A day trip to Don Hoi Lot
Don Hi Lod
You have those days. You live or stay in Bangkok, have been working or doing other things all week and the weekend is just around the corner. You want to get out. No, don't do anything cultural, don't spend hours in shopping malls, just leave the hectic life in the capital for what it is. Just go somewhere to do "nothing" for a day. Bangkokians then go to Don Hoi Lot.
Don Hi Lot
Don Hoi Lot, is the province of Samut Songkhram, about 100 kilometers from the center of Bangkok. It is a tourist attraction although it is really nothing more than a sandy embankment right at the mouth of Mae Klong river. The dike is approximately 5 kilometers long and 3 kilometers wide, divided into two areas. Namely Don Nok at the mouth of Ao Mae Klong and Don Nai at the beach of Chuchi village and at the beach of Bang Bo village. Don Hoi Lot was created by sedimentation of sandy soil. The villagers call it Sai Khi Pet.
Snail shell in at Don Hoi lot in Samut songkham
Razor clams
At Don Hoi Lod you will find many different types of shellfish, the most common of which are the "razor clams". This bivalve mollusk is called Hoi Lot in Thai, hence the name of the dike. At low tide you can see the numerous shells on the dry part of the sea that are caught by the villagers in a special way.
On the dike, of course, many stalls to enjoy the seafood and other Thai dishes in a lazy way. You can also rent a boat to see the beautiful ecosystem of a mangrove.
If you go
The place is easy to find, just follow the road from Bangkok to Samut Songkhram and immediately before the bridge over the Mae Klong turn left through a narrow street to the sea. This exit to Road 2009 is clearly signposted on the AH2.
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post has a nice video about Don Hoi Lod. Look at the link for this: www.bangkokpost.com/vdo/travel/557655/don-hoi-lod
Thank you very much Gringo, these are the gems for travelers who want to see more than the well-known sights and want to deviate from the beaten track. There is also plenty to discover at the mouth of the rivers in Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, closer to Bangkok and certainly to Pattaya. In Bang Pu (Prakan), formerly Pak Nam City nicknamed New Amsterdam of the East, a visit to the Sukta pier at the Seaside Resort is popular in the late afternoon due to the presence of thousands of seagulls (from November to July). A boat trip at sea, with a chance of spotting dolphins, along the mangroves is also recommended. Years ago we drove our own transport, which is in fact indispensable, but you can always hire a taxi for one day, of course, on an unpaved road along the mangrove forests and we accidentally came across a fish restaurant in Sakhon built on a wooden platform above the sea. No tables and chairs but cushions and half lying down I enjoyed the very tasty (and dirt cheap) seafood, the cool beers (I didn't have to drive myself!) and the very pleasant service. After the meal, the owner of the restaurant offered us a free boat trip with his large sloop across the sea. Just driving somewhere, albeit with a goal, but without a navigation system, of course a road map, is something I often do and often I am pleasantly surprised. Like in Ban Phe (Rayong) where we drove on the road along the beach and we were on a platform in the sea, accessible via a narrow plank and only room for one table, again enjoying the view of Koh Samen and an excellent lunch in the restaurant of the Thai couple. After half a year we wanted to go there again, but it no longer existed, we took a seat on the beach a few kilometers away, we were the only guests, and we were completely pampered for the rest of the day by another married couple. When asked, the man went to buy fresh fish and large shrimps at a market, which the woman used to prepare a delicious meal. The day flew by and we decided to spend the night unplanned in a hotel 100 meters away. But Gringo, I'm going on way too much. Thanks again for your tip.
Sorry, where I write Koh Samet should of course be Koh Samet.
How nice to read. We have just been there. I had to be at the German embassy in Bangkok and when we drove back my wife asked if we could drive to Don Hoi Lot. It was on the road (we had to go to Hua Hin – Pranburi).
We had a good time there. My wife bought boiled Hoi Lot which is now in the fridge waiting for her preparation. We also bought breaded fish and a few other tasty things.
Then a drink something fresh, and continue on the way home. All in all an hour longer on the road.