A Weekend Drive South: Local Haunts, Seafood, and Catching Up in Phetchaburi & Cha-Am
Sometimes the best weekend trips are the ones planned at the absolute last minute. When my husband got a spontaneous invite to catch up with a friend down south in Cha-Am, another group of old friends coincidentally planned a meet-up in Hat Chao Samran the exact same weekend. We packed our bags and hit the road from Bangkok for a quick 3-day, 2-night getaway.
Sitting right next to each other along the coastline in Phetchaburi Province , they are only a quick 20-to-30-minute drive apart, making it seamless to combine both into one relaxed road trip.
Without local friends leading the way, we never would have discovered some of these incredible local food haunts and hidden seaside retreats!
💡 Driving via the New M82 Motorway
For years, driving down to Phetchaburi and Hua Hin meant dealing with endless delays on Rama II Road—locally dubbed “the road of seven generations” due to decades of non-stop roadworks, heavy traffic, and safety hazards.
On the way down, my husband somehow missed the entrance to the new motorway, but we managed to get on it heading back to Bangkok. Driving back was significantly easier! The new 25-kilometer elevated section of the M82 Motorway above Rama II Road officially opened toll-free in late August 2026. Bypassing one of Thailand’s most congested corridors saved us a ton of travel stress, making our return journey smooth and swift.
Night 1: Chao Samran Beach, Phetchaburi
Located about 15 kilometers east of Phetchaburi town, Hat Chao Samran is a world away from the busy crowds of major resort hubs like Cha-Am. While the sea water here during August is a bit murky rather than crystal clear, the area offers a wonderfully relaxed, slow-paced coastal vibe. With direct beach access right from our resort, it almost felt like having a private beach all to ourselves.
💡 Travel Note — Why is the water murky in August?
August falls squarely in the middle of Thailand’s southwest monsoon season. Stronger winds and rough waves churn up the soft sand and silt from the shallow seabed. Heavy seasonal rains also wash muddy sediment and organic runoff from nearby rivers into the upper Gulf of Thailand, occasionally triggering brief plankton blooms that give the water a brownish-green hue.
Because we confirmed our trip late, our group split across two neighboring beachfront properties:
At Sea Haad Chao (แอทซี หาดเจ้าสำราญ): A tiny, highly exclusive hideaway with just 8 rooms and a vintage caravan. The owners only accept weekend reservations from guests they know or have met in person! A standard room fits up to 4 people (ideal for parents traveling with two kids), and one member of our group slept in the cozy caravan with an attached bathroom. The owners even came over for a warm chat. It features a small, child-friendly pool where my husband’s friend’s sons spent hours splashing around.
Sea Sky Beach Resort HadChaoSamran (ซี สกาย บีช รีสอร์ท): Located just two doors down from At Sea. Our cozy room was 2,000 THB for the night, and the resort features a larger, 1.4-meter-deep swimming pool.
The total for all 4 rooms booked across both properties came to 6,000 THB for the night (including the caravan stay!).
Between the two resorts sits Rublom Resort (รับลม รีสอร์ท). On the night we stayed, they hosted a lively performance with music playing until midnight—likely for a corporate retreat or large group booking. Since our group was up late catching up anyway, it didn’t bother us, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re an early sleeper!
Dinner & A Safety Note on Horseshoe Crab
For dinner, we set up tables right on the grounds at At Sea, ordering takeaway dishes from a local seafood spot nearby. Another travel group set up their own table at the far end of the property, leaving plenty of privacy for both groups—a thoughtful layout that made the outdoor dining setup feel fantastic.
The main talking point of our meal was Yam Khai Maeng Da (horseshoe crab egg salad). While it’s a popular delicacy in coastal Thailand, I can’t say I particularly enjoyed it! More importantly, it requires extreme culinary caution:
⚠️ A Word of Caution: The edible species commonly served is the coastal horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas). However, if a kitchen accidentally serves the toxic mangrove horseshoe crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), the roe contains dangerous levels of tetrodotoxin. This neurotoxin cannot be destroyed by cooking heat, making it a dish that truly comes with a health warning!
The next morning, the group at At Sea enjoyed a large pot of hot porridge delivered right outside their rooms.
