January 7, 2022
Day 1: Phetchaburi - Hua Hin
via Had Chao Samran
If it comes to the quality of cycling my advice would always be: Get started in Hua Hin and you will find one of Thailand's best cycle routes just south of town. The predominant reason I booked the train through to Phetchaburi is a rather pragmatic one. It would have arrived in Hua Hin at 4.15 am and that's 2 1/2 hours before sunrise. Although the train infrastructure in Thailand is still what I call clong-clong standard (you feel and hear every single tie) I can sleep very well on the train and neither did I want to set my alarm for 3 am nor hang around Hua Hin until the first light would have allowed to safely ride the first tricky few kilometers down Highway 4. And - to be honest with you - when I checked the routes on Google maps and the magic "1000 km" total popped up my decision was made.....Phetchaburi it is!
The sun just started illuminating town when I rolled out of the station. After that long break I experienced almost the same emotions like on my first big South East Asia ride through Laos and Cambodia 15 years ago. Adrenaline pumping in eager anticipation but some concern too: Will the bike hold and carry all that weight without any hiccups? Will I have any physical problems or can the knees deal with that extra drain?
Well, after the first few kilometers along the commendable side road #6022 I knew the answer. Adrenaline dominated concerns and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. Although this ride through Cha Am has never been a section I particularly enjoyed. But things do change quickly in this part of the world and I was going to have both experiences - the positive and the negative - today.
As I said I took the #6022 out of Phetchaburi and would recommend you to do the same. No more choices when you get down to the coast and the next kilometers towards Had Chao Samran along the Scenic Route 2021 look almost like all the shrimp farms further South but still feel far more positive as this a very different, ancient and sustainable business.
Had Chao Samran itself has certainly changed. Used to be my "jewel" and first beach stop after leaving Bangkok but has seen a lot of development over the last few years. Still a nice little beach resort but I was never planning to stay there today after only 20 km in the saddle. And when leaving town the first big positive surprise was waiting. A brand new separate cycle track almost all the way into Cha Am! Delightful 25 km although the track is already developping the first asphalt cracks.
Cha Am has always been a "quickly through and out" place for me. Nothing attractive at all. Very narrow or non-existant beach, mostly replaced by concrete stairways. So two quick photos and off I was again, being convinced I would hit that lovely along-the-irrigation-canals-side-road between Cha Am and Hua Hin just south of town, which I described in detail four years ago. But what a disappointment. That little track has beend developped into a nasty dual carriageway since and being along the Highway 4 would have most likely been the better option.
Never mind, it´s been a great day overall and finding Hua Hin as quiet as I have ever seen it certainly helped towards my positive conclusion for Day 1. I once again stayed in the Thassanee Guesthouse. Good value for money at 600 Baht, friendly owners and half of the lobby is reserved for storing your bike.
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Today's ride: 86 km (53 miles)
Total: 86 km (53 miles)
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