The story starts on Friday..On .every Fridays, the question you would hear is...

Question: Where should we go this Saturday? Any idea????

Answer: I don't know too but I don't want to go to the sea or the mall. I just want to get out of Bangkok.

Question: Well, then let's go for a not so well-known place and it's close to Bangkok?

Answer: That's a great idea! We probably get a new idea from this short going away trip:)

Question: Let's go to Phetchaburi then, it's not far from Bangkok :)

Ok, then let's go explore 6 recommended destinations that many people might now know of Phetchaburi Province.

Let's plan our trip as we only have two days on the weekend.

Stop 1: Guangzhou Floating Market, the only floating market on the waterfall in the world

Stop 2: Nong Ya Plong Hot Springs

Stop 3: Thai Song Dam Cultural Center or Lao Song

Stop 4: Tham Khao Yoi Cave at Khao Yoi District

Stop 5: Enjoying "Fresh Pulled Crab" at Ban Khlong Thian Community and Saphan Hin

Stop 6: Lung Thanom Palm Plantation

Once we got our destinations, let's go. We go on Saturday morning and come back Sunday evening so we don't have to rush too much.

Stop 1: Guangzhou Floating Market, the only floating market on the waterfall in the world

- Location : 6026, Yang Nam Klat Tai Sub-District, Nong Ya Plong District, Phetchaburi Province 76160

- Open Hours: Holidays, Saturdays-Sundays

- Entrance fee: 20 THB per person

It's very shady, good airflow, and not yet crowded.

When coming in, we will be greeted with this beautiful green bamboo forest. The weather is really nice, it's like the AC is on, the temperature is about 25 degree the entire day, very chill.

Well, it's so great here. Inside is shady with several small shops from the local people, it's such a perfect get away day for the city people, so relaxing :)

The great thing about this place is they still perverse their uniqueness an identity. Every service is made by the community and also the students could earn some living during the holidays.

The famous Thai dessert here is Khanom Mo Kaeng in a bamboo tube (egg custard).

Well, we arrive here in noon, so let's find something to eat because food is the most important thing to keep things moving ^^

Here is only the entrance, we have yet reached the main part, haha, but we already start eating from here......

Let's move on, otherwise, we won't go no where, haha.

There's also a coffee corner. The highlight is that the coffee was grinned by the waterfall wind generator, so cool. Also, it help adds the air into the water, making it good and clearer.

Here, every bamboo rafting is free of charge. You can take a seat anywhere you want. You can also order the food from any shop and they will deliver to you. The sellers are so cute and the service is just great.

We could also enjoy foot spa here. The foreigners are here too....

Most of the sailors are the local students who are out to earn some money by selling water, snack and milk tea.

When you are here, please do not forget to support them :)

Well, since we are already here, they said we could boat around to see the market. The renting fee is only 30 THB each boat, let's go!

The atmosphere inside is still cool, not so many people, and with a good variety of choice on food :)

You can come here to eat, to chill, or even sleep, haha. The weather is just so nice and cool.

Oh no, do not fight over it >,< haha, otherwise, the boat might turn upside down.

After a round of boating, we start to get hungry. I want to recommend this dish, Mong Pad Thai, it's so delicious.

Let's charge up energy before moving on to the next stop.

Once we order the food, they will deliver to our boat, what a nice service :) The side dish is also great. They also give us a free coffee each, so nice ^^

After getting full, let's go to the next destination which is not so far from this waterfall, that is the Nong Ya Plong Hot Springs.

Stop 2: Nong Ya Plong Hot Springs, Great View in the Midst of the Nature

- Location: Ban Namphuron, Yang Nam Klat Nuea Sub-District, Nong Ya Plong District, Phetchaburi Province, it is about 7 km. away from Guangzhou Floating Market.

- There's a parking lot for tourists because cars are not allowed at the hot springs.

- Nearby has shops selling water and food but not many choices.

- There's a common pool and if you want to have the entire room, it is 150 THB/room.

- A private hot shower room separating men and women is 30 THB/person.

For those who want to visit well's origin, you have to take a public transportation which is 20 THB per person for a round trip service. You can also walk up there but it's not recommended as it's quite far and hot.

There's a foot hot spring spot. The water is about 45-50 degree. It's hot at first but soon it becomes very relaxing.

The tourists keep coming though yet a big crowd which is quite good.

The service fee for the foot hot spring is 10 THB per person.

