Amazing Race (23 - 25 December 2023), Day 2 : Dannok to Thung Kha via Khao Nam Khang National Park

Khao Nam Khang National Park

Oh noooo....It was raining when we got up and it was still raining when we were about to go out for breakfast. Waiting out the rain, we decided to snack on the hotel's complimentary coffee and biscuit spread.

The rain teetered off to a drizzle at about 7 am, enough time for us to walk out to Route 4 for hot food @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/5rP89okjJYm1ku4E7

Pork kueh tiau soup

Khao tum was excellent

It was still raining after we finished breakfast. The only difference was how heavy the rain was. Sometimes it was a light drizzle, sometimes it was raining hard. The saving grace was there was no thunder and lightnings. Thus at 9 am, we decided to set out from our hotel. Photographed here at 9.30 am is a rural road halfway to Wat Huai Khu temple @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/CYoESqJtU3YE525T8

Within the same minute the earlier gravel section was photographed, we hit concrete again! Overall gravel and dirt spanned less than 1km. Most of the rural road are in concrete @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/nUzdGqcR5m7EEhSN9

Compact gravel @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/GuwwmzapHXDgixtv8

Probably the worst section of the rural road @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/iuJUJ5cHSjbxazCK6

Buddhist temple @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/d9zPtTnzEq666d8Q8. There was no caretaker here when we arrived so we searched and found a dilapidated toilet which served us well enough

The temple featured a monk...

...and snakes

At the junction to rural Road 3023, back view of the road we had just travelled in @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/uKnbDNo8MjrzTxr8A

Looking at Rural Road 3023 @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/rm8NzLRTJBigTzYM8

Turned off from Rural Road 3023, heading towards Wat Huai Khu @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/xEXsRJNcNVfSCAta8 

 Wat Huay Khu @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/N2ED64jzEnb72nvs6

At 10.20 pm, we found our first eatery! Delicious Thai Fried Koay Tiau

The Chef

The Eatery

The Location @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/tGZD6cQFGPEPdQaLA

Can you spot the missing bicycle? @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/4wzisokPQPiNS8m9A

Route 4243

Some government building which is not manned. This marks the start of the climb

The climb to the peak spanned 1.5 km with a grade hill of 11%

The start of the climb @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/jsCt9Xs7pJF2qGBs9 

It's hard to climb with a 50t chainring

We were so far apart!

Mists blowing in

Almost at the peak @ 287 m

The less popular Piyamit Tunnels at Khao Nam Khai National Park. The one in Betong is more popular with visitors. We had to give this a miss as it involves an overall 4.4 km detour. Moreover, we have been in the rain since the start of the ride, the only difference being how heavy or light!

Ton Lad Waterfall @ 12 pm

Route 4243 cuts through the National Park

We had a tea break here

We did not trek in to see the waterfalls but the river by the picnic area was majestic enough

Back on the road heading to Thung Kha

Rear view

Delicious lunch at 12.50 pm, near Wat Na Prang Pracharam @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/brxeCvVzHJKzRomH6. We also bought pisang goreng from a nearby stall

We finally reached Mee Sa Neh Resort at 2 pm

The owner's house in green. On the right is an event hall where the owner's family had their dinner and watched TV. The entrance opens up to the road which leads to Route 4113 @ https://maps.app.goo.gl/vqDwr1yWRGYiriRs6. There's a stall just opposite the entrance where we ordered our dinner to be delivered to the resort

We preferred to dine here by the dining table than in our room. There's sachets of tea and coffee which we could help ourselves to

From the entrance, we passed the owner's unit and hall, turned right at this concrete road to get to our unit

Actually, our unit is right next to the "dining area" separated by the partition visible in this photo! Shortcut!

The unit next to us, separated by the concrete road

The units opposite us. Turn right at the end to reach the entrance

Typical Thai bed on concrete slab

They even have a sofa

Junior's corner