Was down past Rayong a few weeks back and decided to check out the beach around the headland at Chao Lao. This are is known as Pahk Nam Kaem Nu.
The road over from Chao Lao crosses the headland and crosses a bridge over an inlet
Nice view of the inland bay
Parked up over the bridge at an area being developed for tourists.
Looking back at the bridge
This development seems to have ground to a halt but there is a map of the area and a decent car park conveniently close to the small market area opposite.
However, the market could wait. Priority one was to check out accomodation.
After sticking our nose in a few places we opted for this one, The Iris Hotel
with handy off road parking
and an airoplane on a stick
Into the reception area to fork up the 1200 for the room ( including breakfast )
The beach along here is pretty crap and you really need to cross back over to Chao Lao to eat but if you want a sea view....this place has it.
The private beach frontage area
Yep, if you like solitude ( which we do ) then this place has it in spades. If you like lots of people to watch.........you wont like it here. Great for a discreet dirty weekend with the company secretary.
Nice bungalows...very clean
Inside , its almost as if you are floating on the sea
Turned out to be a bit too close in the end as the sound of the surf breaking didn't help us sleep much.
The hotel has its own pool on the roadside. Very nice and we spent half hour in it as it was right outside our door and we had it all to ourselves.
After a shower we went back to the bridge to check out the little market
Which took all of 5 minutes.
Dog in a basket. A culinary treat down here.
Then it was back in the car for the drive over to Chao Lao to find somewhere to eat
The beloved NX poses seductively on the bridge with the sea behind
A couple of other resorts tucked away on the headland. Drove down to check them out. Again....not a brilliant beach.
Managed to pass a few minutes here
Watching the fishermen
And thats about it as the sun was going down. Have to say , as others have noted, the food around these parts is pretty dire. You would think the seafood would be great. It isn't. Tried many of the eateries down here now and they have all been bad bar one, and that was only passable. Everywhere you go you get large portions of poorly cooked food. Pity , because the beach at Chao Lao is very nice and it makes a quiet break from the city.
This time our meal was so unmemorable that we skipped the free hotel breakfast and after an hours drive stopped at a large petrol station where we had a breakfast made from stuff out of the 7/11 store. It tasted really good after the last nights meal which gives you an idea of how bad the beach food is !