| Nature Trail Throws Light Upon Bang Khun Thian's Unique Locale | |||
| UPDATE : 10 May 2010 | |||
| Nida Tunsuttiwong Bang Khun Thian is a remarkable district as it’s the only part of the capital to have access, via a stretch of coast, to the Bight of Bangkok, which forms the northernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand. Thanks to its coastal location, many people residing in the district are still able to earn a living through fishing and farming salt. I recently had a chance to join a nature trail in Bang Khun Thian, which was both fun and educational. It included a visit to areas of mangrove forest, as well as providing access to some particularly impressive ocean views. ... Get Set, Go! The journey really begins once I pick up a rented bicycle from Klong Pittayalongkorn School, where the nature trail starts. On this particular occasion, I follow a group of children on a field trip. We set off along a small road just opposite the school into a community that included several shrimp farms. Since the bridges in the area are quite tall, so larger boats can pass safely underneath, it was necessary to dismount our bikes quite often and push them over. During the early part of the trip, the path was narrow and twists and turns, passing a large number of houses. Later on, the path broadened and became much straighter, which was good news for cyclists as it allowed us to go a bit faster and enjoy the nice, cool breeze. Once we approached the end of this stretch of path, we parked our bikes and headed into another community. The tour guide accompanying the children stopped briefly here to shed some light on shrimp farming, collecting crabs and oyster cultivation, which are popular livelihoods within the community. Our next stop would be the nearby mangrove forest. Retaining Ideal Conditions The trail through the mangrove has been restricted to about a meter in width at a height of about two meters so that the presence of visitors causes the minimum of fuss for the creatures occupying the forest. The oldest and largest tree is thought to be about 60 years old and boasts some truly impressive roots. Basically, the tour guide pointed out that crabs and mudskippers tend to be very quick and disappear into the sand easily if disturbed, so it’s important to keep noise to an absolute minimum. Along this part of the trail, which covers about 1.7 kilometers, there are several pavilions, where you can take a breather. As we got closer to the ocean, the forest became denser and I noticed that there were more creatures at ground level. Since the mangrove trail and the bike route cover almost 4 km, it’s probably best to participate in this activity as part of a group. The cost to rent a bicycle from Klong Pittayalongkorn School is just 20 baht (US$0.60) and the service is available from 8 am to 5 pm. Finally, remember to take along a large bottle of water with you, as there are no major stores along the route. Transport Connections: Car: Take the southern Outer Ring Road and head towards Samut Songkhram province. Watch out for signs along the way and note that you will soon need to turn left into Bang Khun Thian-Chai Talay Road. Turn right at the end of this road and you will soon see the school on your right-hand side. POI: 13.52746, 100.42102 | |||
Monday, May 10, 2010
Nature Trail Throws Light Upon Bang Khun Thian's Unique Locale
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