Hat Nom Sao – Legendary beach of the young girls breasts

Nom Sao Beach – Islets just outside the beach

Legendary Nom Sao beach is located at the far south end of Sam Roi Yot beach. This beach is very private and has great view of the islands just outside. One of the legends of Khao Sam Roi Yot tells the story like this:

“The giant Mong Li and his wife, who lived on the western coast of the Gulf of Thailand, had promised their daughter independently to Chao Lai and the emperor of China. When the daughter became old enough to marry, both future husbands arrived at the same date. Mong Li then cut his daughter into two halves. Chao Lai turned himself into a hill, while the traditional fruit basket to be presented to a Buddhist monk has turned into the Khao Sam Roi Yot mountains. The islands Ko Chang and Ko Kong on the other side of the gulf were the elephant and the ox-cart with the wedding presents. Nom Sao Island is the part of the daughter’s breasts.”

There are many legends flying around about Khao Sam Roi Yot. However Ko Ram Island and Nom Sao Island‘s silhouette, seen from certain angles looks like a pair of roughly identical woman’s breasts. The view is certainly nice but the beach is well worth a visit in itself due to its shallow waters, white sand and spectacular green mountain backdrop.

Koh Nom Sao (Breast milk island) in the foreground and Koh Ku Ram (monkey island) in the back form the silhouette of a young girls breasts from certain angles

Nom Sao Beach

MMA and Thai Boxing – Martial arts training in Sam Roi Yot

Sam Roi Yot - 301 MMA and Thai Boxing camp

For those that fancy Martial Arts a new Mixed Martial Arts and Muay Thai camp has opened in Sam Roi Yot. The camp is run by a Frenchman and  you can join training for just one day or longer sessions if you´d like. Martial arts is very good exercise for your physique and you may have some use for it as self defense. I welcome this new school to Sam Roi Yot as it adds one more dimension to the myriad of activities that you can indulge in when in Sam Roi Yot. For more information visit their homepage at: 301 MMA and Muay Thai camp

Sam Roi Yot - Muay Thai and MMA training camp beautifully located with the Sam Roi Yot mountains in the background

Pale Bourbon Rose – Floral drink with great look, smell and taste

Ingredients for a Pale Bourbon Rose - Bourbon, Dry Vermouth, Crème de Cassis, Lime. Serve in old-fashioned glass.

The other day after some heavy cycling down by the Dolphin Bay I decided to try a floral Bourbon drink. I was very positively surprised by this refreshing drink whilst enjoying it in the terrace watching the sun set behind Khao Hua Thom.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Bourbon
• 1/2 oz dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz crème de cassis
• 1/4 oz lime juice

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled old-fashioned glass with some ice cubes.

Enjoy outside whilst watching the sunset!

Dolphin Bay – Seaside exercise at Sam Roi Yot Beach

Dolphin Bay – Sam Roi Yot Beach, Monkey Island, Ko Ku Ram in the background

Dolphin Bay in Sam Roi Yot named after the pink Irrawaddy Dolphins that inhabit the bay engulfed by the Sam Roi Yot Beach is the main beach in Sam Roi Yot.  The 5 km long beach start from Baan Nong Khaem Noi in the north and ends at Baan Phu Noi in the south.  The asphalt road that fringe the beach is perfect for jogging or cycling and the Municipality has recently invested in a small beach promenade with public gym stations along the south end of the beach. Especially the bars are perfect for all around exercises. You can exercise your whole body with bar exercises. And at Dolphin Bay your workout is hopefully accompanied by a Dolphin view.

Dolphin Bay – Fishing skiff waiting on the beach

Dolphin Bay – Public gym station at the Sam Roi Yot Beach. Exercise here or why not rent a kayak and take a trip to monkey island in the background

Dolphin Bay – Bars by the beach. Ready for some exercise?

Huevos ala Mexicana – Delicious and strengthening breakfast

Huevos ala Mexicana - A splendid start for a perfect morning

Huevos ala Mexicana – Delicious and strengthening breakfast

In honor of the Easter holiday this will be the first post in eggs for breakfast. Mexican eggs or Huevos al Mexicana is rustic Mexican dish well suited for a nourishing breakfast. Normally these scrambled eggs are served with corn tortillas but in this recipe I modify the original recipe a little and serve them with garlic toast. Also I choose to fry the onion for longer than normal, caramelizing it giving a subtle and nice sweetness to the dish. Another important thing is to cook the whites thoroughly and adding the yolk just in the end to make the dish creamy but still having all the egg whites well cooked.

