Cha am Thailand -- Vacation Paradise of Thai People

by Backpacking Tips Asia
(Oslo, Norway)

Cha am in Thailand was my next destination after I left charmless Hua Hin in January 2008. What struck me at first was the fact that the majority of visitors were Thai people. It was very comfortable and relaxed to stay in Cha am. I will tell you why:

I was arriving during a weekend so the town was swarming with people. But that's just it: there was a lot of people, but no hassle and no racket.

It was nice to see Thais having a good time on the beach. Lots of Thai families with their children were riding horses and playing in the water. Thai youth were queuing up for the banana boats.

Accommodation:
Looking for accommodation in Cha-am? Not a problem. Many of them are located near the beach, on Ruamchit road.

Spending four nights at a Thai guesthouse was cheap. I remember paying 200 B per night for a double room with fan and shared bathroom. The standard was in fact alright! The staff didn't speak much English, but it was good enough to do basic communication.

Where to eat delicious Thai food:
During my days in Cha am I spent a lot of time on the beach, reading books and listening to my music. It was awfully laid-back! Getting food in this town is effortless -- you can eat at very cheap food stalls and small family restaurants located right by the beach (on Ruamchit and Narathip road). I had my fair share of banana pancakes and lots of "Ramjay" fruit :-)

Other things on the menu were Pad Thais (35 B) and fried noddles with chicken (25 B). You can also buy cheap food from food vendors walking along the beach. Popular dishes in town is sea food with rice or noodles!

I got the impression that the prices in Cha am is in general lower compared to other cities in Thailand. A good place for budget traveling! :-)

How to get to Cha am:
Cha-am is located about 200 km south of Bangkok. Take the bus (3,5 hours), minibus or train to Cha am from Bangkok. The train leaves Hualampong train station in Bangkok.

Or you can travel from Hua Hin. I took a VIP-bus from Hua Hin and the trip lasted for about 30 minutes. I was dropped 2 km from the beach so I had to walk for a while.

To get to Bangkok, I went to the bus station near the beach and bought tickets there.

Last updated: Oct 15, 2010


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