Yesterday Once More Day 3

It poured in the night and drizzled a bit in the morning. I figured that I would never be able to see all the scenic spots I encountered en route to Sangklaburi if I tried to retrace my steps on one of the ramshackle buses. I had to charter a vehicle that would allow me to stop at any spot to take some pictures. I asked the girls at the Burmese Inn, but they had no contacts. A far cry from tourist areas like Chiangmai and Koh Samui where tacky advertisements for all kinds of treks and tours are pasted all over the walls of the guesthouses.

I took a walk to the morning market and after a breakfast of chicken rice, I checked out the bus station and asked around. There was a man in crutches who offered to be my driver for the day. I was doubtful at first, but he was really keen and other drivers at the bus station gave him rave reviews. Suthi was his name and he drove pretty well. My first destination was Three Pagoda Pass.

The name sounds grand, but the 3 pagodas are really quite unimpressive in terms of size. Perhaps it’s the setting that gives the whole area an otherworldly feel. This area was even more Burmese than Sangklaburi with many people walking around in their longyi. Next to the border and immigration office, was a row of shops selling Burmese teakwood furniture, cultural artifacts and “wellness” products.

I was probably the only tourist that Three Pagoda Pass that morning. It would have been interesting to cross the border, but the border was closed (by the Burmese) due to security issues.

Takientong Waterfall was next on the list. The truck stopped at a muddy trailhead leading to the waterfall. There was no way Suthi could get down and guide me in. I walked alone on the muddy trail. The trail just got wetter and muddier until a stream flowed in front of me, cutting the trail perpendicularly. Not ready for a swim with my mobile phone and cameras, I turned back and asked Suthi to drive further down on the road towards Tong Pha Phum.

We stopped briefly to check out the river fed by Takientong. Suthi was surprised by the volume of water in that river. No wonder the trail leading to Takientong was flooded. Further down the road, was a bridge spanning a kink in the Khao Laem lake. The view from either side of the bridge was great. Suthi informed me that I could find a boat service further down the lake. About 30 mins boat ride would take me to the submerged chedi of Wat Sam Prasop. But judging from the water level on the lake, it was almost certain that the chedi would be so deeply submerged that it would not be visible.

We drove on and I asked Suthi to stop whenever I saw a nice view. Sangklaburi would not be so scenic without this huge lake formed by the construction of a dam across 3 rivers, namely the Kwae Noi, Ranti and Sangkhalia. Entire villages have been submerged with the construction of Khao Laem Dam at Tong Pha Phum. Little knolls became islands, its inhabitants trapped by a sea of fresh water.

My main purpose for going so far from Sangklaburi and so close to Tong Pha Phum was to see Krung Krawia Waterfall. We soon arrived there. Up close, it was quite a sight. Water surged around trees and rocks. It looked as if the earth has cracked and water was spurting out from the ground like a volcanic eruption.

I crossed the road for a plate of pad Thai at the roadside stalls across the waterfall. Suthi was also having lunch there. He told me about a beautiful forest monastery just next to the waterfall. I had my doubts but decided to check it out anyway. And I wasn’t disappointed. Sunnatarm Forest Monastery was a peaceful, shady place. The meditation sheds were set next to a stream feeding the cascades. Further up, were Buddha images, a bronze statue of a monk surrounded by trees. There were also many meditation huts here.

We headed back to Sangklaburi and stopped by at Khao Laem National Park. Another waterfall. Another flooded trail. Suthi was worried that I might be disappointed. He took me to a resort just opposite the national park. There were many neat bungalows here, along with Balinese style outdoor showers. Camping was also allowed. The biggest attraction was the view of the lake and many islands. No ships. No crowds. A wonderfully peaceful retreat to watch the sun go down every evening.

I headed back to Sangklaburi, took some pictures at the reclining Buddha image overlooking the town and then finally, to the most important temple in Sangklaburi - Chedi Luang Por Utama. The old chedi was surrounded by a moat and at the time I visited, was under heavy renovation.

My vote for the most stunning and surprising structure in Sangklaburi goes to the Indian styled Chedi Bodhgaya. It was built by Mon Burmese people, styled after the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya, India where the Buddha attained Enlightenment.

This border town with 70% Burmese and other non-Thai residents quaintly refuses to conform to one style, one pattern.

Check out the pics