Over at Sea Sky, breakfast was served in the open garden area outside the rooms. We had a choice between hot porridge or an American breakfast, accompanied by Pa Tong Go (ปาท่องโก๋) or fried dough sticks, and traditional Thai egg-yolk desserts: Thong Yip, Thong Yod, and Foi Thong. Influenced by Portuguese-Thai culinary history, these golden sweets are elevated here by Phetchaburi’s signature aromatic palm sugar.
Day 2: Exploring Phetchaburi Town’s Local Food Scene
After checking out, we headed into Phetchaburi town to sample a few legendary local food spots recommended by our local friends:
Chek Meng Beef Noodle / Namphu (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเนื้อเจ๊กเม้ง น้ำพุ): A super popular spot for rich, flavorful beef noodles (pork options are available too). On a busy Sunday lunchtime, we were seated almost immediately, but the kitchen wait was about 30 minutes—though the fragrant broth made every minute worth it!
Pee Su Grilled Banana (พี่สุ กล้วยปิ้ง): Right nearby, we stumbled upon a massive queue for grilled bananas. Pee Su is famous for her addictive dipping sauce, and you can request your bananas customized to your preferred texture—whether soft or firm!
Sukantha Cafe (สุคันธา): A great stop to pick up Phetchaburi’s famous traditional snacks and souvenirs to take home to Bangkok. Alongside their souvenir shop and cozy cafe, Luv Cocoa (a local tree-to-bar specialty dark chocolate brand) had a stall, and we bought a bar to try at home. At the cafe, we ordered their signature iced coffee sweetened with fresh local toddy palm juice—a delightful twist. We also picked up their crispy rice crackers and buttery pineapple tarts (filled with a perfectly balanced, not-too-sweet pineapple jam). The shop offers a huge selection of regional treats, includingKhanom Mo Kaeng (custard dessert) – one that I’ve never truly learnt how to enjoy.
Uncle Tanom Palm Orchard (สวนตาลลุงถนอม): Our final town stop was this local palm grove. Even my husband’s local friends admitted it was their very first time visiting! We watched how they collect the sap straight from the trees and immediately process it for sale. On a busy Saturday afternoon, we had to wait a bit while batches were freshly prepared for walk-ins and pre-orders, but it was well worth the time. Unlike the typical brownish syrup you often see, pure, unrefined palm sap (nam tan sot) is a delicate light green color, signifying zero added sugar. We also tried their deep-fried palm fruit, which has a soft, wonderfully chewy texture reminiscent of fried nian gao (sticky rice cake).
Night 2: Quiet Coastal Vibe & Hua Hin Eats
From Phetchaburi, we took a smooth 30-minute drive further south to stay at Sea, Sand, Sun Resort, situated on a quiet stretch of beach between Cha-Am and Hua Hin. We scored a deal online at around 1,200 THB per night including breakfast—an absolute steal compared to the direct booking rate of 1,500 THB (it’s worth checking third-party sites to compare rates!). The property features a gigantic swimming pool, though note that it closes early at 7:00 PM.
My husband’s friend, who arrived earlier, surprised us with a famous Young Coconut Cake (280 THB) from Together Bakery & Cafe (ทูเก็ตเตอร์ เบเกอรี่ แอนด์ คาเฟ่) in Hua Hin. He shared that buying this specific cake is a non-negotiable requirement for his mom every single time he visits Hua Hin. After tasting it back in Bangkok, we completely understood why—it’s wonderfully soft, light, and packed with tender young coconut without being overly sweet.
For our evening meal, we dined at the popular Khrua Huai Sai (ครัวห้วยทราย). While the food didn’t quite hit the mark for me personally, it was remarkably affordable: just 1,190 THB total for a full spread of fresh seafood, including a whole 3-Flavor Deep-Fried Grouper (550 THB) and Stir-Fried Mantis Shrimp (Gang Kradan, 450 THB).
The following morning, we enjoyed the hotel’s complimentary breakfast buffet before packing up (for non-hotel guests or extra walk-ins, breakfast is priced at 300 THB per adult). Bypassing Rama II traffic via the new M82 Motorway made the drive back to Bangkok effortless!
