Samut SongKhram is the smallest province in Thailand. It takes about an hour ride from Bangkok. Samut SonKhram is a wonderful place For those who enjoy cultural tourism and traditional ways of life, this province has much to offer. I love visiting this town since it is quite close from Bangkok and it is a place where are rich of culture and food. I would concidered that Samut SongKhram has that sense of traditional Thai living life style as much as traditional still live on these day. This small province is surrounded by river, ocean and mangroves. It is rich of marine life. Which makes this smallest province in Thailand seems to cover with rich culture and food culture in every corner compare to other cities where you may have to go to some tourist attraction to find the vibe of old culture Thai living life style.

 What makes this place even more special for me is that - my parents own a small family resort here. It is traditional Thai house among shrimp farm where it is located right next to mangoves and the famous location of Marine protected area where the Queen Sirikit of Thailand started the campaign of growing the mangroves area. Which will help protecting more area of loosing land and protecting marine life. These location used to be unknown for people here in Thailand except people who live around here. I took a few year before people start to be interested in participating from other cities to visit and participate of growing mangroves on the mud.

 These days it became very well known for people to travel from over the places, especailly colledge students that visit here as a big group and participate in planting mangroves in the protective area. It is a fun and adventurous activity because to get to the marine mangroves protecting area. They have to take a traditional boat to the area which spicifize on time relates to water level. It is usally early in the morning when they water level comes up. When they get there they have to use to wooden board because when the water went down then there are mud everywhere so this part is where we start to plant the mangroves on the mud. it is dirty but fun. It is important that people try to participate in growing the magroves area because unfortunately not all the mangroves survive after they planted. It takes years to grow. 

 More fun thing to do just planting the mangroves, along this area are plenty of lovely monkeys whome live in the mangroves area. They usually hind but when the boat start to stop and we start to call them out. They will eventually show up. They are very happy when people show up because they know they will get some bananas. It could go wild here because unfortunate we have less bananas then the monkeys. This is my favorite thing to do ever. I love taking the boat there. It was surrounded by mangroves, so touch to the nature and tropical. I love feeding the monkeys here. They are adorable and these monkey can swim - sometimes I might end up seeing something funny like they swam to get the banana. I have a little trick while I throw banana to them. I like to pretend to throw firs then I switched to another direction where are little monkeys are standing because bigs monkeys always fight for bananas and scare little ones off so I ensure that little one would get some bananna to eat. 

 More then just the rich nature around the mangroves, marine life and natural grow seafood farming like muscle and cockles that are well known here. Here in Samut Songkhram is very popular about floating market. I am sure it is one of the iconic attraction of Thailand. People who travel from anywhere to see floating market. This floating market is not just only a great attraction but it tells the story of traditional Thail living life style from history pass through our generation. This floating market is open on the weekend from early morning till late afternoon and not later then around 5.00pm. It is nice here. I always love to go there whenever I have a chance. I love being the traditional Thai boat on this river while I could buy fruites and food from other merchants boats. These local people who sale food, fruites or veggies. They usually bring their goods from there farm, home garden or even authentic home cooking. I could not stop buying and tasting out all these fresh fruites and delicious homemade cooking. There is some of my favorite boat noodle or pad thai noodle boat which are the must try anytimes I visit the floating market. It was so much fun and I got distract with all good food over looking of many boats. 

 Last but not least. This is one of the most interesting places in Thailand or even a place where you will be intrigued. It is the rail way market. This is a one of kind experiece. At this rail way market are surrounded by merchants whome sales veggies, seafood, meat and food all along the rail way. What makes this place one of the most interesting attraction in the world is that how merchants remove an umbrella tents everytime the train pass by. I was surprised how close the train was passin right aboved those veggies that placed right next to the rail way so that was actually right under the edge of the train. It was the art of living culture that is unlikely anywhere else in the world. I had so much fun walking through the market and tasting some food.

 From the rail way market. I drove about 20 minutes to Khai Bang Kung Temple. This temple is located on north of Amphawa area. This old beautiful temple is covered by roots and branches of banya trees. The temple grounds later doubled as a naval fort, the site of a fierce 18th century battle between Siam and invaders from Burma. Today, Khai Bang Kung is at once a Buddhist temple and a memorial to warrior heroism.The temple’s thick stone-walled ordination hall isn’t huge, but it appears larger than it actually is thanks to the banyans that have risen up around it. So thick are the roots and branches of the three different kinds of banyan that from 20 metres away it’s difficult to decipher any structure at all. I was also very intrigue by the ancient painting on the wall inside the temple. I told the story of it history. Therefore those painitng made me imagine of how people live back in the century by looking at the ancient painting of the old temple. 

 Out side of the temple has an area where they show models of warrior in the differences of fighting action, most likely seems like Muey Thai actions for me. After all these wonderful of history, great attractions and kind people made me appreciate a wonderful simply living life style. I love the simply quality of culture, food and natures that have to offer all around town, Samut Songkhram is a place where I felt the traditional life style still that mixed with the modern life style yet it still unique here.