differential) failed. Limited slip does obviously not mean no slip. Without manual differential locks, the wheel not touching the road spun and no power was transferred to the wheels touching the ground. It took several attempts to find a route up the ascent where the worst ruts were avoided and forward (upward) motion maintained.

The second problem was the very steep final stretch before the peak is reached. It took 3-4 attempts before I found a route where I could gain sufficient speed and traction to power my way up the hill. Again, without manual differential locks, I had to do the climb without finesse.

But I made it to the top.

Khao Krajom - View towards Burma

Rachaburi - Khao Krajom

Khao Krajom as most road-signs say (or is it Khao Khrachom as some signs say?) is a mountain top near the border to Myanmar. It is located in Suan Pheung district in Ratchaburi. One the summit, there are camping sites, basic facilities, good views, and a quiet calm as one truly feels far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Map on sign near creek crossing

To reach the peak at over 1,000 meters above sea level is a challenge many Thai 4WD enthusiasts take on with gusto. During the dry season, it is not much of a challenge. However, the use of 4WD is recommended as one needs to secure grip on a “loose” surface.

Now track is dry and hard, but appears to be soft and slippery during rainy season.

The road from “civilization” to the peak is roughly 8 kilometers, which during the dry season can covered in around 30 minutes. During the rainy season, it takes 40-50 minutes. The first third of the 8 km is paved. During the dry season, the second half gets bumpy and dusty, but is not particularly challenging except for 2-3 spots that require a little bit “extra”.

River or rather creek to be crossed

One spot is a river crossing where people have to overcome mental blocks they may have that prevent them from driving through water. Water depth is unknown and potholes or obstacles can be hidden in the muddy water. I took the optimistic perspective that plenty of other vehicles had crossed before me. So, although alone in the wilderness at the time, I assumed that if those vehicles could cross, so could my vehicle.

To prove it could be done, I crossed back and forth six times. Despite water reaching ten inches up my doors, thus submerging my exhaust pipe in water for over a minute, the engine didn’t stall and no water entered the cabin. However, each time on the way back across the river, the tires would lose grip on the slippery pebbles on the river bed. Each time this happened, it sent some “what-if” thoughts racing through my mind.

The other trouble spots were some steep ascents – most notably the last 300 meters to the peak – where lose rocks and/or soft sand on top of a hard lateritic road surface made wheel spin inevitable. The only way to overcome this was to use the 4WD low range and climb slowly but methodically.

Top of Khao Krajom is within reach, but a final steep ascent awaits.

Except for these steep ascents, the rest of the road can easily be handled in 4WD high range by powering through in second gear and controlling wheel spins on sandy surfaces as / when they happen. Or one can make the journey at a more leisurely pace to potentially sight some wildlife – all I saw was some pheasant hens and a long dark grey snake crossing the road.

I look forward to trying to reach Khao Krajom during the rainy season where I expect the road surface will be slippery due to mud.

Ratchaburi - Huai Khok Mu Viewpoint

Huai Khok Mu is one of thousands of peaks along the Tenasserim Mountain Ridge. With a height of 867 meters, it offers good views of the valleys below.

Due to its close proximity to the Thai-Myanmar border (Mergui is not far away), the Border Patrol Police has a small base at Huai Khok Mu. However, it is not an area of military tension, so there are camping sites (but no bungalows or electricity supply) for people who want to spend the night.

The road to reach the top is a rough dirt road, but 4WD is not mandatory in the dry season. However, at a few locations, there is loose sand on top hard laterite, which can result in slides if one does not know what to do or what to expect.

Ratchaburi - Suan Pheung Revisited

Suan Pheung - see http://tinamue.blogspot.com/2011/10/ratchaburi-suan-pheung.html

Over the past five years, Suan Pheung has developed into a prime weekend destination for proclaimed nature lovers from Bangkok. Key attractions are proximity to Bangkok and that nature ( = mountain views) can be enjoyed from the air-conditioned comfort of your car. As a result of the increasing number of tourists, coffee shops, five star resorts, and cute photo opportunities have mushroomed in the Suan Pheung district.

Swiss Valley in Ratchaburi

One of the first big resorts wanted to imitate Switzerland, which appears to include sheep, tiny horses, and a fake windmill. I may be wrong, but to me, stereotypical Switzerland is about chocolate, cuckoo clocks, and snow-covered peaks.

Another resort has a Tuscan theme while yet another resort attempted to draw attention with a display of cardboard penguins and an igloo. I did not manage to figure out the background for that.

Ratchaburi - Off road

Before people venture off road in their vehicle, it is best to know what to expect. So, there are a couple of driving schools in Thailand that teach people how to drive the 4x4 way.

Thinking "better late than newer", I joined a weekend course held near Suan Peung in Ratchaburi. The school insists that you pass the "basic" program before they let you in on their "advanced" course.

They start up with a half day of theory (how does a vehicle "work", in general and with four-wheel drive in particular) and that part is a bit tough unless you are pretty fluent in Thai because the lessons are in Thai.

Then, the next half day is spent driving on a closed circuit - a controlled environment - to let the driver get used to what to do when driving up / down steep inclines / declines, through sand, through water, across narrow bridges etc.

After that, there is a night drive on narrow, bumpy, gravel roads. The next day, the cars and drivers get taken up and down, through and across the hills and pineapple fields near the school before the drive ends with some refreshments and coffee in Suan Peung .

The advance courses are held during the rainy season and the drivers are taken through muddy, slippery roads in the forest rather than on dry roads cutting through pineapple plantations.

Ratchaburi - Suan Peung

In a low-key and gradual manner, the Suan Peung district in Ratchaburi has gained great popularity among Bangkokians that love nature and adventure. The area has several challenging off-road routes, natural wonders, and a wonderful mountain climate.

One example of an attraction is a hot spring with mineral water that is believed to be good skin treatment. The water flows all year round from the Tanaosi Range and its temperature ranges between 50-68 degrees Celsius.
However, I was disappointed that entrance as well as usage fees were demanded. The hot springs I have visited in Kanchanaburi and in Krabi were much better.

Before you reach the hot stream, branch off to see Namtok Kao Chon. The waterfall has nine cascades, but water is only plentiful during the late rainy season.

But what I found most amazing in Ratchaburi was Kaeng Som Mao. It is a small valley formed by the torrents of a river and a great place to relax.

Kaeng Som Mao during dry season