The origin of the well has the fence around. We can see emerald green. People are not allowed to go inside because it's very hot and dangerous. We can just take a sight and photos nearby.

The water is quite hot. I can feel it just by standing here. I also see it boil up. Please be caution, especially if you are taking the children. Anyway, the atmosphere around is still cool, not hot.

We didn't spend too much time here, only about 30 minutes because we are afraid that we might not be able to reach our next destination which will close at 4 p.m. Let's go see what it has to offer there. It's about 40 minutes drive from the hot spring :)

Stop 3: Thai Song Dam Cultural Center or Lao Song

- Location, Moo 5, Khao Yoi Sub-District, Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province

- Open hours is from 09.00-16.00 p.m.

- For more information, please call 095 969 4269 or visit https://www.facebook.com/thaisongdumproduct/

This is a learning center of culture and way of lives of Thai Song Dam or Lao Song people living in Phetchaburi Province. It opens free of charge for visiting but the performance will only be held from time to time. If you wish to see the folk dance like the musical dance, the flirting dance, or visiting in a group, you should contact the center in advance. So that the center can prepare the place for you.

Thai Song Dam or Lao Song is the people who used to live in Dien Bien Phu in North Vietnam. They are professional in weaving and handicraft. They are dressing in black tone. The weaving demonstration is here as well as souvenir and handicraft products which are all local wisdom that is so unique and delicate.

Let me take you inside now....It's quite quiet now because the activity was held this morning and now everyone goes back to rest.....Therefore now is a bit quiet but I think it's great for photography.

This center is also a career training and traditional weaving demonstration center which is the clothes Thai Song Dam people are wearing.

It's very spacious and the atmosphere around is great for sightseeing and learning way of lives of local people here.

We could shop some local products like homemade shirts or Jasmine rice grown by local people. Now, they have work together to create a cooperative and live their lives according to what our King Rama IX has taught us, sufficiency and sustainability.

Let's move on now to pay a respect to the Buddha Image at Tham Khao Yoi Cave. Many people might not be so familiar with this place but it's indeed another interesting stop.

Stop 4: Tham Khao Yoi Cave at Khao Yoi District

- Location, Tham Khao Yoi Cave, Khao Yoi Sub-District, Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province

- Opening hours, daily from 07.00-17.00 p.m.

- The entrance fee is free of charge.

This place is only 1.2 km. away from Thai Song Dam Cultural Center. It's such a beautiful nature where we can clearly see it from afar. Inside the cave enshrines several big and small Buddha Images. It is the cave that the King Rama IV used to come stay during his ordain.

Caution: We must be careful about monkeys as they seem to not be scared of humans.

While going up, we must leave our shoes with an aunt (she will make sure that monkeys won't take it). The service fee is up to you.

The inside is very beautiful, cool, and comfortable. It feels always good to make a merit :)

The reclining Buddha of about 16 meters is the major Buddha Image inside this cave.

Once we walk deeper, King U Thong statue, snake statue, and Bodhisattva stature are there for us to make a merit accordingly.

I personally really like this place. It's not so often that I get to go to temple that are not so crowded. Most of people coming here are local people.

We get to go make merits, feel good, and get to travel to different place, it's so good :)

In addition, we can walk up the stairs to enjoy the cave. I heard that the movie used to be shot here too.

But it's a pity that we arrive here too late. It's too dark to walk up (it's not that we can't walk up, haha).

Here is the end of Saturday. I think we have seen and learned many new things that we have never knew before. It's very fun and informative. Tomorrow we are going to take you guys to food and palm plantation.

Stop 5: Enjoying "Fresh Pulled Crab" at Ban Khlong Thian Community and Saphan Hin

- Location, it's at Saphan Hin, near North Cha-Am beach, in Soi Khlong Thian 18

It is another place that the crab lover should not miss. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has organized it as the Unseen in Thailand 3.

At first, we came here in the evening of Saturday and planned to have our dinner here but the crabs were sold out. So we come back again the next morning.

It's recommended to go in the morning between 07.00-08.30 am. because crabs are cheaper and very fresh. In the morning, the fishermen will take their crabs to sell and cook there. I have to say this is my favorite part of the trip.

We wake up early on Sunday and reach the market at 07.30 a.m. because we want some fresh crabs. I have to say that morning view here is quite great.

The highlight of this place is this small yellow iron bridge where the fishermen hang the net down into the river with the crab inside. Crabs are still alive to preserve the freshness. Thus explains the origin of the only one "fresh pulled crab" in Thailand.

