Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 0 3243 3505;
www.guesthousesalathai.com
; Soi 1 North, Th Ruamjit; r 600-800B; )
Run by two
slightly grumpy ladies (their bark is worse than their bite), this place has a cool wooden
exterior and large rooms. Not much English spoken.
HOTEL
$$
Baan Pantai Resort
( 0 3243 3111;
www.baanpantai.com
; 247/58 Th Ruamjit; r from 2000B; )
Rather more upmar-
ket than most hotels in Cha-am, this family-friendly place has a huge pool and small fit-
ness centre. It's in the heart of all the action, but the rooms towards the back are quiet.
ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
sensibilities have turned away from circuslike animal attractions but many well-intentioned animal lovers curious
to see Thailand's iconic creatures (such as elephants, monkeys and tigers) unwittingly contribute to an industry
that is poorly regulated and exploitative. Animals are often illegally captured from the wild and disfigured to be
less dangerous (tigers often have their claws and teeth removed), they are acquired as pets and then neglected or
inhumanely confined, or abandoned when they are too sick or infirm to work.
Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand runs a
wildlife rescue centre
( 0 3245 8135;
www.wfft.org
; Wat
Khao Luk Chang) , 35km northwest of Cha-am, that adopts and cares for abused and abandoned animals. Most of
these animals are creatures that can't return to the wild due to injuries or lack of survival skills. The centre cares
for 400 animals, including bears, tigers, gibbons, macaques, loris and birds. There is also an affiliated elephant
rescue program that buys and shelters animals being used as street beggars.
The centre offers a
full access tour
(5000B for six people) that introduces the animals and discusses their res-
cue histories. The tour includes a visit with the elephants (but no rides are offered) and hotel transfer from Hua
Hin or Cha-am.
Those looking for a more intimate connection with the animals can volunteer to help at the centre. An average
day could involve chopping fruits and vegetables to feed sun bears, cleaning enclosures and rowing out to the
gibbon islands with a daily meal. Volunteers are required to stay a minimum of one week and have to make a
compulsory donation (from US$455/14,368B) to the centre. Contact the centre or visit the
volunteer website
(
www.wildlifevolunteer.org
)
for details.
Eating
From your beach chair you can wave down the itinerant vendors selling barbecued and
fried seafood, or order from the many nearby beachfront restaurants. At the far northern
end of the beach, seafood restaurants with reasonable prices can be found at the fishing
pier. There's also a large night market on Th Narathip close to the train station.
Rang Yen Garden
THAI
$
