Once upon a time in Sangkhla Buri District

I'm one of those salary earners who don't have much money to spend extravagantly. Anyway, I've got a dream to travel around and see the big world with beautiful nature. So, to save a great amount of travelling cost, it's very important to do the traveling plan before setting off.

For this trip, I've decided to go to Sangkhla Buri, not very far away from Bangkok. It is my first time to go as a backpacker. It must be really cool. I've done some research about the destination and found that it is pretty interesting and beautiful with a small village, Mon families, and the longest manmade wooden bridge in Thailand. I was inspired by a review "Exceptional Backpacking to Sangkhla Buri by free train".

The writer, a girl, did travel alone but I'm going with a friend of mine since I can't ride a bike. I guess I need him.

I, therefore, ask one of my friends if he wants to travel to Sangkhla Buri with me. At first, he tells me that he's broke and he has only 2000 baht with him. He asks me "Can I really go?". I say "of course, we'll spend not much money."

This is the way the webpage "Mai-kee-baht (Not much money)" is created.

If you love low-cost traveling, I'll show you money is not an excuse for not going to see the world.

Are you ready? Let's go!

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A VDO version is also available as you prefer.

First, let's see what I have for backpacking.

I don't bring so many staff with me. I have only some T-shirts, boxer shorts, a pairs of jeans, and a couple pairs of by name"> shoes. Everything is prepared for a few days of traveling. The thing that I can't really miss is my beloved camera. That is all I need with me for this trip.

Now, I'm ready for another new adventure.

Start from the first kilometer at Thonburi Train Station.

First of all, I'd like to show you all the money I have with me for this trip, only two thousand baht.

Besides, you also need your ID card since it's absolutely checked at the country border.

The most economical way to reach there is a free-train to Namtok Station. Then, we get on a minibus, which is driven quite slowly, to Sangkhla Buri District as I have done some research via Google about the way to go there.

The time schedule shows 257 Thonburi leaves 07.50 and arrives 12.35. It's almost the time to go.

Before setting off, I buy a few cans of beer to enjoy while I'm on the train. I'm not so sure whether I'm allowed to do so, but still you know.

You can chose wherever to sit to enjoy good views along to way.

I am waiting to have a good time drinking my beer but there are always some officers standing right there. So, I don't take a risk drinking alcohols.

The farther the train goes, the more people get on. Until the train stops at Kanchanaburi Station, it is crowded.

Before we reach to Kanchanaburi, we have been comfortable sitting on the seat. But after we leave the station in the town, a great number of people get on the train.

We keep standing for another two hours until we get to the last station. It is 2 o'clock in the afternoon, 1 hour later than we expected.

We continue to travel to our destination by a taxi to the Sai Yok Noi Waterfall, costing another 30 baht.

Then, I walk to the other side of the street to wait for an orange bus to travel to Sangkhla Buri District.

It takes such long hours to get there; however, the scenery along the way is so incredibly worth it. I see what I have never seen in my life, something we can't find generally in big cities. The buses from Kanchanaburi to Sangkhla Buri District are called "Cool Sweeties" (a Thai slang means slow trains or buses). It costs 120 baht.

Let's take a look at the wonderful views on both sides of the road.

We change to another bus at Thong Pha Poom Distric (no extra charge). It starts to slightly rain continually. The weather is nice and cool.

We see some frog along the way. It just like we are on the sky with a lot of clouds.

It has been such a long way. It is now 6 o' clock, we haven't got there yet. I'm so starving.

When I see a sign showing another 5 km. we shall get there, I almost cry with pleasure.

The bus takes the last left and we finally get to our destination.

Join our journey, and you will see money is no longer big issue to keep you away from travelling. You can visit our webpage ""Mai-kee-baht" and I'll show you low-cost budget journey. https://www.facebook.com/maikeebaht

The Destination: Sangkhla Buri District.

It takes 10 hours in total, from 8 a.m. at Thonburi Train Station to 6 p.m. Gosh! It's such a long day. We spend our first day to reach the destination.

Let's find a place to sleep. I was thinking about P by name"> guesthouse and Country Resort, 250 baht a night with electric fan and nice river view. I still have no idea where exactly it is. I search from Google Map and just keep walking up the street.

"I'm sorry, Bro. We are completely full" ("Crap! I have been walking for a long way" I think).

The rooms with electric fan of the by name"> guesthouse cannot be booked, they are only provided for walk-in guests. Luckily, they tell me there are some rooms available for tomorrow night, but I have to find another place for tonight.

We eventually by name"> get a room, and then we look for something to eat.

We ride a bike finding some food (we rent a motorbike for 200 baht a day with full tank of petrol and we must fulfill the tank before we return it).

When we arrive, there is no market for us anymore. So, we just go to a restaurant next to 7/11, ordering a couple of some easy dishes to relieve our hunger.

At Sangkhla Buri District

-The first night-

We have planned this trip for a long time that we will get to know this place thoroughly within one and a half days since we have only such time.

We start our trip early in the morning at 6 o' clock.

6.00 a.m. at Mon Bridge (Auttamanusorn Wooden Bridge)

First of all, I'm willing to give food to monks in Mon style. There are Mon costumes available for free, 99 baht for 10 sets.

Emi Ya Su Langen Hour is Hello.

After that, I walk around to enjoy the nice spectacular surroundings

And also, we take photos with the sign on the way back to my room showing we are actually here.

He is my driver taking me to everywhere for this trip.

Here is a perfect spot to get picture of the wooden bridge.

My friend also asks me to take him a nice photo of the bridge and its environment. Here we go.

Where we are now is a nice viewpoint to get the photos of the whole bridge. Let's see.

