12th of August is the Queen's Birthday, as well as Mother's day in Thailand. Hence wifey and I decided to make a short trip to Surat Thani to visit her mum.
Surat Thani is the 6th largest province in Thailand and is the largest of the southern province. Surat Thani means the "city of good people".
Taken from Google Map.
Day 1, 11th Aug 2020
As usual, I leave office quietly right before lunch, went home, wash up, pick up wifey near her work place and make a run for Don Mueang Airport.
A round trip at 4149.80 baht for two (around SGD181.20).
Quite a swift journey, we reached Surat within an hour 30 mins.
Right outside the airport, you can see a few shuttle bus parking there. Just ask them if they are going to the city. Usually it will cost around 100 baht per pax.
Bus terminal, taken from Google Map
You can either show them where your hotel is and they will try to stop if it is along the way or nearby. Else you can alight at the bus terminal.
Wifey actually wanted to stay at the CBD hotel, but since it is fully booked, we stayed at the Rajthani hotel. Cost around 550 baht per night, SGD 24.
We reached the hotel around 1930, left all our things in our hotel room and immediately went to the nearby San Chao night market. We are craving for Surat's delicacy.
Surat's Pha Thai.
It taste totally different from central Thailand's pha thai. A bit weird when you had your first taste of it, and then its gone. Love it!
Wifey introduced this to me, not sure the name for it. Taste like our Chinese yam cake, but in crab shell.
Day 2, 12th Aug 2020
Usually tourist do not come to Surat Thani, they pass through Surat, maybe stay a day or two before heading to the nearby islands such as Koh Samui for its full moon party. However, wifey and I came at the wrong timing. It is monsoon season, a week before we are here, a ferry sank due to the bad weather.
God bless them, so back to my usual hobby, eat ah!
Seree Taeteam, a Chinese restaurant that serves Dim sum, porridge & Malaysian style Bak Kut Teh.
For dim sum, just choose, pass to them and they will steam on the spot before serving it to you.
I love their baked char siew pao, especially the sesame seeds all over it.
Bak Kut Teh.
Fish Porridge
Fat Die Me...
As usual, after the meal we will take a walk to digest before our next meal.
When you enter you can go to the counter to ask for prayers required items. Sama sama temples in Singapore. Just point, ask the price and donate the required amount into the donation box.
Usually we will lookout for shoes on the floor and go bare foot when required.
Follow custom, need to knock the gong thrice.
Tie the cloth around the pillars. Reminds me of Myanmar.
Saw @Spinning_Top ! What are you doing here? Go have your haircut please.
Mother's day will see chrysanthemum flower everywhere.
Had an appointment with Mom and another Aunt for lunch opposite the river at Café Pla Daak. In the event that you want to go to places further away from your current location in Surat Thani, you can always flag down mini van (usually in orange or blue colour) moving along the main road. Do prepare your google map and google translate in advance if you cannot speak Thai. (We do not see much taxi around, you might want to rent a motorcycle if you have an international license.)
Lime Smoothie
Crab meat fried rice
Thai Hot & Sour Fish Soup
River view from the Cafe
Guanyin Temple near our hotel
What is interesting are the prayers in Thai language placed on the table. I listen to wifey reading it, she is reading Teochew. Epic moment of my life.
Went to night market to eat green curry noodle for dinner.
Day 3, 13th Aug 2020
Keo Pla Noodle Stall. Delicious fish noodle stall near our hotel, a must try. Its fish and flour ratio is no joke. Cannot find in Singapore given its price here. A bowl for 50 baht (SGD 2.20).
You can order it is plain soup with wide noodle.
Or in tom yam soup with thin noodle.
Wanted to try this at the night market since day one, but it is always crowded with people
Lucky it is raining today, hence the crowd reduced. It taste like Otah in Singapore with chopped long bean in it.
Tried Surat Pha Thai from another stall. Still prefer the other kind though.
Day 4, 14th Aug 2020
Last day in Surat liao, followed mom to eat some local food.
Usually when you eat at Thai stall, they will give you a plate full off washed and chopped vegetables.
It is a vegetarian paradise!
Me however, I will be very kind hearted and return back the same amount of vegetable given to me.
Green curry, the green green thing is actually chopped young banana with its skin intact. Taste like potato to me though.
Stir fried vegetable wrapped with egg
Random shot
Random shot
There is shuttle bus to airport too, you can purchase it here.
That is all for my four days three night in Surat Thani. It is monsoon season, so there is not much to show except food. Fat die us!
Do stay a night a Surat when you are passing through for the islands, the food is worth the stay. Till next time.