Entries about fresh

Pran Buri Forest Park Walk
In this video you will see some of the mangroves but mostly the local colourful Crab population that has been allowed to thrive here.
Some were easy to see and some not so easy.......
Founded in 1982 under the majesty of Queen Sirikit, Pranburi Forest Park is located 25 km. south of Hua Hin and encompasses over 3.17 sq. km. of protected land. The park is known for its vast and dense forests of mangroves and twisty trails that lead visitors to all corners of the park. With its pristine views and natural beauty, Pranburi Park is the perfect escape from some of the urban centres in southern Thailand.

The nature reserve is an excellent day excursion from the Hua Hin area (and best of all, it’s practically free). Not only will you be surrounded by the tranquil and majestic scenery, but you’ll also get to see an abundant array of flora and wildlife, many of which are exclusive to Thailand.

The forest floor in the mangroves is covered by muddy sediments formed by the tides, densely covered by horizontally grown tree roots above and below the ground. This muddy habitat is an ideal place for crabs, mudskippers and shrimps. During the low tides, many crabs and mudskippers can be seen from the boardwalk.

A great stop off on my road trip in December 2021, when the waters were quite low.

In Thailand, however, every little trickling stream seems to be advertised as this or that “waterfall”, and more than once I’ve hiked several kilometres only to find something less impressive than a fountain you might find in front a three-star hotel. At Manora waterfall just north of Phang Nga town, however, you’ll be rewarded by something justly worthwhile.

The multiple layers and refreshing natural pools of Manora are just a short motorbike ride away from Phang Nga town. Upon entering the trail visitors are greeted by a pristine swimming hole with cool, clear water that flows straight from nearby mountain tops. This is where Phang Nga comes to cool off, and if you’ve had it with Thailand’s tropical heat, it’s a welcome sight indeed.
Just beyond the swimming hole visitors will find a wide and relatively deep stream bridged by a fallen tree. If it weren’t for the hundreds of small fish that thrive here, this stream would also be a good spot for swimming. At least it makes for a nice photo.
A little further up the path from the fish stream the first of Manora’s waterfalls comes into view. With less of a roar than those further up, this is a tranquil little spot to enjoy the entrancing sound of water gushing over rocks.

After passing another shallow swimming hole along the path, where you can swing like Tarzan on a vine over the water, Manora’s larger and more dramatic falls are found. Okay, so they’re not Niagara or Angel falls, but Manora is impressive, especially considering that six different sets of falls of different shapes and sizes thunder alongside a winding path of several hundred metres draped in lush jungle canopy.

music free under creative commons licence from YouTube music library
Titile:Vitality by Benjamin Martins

Chillva Market Phuket is a cool, trendy night market with a somewhat bohemian vibe and an impressive selection of food and fashion stalls. Hard to miss by the side of Yaowarat Road (which runs by Tesco Lotus, on the way towards Phuket Town), the market has a distinctive look created by the use of colourful shipping containers as shopfronts.

So i went during the day when all was quiet and saw lots of the style that gives this place such a bohemian feel to it.

At the heart of the market is a small stage with a pond behind and amphitheatre in front, both of which host live performances when the market is in full swing. There's even a full size go Kart track!

Chillva Market Phuket is more popular among locals than tourists. Everything happening on stage is often completely incomprehensible to anyone not fluent in Thai.

Food vendors make up around more than half of the stalls and permanent stores at Chillva Market Phuket. You'll find funky pubs, cafes, ice cream parlours, and a wide selection of street foods. Prices are generally very low. Large servings from the market's more popular shops rarely exceed a couple of hundred baht.

Being quite small, taking a leisurely walk around Chillva Market Phuket won’t tire you out or take you half the night to explore.

On of the things about living on an Island is that your diet options expand to fresh fish!

I finally got to visiting one of my local food/morning markets and what a treat, not only the usual fruit/veg/meat but a fabulous array of shellfish and fish. Fresh from the mornings fisherman.

There are a few of these in Phuket, this is not a tourist market but a real working market for local people in Chalong.

A great place to see what there is .....and great some photography in too!