Some fishermen, who are not on the bridge, might put crabs into a basket but they are still alive and fresh.

If you want to get some, you can ask the sellers nearby the bridge where they would have crabs hanging down into a river.

The morning crabs are cheaper because the fishermen just deliver them, the price is about 280-550 THB.

The evening crabs are much more expensive, it is approximately 450-650 THB depending on the size.

The cooking price is 20 THB per kg and the dipping sauce is 20 THB each package.

We take a kg for 450 THB and 20 THB for the sauce. Wow, the crabs are so fresh :)

That's not it. That we wake up early already, let's go to another municipal fresh market to look for more food, hehe.

I ask for the crabs price here and it's just a bit cheaper and not as fresh with the similar size.

Let's have rice porridge before the crabs as it looks so yummy, haha.

I have to say that the food here is quite cheap, it's only about 20-40 THB. Well, probably these shops are not so famous as no one really comes to review it but I must say that they are so delicious and not less than the famous restaurants:) Let's try it when you are here (100-200 THB will give you great food already).

Now that we reach our room, let's enjoy our crab first. This 450 THB for two people are just great. The crabs are so sweet.

After that, let's take a rest for about 2 hours before going to Lung Thanom Sugar Plantation and back to Bangkok. Actually, I didn't want to go yet, can I just stay here......T.T

Stop 6: Lung Thanom Palm Plantation

- Location, Thamrong Sub-District, Ban Lat District, Phetchaburi Province, 76150

- Opening hours: daily from 08.00 - 18.00 p.m.

- Please contact P'Amnat at 087- 800 7716

It is located on the way back to Bangkok so we want to stop by. It is said that this place sells daily fresh products from palm. It is the largest palm plantation in this province. Besides, it is the local wisdom learning center for this community too.

Did you know how hard is it to get a sugar loaf? Today when I learned how it was produced, I strongly call for everyone to support their products because it is so difficult and taking quite a long time to make a kg. It starts by massaging the palm tree for a week (which is quite tiring). This plantation is 10 rai with about 450 palm trees.

To start with, the uncle has to massage the palm and leave it for a week before collecting it as sugar. He would go up to collect twice a day, morning and evening. If you stop by here in the morning, you could see the sugar making process and sugar cake. It's a pity that we come here in the afternoon so we miss it since we were eating the crabs in the morning T.T

This is bamboo tubes for putting in Phayom wood in order to keep the sugar good.

He would go collect from the tubes he put in the morning and then going to the other trees by the connected bridge. Well, it's so thrilling just by looking at it (0...0)...it's quite high.

After he collects from every trees, he takes the bottle down for an aunt to process next.

Here is what they got from the entire morning, well, like I mentioned earlier, it's not easy.

Let's follow the aunt to see the next process which is to filter and boil.

She said that from 10 liters of the juice, after boiling, only 7 liters are left. Wow, it's really not easy to get a bottle of palm juice.

Let's try it, it has a good level of sweet, loving it.

She usually boils and stirs it for 2 hours before steaming it for another 30 minutes.

It's very cheap here and the products are made and sold out daily. Palm juice is 50 THB per bottle, sugar loaf is 70 THB per can. Most of the customers call to book in advance because it sold out pretty quickly (it really sells out fast, when we arrive, the tea and snack are gone too, only sugar loafs are left).

Apart from palm snack, palm juice, and sugar loaf, they also produce tea from palm leaves which is only made from male leaves. They would slice it and dry it for 5 days. After that, it'd be bake to be a tea.

This tea helps reduce diabetes, prevent blood pressure disease. It's cheap too, only 40 THB per package.

Wow, this is so great. I admit that if I didn't stop by at his palm plantation today, I wouldn't know how difficult it is to get a bottle of palm juice and that the palm is so useful, not only for the sake of snack. I think it's quite informative. We didn't just come for photography and go home but also learn quite something. If chances allow, I'd come back again to be on time for the snack, hehe.

If you guys are interested, you could stop by here daily from 08.00-18.00 p.m. You are also welcomed to inquire for more information at 087-800-7716.

Once you are here, please don't forget to support local people and buy some home :)

In summary, we get to travel to new places and learn many new things. It's such a short but worthy trip. It's quite close to Bangkok as well. We could travel either in a group of friends or with family :)

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See you guys again soon : )