Just 270km from Bangkok, Ratchaburi's Suan Phung district captures the spirit and vitality of both Chiang Mai and Khao Yai but still retains its own identity.
Like in Thailand's other two beauty spots, you drive along winding roads flanked by wild landscapes, look up at steep, forested hills, their peaks lost in the clouds, and enjoy cool weather and clean air. An added bonus in Ratchaburi is the tangy sea breeze that blows in at night from the Gulf of Martaban in Burma.
It's easy to get carried away by the pristine nature but soon you can't help but notice how new resorts are making inroads to the foothills as well as more revolutionary changes to Mother Nature, some of them unwanted.
For many weekenders, these resorts--mostly owned by proprietors from elsewhere--are destinations in their own right, bringing urban chic and spa sensations to the heart of the wild. Eco-conscious visitors are understandably less enthusiastic. But the developers are still buying up land, so now is the time to go.
The joy of visiting Suan Phung begins as you enter the province's parameters. Road 3206 that goes from Pak Thor to Suan Phung by way of Ban Kha sub-district is the most scenic and highly recommended for the journey to the hilly district, with forest and mountain views on both sides all the way to your destination. At times it looks as if you're driving to Khao Yai or perhaps Mae Rim in Chiang Mai.
Set in the highlands branching out from the Tenasserim Range, Suan Phung is a tropical paradise blessed with unspoilt attractions. A popular spot with day-trippers is Pong Krathing Hot Spring, but as it requires a 28-km detour off the main road, a trip to the Pong Yup Salt Lick is probably better value in these days of high gas prices. Less than 10 km off Road 3087, there's a 40 baht (US$1.18) admission fee--the site is on private property--and the road leading to the salt lick is absolutely breathtaking, with acres of pineapple orchards stretching as far as the eye can see.
Pong Yup tends to upstage any hot spring with its unique architecture artfully sculptured by Mother Nature. Caused by years of subsidence and erosion, the site has a mini canyon-like feel with a series of brown curves and mounts against a lush backdrop of trees.
A 10-minute drive away is Bo Klueng hot spring (private property since 1925) and the scenic Nam Tok Kao Chan, or the Nine Level waterfall, which tends to get crowded during the rainy season.
Bo Klueng is a prime example of a poorly managed private tourist spot. The property owner has built a restaurant right next the hot spring to allow diners to watch those frolicking in the man-made pond into which the hot spring flows. Naturally, the focus is more on selling food and drink than maintaining the site, and the Bt5 admission fee is augmented by a 30 baht (89 US cents) charge (10 baht--29 cents--for children) for a dip in the pond. The water, which looks none too clean, is usually packed with children. And about 100 metres away, a sign is details the quality, which at pH8.02, seems more alkaline that it should be and not that hot at 56 degrees Celsius.
At the entrance to the site, there are several western-made heavy-duty vehicles from the now-defunct tin mines nearby, presumably to remind visitors of Suan Phung's glorious past.
Locals will almost certainly recommend a drive up Khao Krajom Hill to see the clouds but unless you have a four-wheel drive, forget it. You can only motor comfortably to the Mon village at the end of Road 3087, but from there it's a dirt track used only by pick-up trucks.
Over the border lies Burma's Tavoy division although the official border crossing is still some 15-km away. Bulan Rantree, manager of the famed Usawadee Rose Farm, who is fluent in Karen and for many years worked in Tavoy researching species of fish in the Tenasserim River, says the forest is denser and more lush on the Burmese side. The Tenasserim River has a bountiful supply of fish, with many species that are not found in Thailand.
"The Karens there go fishing with an M-16. They drop the bait into the water and within seconds, hundreds of fish emerge. Then they shoot them," he says.
The Usawadee farm has Burmese, Mon and Karen workers, reflecting the area's ethnic diversity. Their friendliness and hospitality is second to none. Half of Bangkok's roses used to come from this farm alone. Now, with prices of roses on the ebb, only five rai are available for visitors to view. The hottest crops among farmers here, says Bulan, are Japanese mushrooms.
The weather is deliciously cool and the wind gets up in the evening, meaning you don't need air-conditioning or even a fan when overnighting at one of the hillside resorts. If it's too cool, visitors tend to order fiery hot, but delicious Karen chilli sauce served with fresh assorted vegetables.
As I drive away, I find myself hoping time will stand still in this sleepy hilly outpost, at least until I can return. And perhaps next time. I'll cross into Tavoy.
How to get there
Suan Phung, 270 km or a two-hour drive from Bangkok, is well served by many roads, but it's recommended visitors take the most scenic route, which runs from Pak Thor to Ban Kha then on Suan Phung. From Bangkok, take Highway 35 to Phetchaburi. Turn right on to Highway 4 for a few kilometres then left into Road 3206 (50 km). This road connect with 3313 (30 km) then links with 3087 (20 km). Once on Road 3087, you will see Suan Phung Hospital, which in early 2000, made the headlines, when it was seized by a ragtag group of Karen rebels known as God's Army.
