Weekday Travel Plan in Ratchaburi: 3 Days, 2 Nights

This trip may not be extravagant, but it feels well-rounded and enjoyable, so I wanted to share it with you. The plan starts with choosing a beautiful hotel, with other activities added on as extras. We chose to stay at La Toscana in Suan Phueng, a European-style hotel that blends perfectly with the local landscape. The rooms are comfortable, and there’s a swimming pool. Day 1: We left Bangkok without rushing and headed to have brunch at Cheng Tek Tung. This café is a renovated old Chinese vegetarian shrine in Ratchaburi. The upper floor still houses a statue of Guan Yin and fortune sticks. The place is beautifully designed with plenty of photo spots. The food is quite good. The café is located in a small alley, but there’s ample parking across the street. Recommended dish: Fried tofu. After brunch, we headed to the hotel, which is near the Mon village of Huai Nam Sai, close to the border. After checking in, we relaxed in the beautiful room. With a full stomach, hot weather, and cool air conditioning, a nap was just perfect. When the sun started to set, we explored the hotel grounds for photos. Every corner is stunning. After that, we took a dip in the pool. Dinner was at the hotel’s restaurant. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. We ended the day by sitting on the rooftop of our room, enjoying the breeze (though there wasn’t much wind that day, so we ended up enjoying the company of mosquitoes instead 😅). Day 2: Breakfast at the hotel was a buffet with a decent variety of options. After breakfast, we visited the Mon village of Huai Nam Sai, which was very quiet since the almsgiving and market activities only happen on weekends. However, there’s a riverside café called Bamboo House Cafe that’s open daily. The village roads are quite narrow, but you can park at the resort opposite the café. We ordered drinks and spent two hours taking photos 😆. The café has several seating areas by the stream and waterfall. You can even wade into the water. It was a delightful experience. In the afternoon, we went ATV riding at Mission View Adventure near Kai Waiplo Market. They offer various trail options, and we chose the longest one, which lasts about 1.5 hours and costs 1,500 baht per vehicle (seats two). Before hitting the trail, we practiced driving in the shop area for 2-3 rounds. The vehicles are automatic and easy to drive. After that, the staff provided us with bottled water and led us onto the trail, which winds through open forests, pineapple fields, streams, and back to the road. Throughout the journey, the staff helped take photos and assisted with challenging terrain. It was a relaxed and fun experience. For a late lunch, we dined at Mon Khai Kitchen near the hotel. The open-air restaurant is spacious, the food is delicious, and there’s plenty of parking. After eating, we returned to the hotel for more swimming. Day 3: After breakfast, we checked out reluctantly (we didn’t want to leave). Before heading home, we made one last stop at Phu Pha Pa Son Café. The view of pine trees by the lake is breathtaking. This place serves as both a restaurant and a camping site, with designated areas in the pine forest and lakeside spots with unobstructed views. We had lunch and then enjoyed coffee and croissants at the café in the forest. The camping vibe was strong, with tarps and outdoor tables and chairs. We spent another two hours taking photos and enjoying the scenery before heading home.