Khao Laem National Park and Sangkhla Buri

I started off the morning by finding a shop with liquor bottles filled with fuel. I bought a litter so I was sure I could make it to the gas station 50 kilometers away.

I made my way on up the highway until all the traffic was stopped for a tree that had fallen over the road.

While waiting for the tree to be cut up and cleared I took a picture of a truck full of mangoes. About 5 minutes later I was on my way.

My first stop was at the Kroeng Krawia Waterfall which is part of Khao Laem National Park. I think I could see most of the small falls from the coffee shop while eating breakfast but had got a ticket for the National Park from the Expat Privileges so walked a bit around the small falls.

My next stop was at the Pom Pi View Point which is also a part of Khao Laem National Park and over looks the reservoir.

After a short time at the view point I continued up the highway in the direction of the town of Sangkhla Buri. Going up a steep section of road I hit a traffic jam. It seems 2 trucks were blocking the road. One going up and one coming down had met at a curve and could not pass each other. It appeared the one tried to backup and had only successfully blocked the complete width of the road.

I went back to the base of the hill and waited about 20 minutes. I then saw a stream of motorcycles coming down the hill so hopped back on the bike. As I arrived at the first truck he had made a gap on the road big enough for a motorcycle to pass so I was again on my way.

Sangkhla Buri is close to the Myanmar border and at the top of Kanchanaburi. It has a mix of different ethnic groups and one is the Mon people. The long wooden bridge connecting 2 parts of the town is called the Mon Bridge. I walked over the bridge taking pictures had a cup of coffee and walked back again.

I stopped and visited the Put Tha Kaya Pagoda and took the following picture.

My last tourist stop of the day was at Wat Wang Wiwekaram.

I thought about staying the night in Sangkhla Buri but just started the long ride home. I stopped a few times on the ride to fuel up the bike and myself and thought again about finding a room but didn't see a place that looked better than home. It was a long day starting about 8 in the morning and getting home close to 7PM but a good day of playing tourist.