Phetchaburi Things to Do
Preparing our trip to Phetchaburi we expected temples, temples and some more temples. But a closer look revealed quite a few opportunities for water-related activities as well as a unique chance to go for whale watching in Thailand.
A daytrip to Bang Tabun and whale watching opportunities
Bang Tabun is a fishermen’s village just 20 km away from Phetchaburi. It is a small and quiet town where it looks like that everything has been artificially built to resemble how you imagine a fishermen’s village should be; but in fact there’s nothing more authentic and unexplored than Bang Tabun.
The morning sunrays pouring their light over the floating huts at the horizon are a postcard perfect picture. Hire a boat for THB800 and get closer to the cockle farms or just have a stroll along the concrete walkways through the atmospheric mangrove forest – but watch out for monkeys who know no shame and can easily help you get rid of your camera, hat or snacks along the way.
If you’re visiting during the right season (from May to December) a few companies will offer you Bride’s whales watching tours for THB2000 (tours usually start quite early in the morning).
Several floating restaurants located right off the main route between Phetchaburi and Bang Tabun serve the freshest seafood you can get for a fraction of what you would pay anywhere else along the coast.
It’s easy to combine a visit to Bang Tabun with a trip to Ban Laem, less than 20 km south, a quiet seaside town with a few temples and markets and many sea salt spas offering treatments; salt farms are abundant in the area and you’ll get the chance to see many of them on your way to Phetchaburi along route 32.
Accommodation options are available both in Bang Tabun and Ban Laem. The best way to visit the two villages is by motorbike. Drive northeast from Phetchaburi along the route 3176 to Bang Tabun; from there follow the coastline route 3178 to Ban Laem.
Cha Am and Maruekhathaiyawan Palace
Cha Am is one of the favourite weekend getaways for the Bangkokians searching a quieter alternative to Hua Hin. If you love a long stretch of beach with lots of seafood restaurants and virtually no western tourists, a couple of days in Cha Am will give you everything you need. Make sure you go there during the week for a more relaxed atmosphere and a lot less people on the beach.
While in Cha Am, you can visit Maruekhathaiyawan Palace built by King Rama VI in 1923 as a summer residence. The King had built another palace few km north, but the location and the design did not match his expectations and he decided to demolished it and then designed a new residence, which was built from the same teak wood of its predecessor. The Palace can be visited every day except Wednesday from 8.00am to 4.00pm for THB60.
To go to Cha Am, can get a minivan from Big C in Phetchaburi for THB40.
Haad Chao Samran and Haad Puek Tian
If you don’t have time to spend a night out in Cha Am but still want to enjoy one of the quietest beaches you can find in Thailand, Chao Samran and Puek Tian are the closest options to Phetchaburi that you have.
During the week you’ll be impressed to see an astonishing number of the resorts and absolutely no one on the beaches. A few hours working on your tan, a refreshing swim in the calm water and a marvellous seafood dinner – this is about everything you can get in one of these two towns. Chao Samran is also an alternative to Bang Tabun for whale watching.
Rafting on the Phetchaburi River
Travel agencies in Phetchaburi will offer you several options to go rafting on the river. The most diverse – and the best – program involves 5 to 6 hours of rafting through the forests. You’ll be taken to the starting point by a 4 wheel-drive vehicle close to the point where the Phetchaburi River originates and then you’ll paddle back to town with a guide. It’s a full day experience since just the drive will take around three hours. Different prices and options are available.
