A Relaxing Return to Kaeng Krachan: Good Food, Greenery, and Colleagues

June 17, 2025 Not Your Typical Tourist

We recently headed back to Kaeng Krachan for a short, much-needed break! This outing has become an annual tradition with my husband’s colleagues, and we returned to the familiar comfort of Villa La Flora for the weekend.

The drive is approximately 200km, usually about 3 hours, but our Saturday morning escape from Bangkok was a slow one. We also made a delightful detour to Krua Med Sai at Cha-am, a must-stop for my grilled crab (475 baht), his grilled fish (380 baht), and an extra grilled squid (380 baht). After a long period of health-conscious eating, we decided it was time for a cholesterol reload! The total bill came to 1,385 baht. Good news for foreigners: their menu is dual-language, in both Thai and English.

Along the way, we stumbled upon a durian stall – a fantastic discovery! Seeing the price at 100 baht/kilo was a clear sign that it was perfectly ripe for my tastebuds (often considered “too ripe” by Thais). Scoring two Monthong durians for just 420 baht was a steal! While Monthong isn’t my absolute favorite variety, at that price, it was more than tolerable.

Arriving at Villa La Flora felt like a warm “hello, we’re back!” I still adore the lush greenery there above all else. We spotted people enjoying rafting activities on the Petchaburi River, with boats passing by and others simply floating downstream. As with other accommodations in the area, you’ll also find water activities such as a water slide and swimming pool, if that’s your thing.

It’s moments like these that truly define a break – gathering, chilling, and stepping away from the mundane. It was great to see everyone from work relaxing and connecting.

As is common with some local, more “homestay-ish” accommodations in Thailand, we did hear karaoke singing and loud music playing from properties across the river from Villa La Flora, along with some late-night gathering noises. After so long in the country, it’s something I’ve learned to live with. I found that the sound was barely audible from our room (Jasmine/มะลิ 3), which this time was close to the river (versus facing the pool/slide last year). The room’s look and feel were otherwise the same.

Villa La Flora offers a variety of room types: Garden View, River View, and Pool View rooms fit two people. Their Family Room with pool access spans two floors, fitting up to six people with one bed on the ground floor and two on the upper floor. There’s also camping/campsite option too. So, do enjoy the uniqueness of a local stay and embrace traveling like a local!