9.30 a.m. We find something to eat at the outdoor market.

Since we are here in Sangkla Buri, we should try Mon food.

We take a short walk and see a restaurant called " Je-Saw". It looks quite unique. The food there costs only 10, 15, or 20 baht. It exactly responds to our concept "Not Much Money".

I order banana stalk pitch salad with spicy fish sauce. It is very special dish with a price of only 10 baht. You had better come here and try it yourself.

Actually, the dish is enough for me but I see a guy next to me is eating something interesting. So, I'd like to try it as well. It is vermicelli with green curry and deep-fried pumpkin.

The food here comes in big potion and is quite cheap, 10 to 20 baht. The food like this you can only find here in Sangkhla Buri. After we are completely full, we get back to the guesthouse we like, P Guesthouse.

We pack our staff to move to the new place.

We are finally here, P Guesthouse, 250 baht a night. The atmosphere is far more better than the room last night that even costs 300 baht.

We are here.

They have got a wonderful river view. I can see some pagodas quite far away.

The rooms are next to one another.

The atmosphere in front of the room is nice and fresh.

There is a table to relax and enjoy the environment.

Let's take a look at the views in front of the room.

In the room, there are two bedrooms with only one outlet. We have to find others ourselves. An electric fan is placed in the room.

Behind the room, there is a path toward to the river. You can jump into the river from it.

Even though the bathrooms are shared for everyone, they are very clean.

11.00 a.m. At the viewpoint of the village

After we unpack our stuff and get the camera ready, we continue our journey again.

At this point, I can see the different picture of the village. It's also beautiful in another style.

As we travel to a number of interesting places, I believe this change our perspectives.

You can try travelling in your style or you may go like our way, ""Mai-kee-baht".

11.30 a.m.

Wat Wang Wiwaykarum

Worship "Luang Pho Uttama"

Paying homage to the Buddha image can't be missed when you come here. This is the most important temple for the local people, "Wat Wang Wiwaykarum".

Have a look at the beauty of the temple.

Worship "Luang Pho Uttama"

Let's move on.

2.00 p.m. Phuthakaya Pagoda

The unseen spot is being seen.

The golden pagoda is the most notable spot in the village. It looks spectacular and graceful. It even seems more glamorous when I get closer.

Let's get inside.

Here is a tough way to take photos.

5.30 p.m. Songkalia River

I choose to have dinner at a restaurant beside the river.

Actually, I'm lost and I've run out of the phone battery.

After a while, I ask a local man driving along to show the direction.

He tells us in local accent "Go that way, you've already passed it."

We hurriedly reach there.

Finally, we are able to have dinner along the river. Roasted chicken costs only 50 baht, fried pork with basil over rice is 40 baht, and another 30 baht for the water.

There is a riverside pavilion for us to relax.

However, the road to read there is quite dangerous for bikers.

It's located among the beauty of nature, anyway.

06.30 p.m.: The sunset at Sangkhla Buri

Waiting to enjoy the incredible beautiful of sunset

After the meal, we head back to our room to take photos of the sunset. I think this is one of the most wonderful views of the village with the wooden bridge.

Now I start to run out of battery again.

7.30 p.m. Finding something topnotch in the village

The submerged pork, 1 baht/stick.

We then find something to eat. I'm very hungry.

Hey! where are we going tonight? I heard about the pork sticks, costing only 1 baht. Let's go.

I see a lot of shops selling the pork, so we pick one.

This is how it looks like. We should eat about 40-50 sticks to fulfill our stomachs. Their sauce is one of the best.

After we get back to our room around 10 p.m., we spend time drinking and having a good time with nice atmosphere.

We enjoy a couple cans of beer but it seems like doesn't enough for us. We then get out to a bar called " Baan Job" for a bottle of beer.

At 2 a.m.

Can't fall sleep

Normally, I always go to bed late, and I really don't know what to do at this time here.

I then grab my camera and its tripod and walk into the dark looking for a good spot to take photos. This makes me know that Sangkhla Buri is also beautiful at night.

I still have a half day to be here.

I will probably walk around to collect the photos of somewhere interesting.

We still have 800 baht left to spend.

The lifestyle of local people is seen during my stay.

I almost miss somewhere famous and also are the signature here: riding a boat to have a look at the temple under the water and the bamboo floating bridge built after the wooden one was destroyed.

And also, I almost forget about taking pictures of children jumping into the river. It is a symbol of the village.

It's time to sail.

This is our boat driver. I'd like to thank "Ja Ja" our guide for this trip.

If you feel interested in travelling with "Ja Ja", you can ask for her at the shop right at the wooden bridge. It costs 300 baht for a boat with a guide sailing to the temple under the river.

And this is our journey to Sangkhla Buri.

I plan to find something to fill my stomach before we head back home.

This is a coffee shop we are willing to stop by. It's called "Graph café".

It's a stylist small one with a nice owner.

The coffee is good with a reasonable price. It must be tried.

Before leaving for a long way we eat some food we saw during our stay.

It's pizza at this restaurant on the way to the accommodation. The restaurant is opposite from the temple but I can't remember the name of the temple.

The food is not very expensive and its decoration is in nifty western style.

Lastly, if we talk about Sangkhla Buri District, it's very big and not very small village. It's in a medium size in our opinion. The peaceful village is full of friendly local people most of whom are half Thai half Mon.

It's your turn to come and experience it yourself. Here is Sangkhla Buri, 2000 baht for 3 days and two night, thoroughly experience.

Goodbye Sangkhla Buri.

If you like to travel economically, I'll show you money is not an excuse for not going to see the world. Let's travel around together.

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