Ingredients (for one person)

• 2 Eggs
• ½ Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Serrano chili
• Fresh coriander
• Sugar
• Salt, pepper

• 2 Whole wheat toasts
• 2 Garlic gloves
• Butter

Preparation of the eggs

Chop the onion and fresh coriander, seed the tomato and the Serrano chili and chop into small pieces. Fry the onion in butter on low heat until transparent and soft. Sprinkle a little sugar over the onion and let it caramelize. Put in the tomato and Serrano chili and fry for a few minutes adding salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile separate the egg white from the yolk. When the tomato has softened but is still springy add the egg whites to the stew. Let the whites coagulate and then stir them to pieces. Turn off the heat and add the egg yolks and coriander and stir gently.

Preparation of the toast

Chop garlic and fry in quite a bit of butter. When brown remove the garlic with a perforated ladle and keep it for later. Gently fry the toasts in the garlic butter browning them on both sides and letting them absorb the garlic butter.

Presentation

Serve the Huevos ala Mexicana on the toast. Sprinkle with the browned garlic if you like. Enjoy with a cup of brewed coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Brandy Alexander – Creaminess and perfect balance of flavors

Brandy Alexander - The classic and creamy after dinner cocktail

Brandy Alexander, the brandy based offshoot from the traditional Alexander based on Gin is one of my favorite classical, creamy after dinner cocktails. Exquisite in its balance of flavors and extraordinary in its simpleness, it’s the perfect after dinner cocktail as it can substitute a dessert by it’s own.

There are many rumors about its origins. It was supposedly created at the time of the wedding of Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles, in London, in 1922. However, the drama critic and Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott claimed that it was named after him. Other stories say it was named after the Russian tsar, Alexander II.  However the true origin of this classic drink is unknown.

Ingredients

• 20ml (one part) Cognac or Brandy
• 20ml (one part) brown Crème de cacao
• 20ml (one part)  Fresh cream
• Nutmeg

Preparation

Shake together in a mixer half filled with ice cubes. Strain into glass and garnish with nutmeg. Enjoy!

Savour the Brandy Alexander on the breezy veranda after a nice meal while listening to the evening song of the cicadas.

Pranburi Forest Park – In the bosom of the Mangrove forest

Pranburi Forest Park – Sea of green (Mangroves)

The Pranburi forest park is indeed worth a moment of your time. In this green sea of lush, tropical Mangrove forest you will certainly relax at the bosom of nature. Mangrove forest tidal water crabs with eyes set on long bone needles inhabiting the nutritious sea floor and feasting on sticklebacks and snails at the roots of the Mangroves. This fabulous little fairy tale world is preferably enjoyed together with an agreeable group of good friends from the old days.

Contact us at Mountain Breeze Villa for arrangements of your trip to Pranburi Forest Park.

Pranburi Forest Park – A somewhat tired group of friends relaxing in the bosom of nature

Pranburi Forest Park – Tidal crab, retracted bone needle set eyes

Pranburi estuary – Skiffs awaiting the nights haul

Underneath a little factual information for interested spirits:

“Pranburi Mongrove Forest Park located in Klongkao-Klongkob National Reserve Forest, Pranburi Distrtict, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province contains 3.17 sq.km. It is built on the Forest Development Plan of Pak Naam Pranburi in accordance with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit™s wish. The area has been declared a forest park by the Royal Forest Department since September 30, 1982.

The main water resource of the district is the Pranburi River, with a mangrove forest (the protected Pranburi Forest Park) at the mouth of the river where it flows into the Gulf of Thailand, further boosting the areaโ€™s scenic, natural appeal.

A one-kilometer stretch of beach is fringed by pine trees and there are several mangrove nature trails for adventurous visitors to explore. The main beach is fronted by a small road that extends south from the estuary of the Pranburi River to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park.

This coastal national park is undoubtedly Pranburis star attraction,with an area of 98 square kilometers. Limestone Mountains, caves, mangrove swamps, beautiful beaches and various kinds of local and migrating birds make up the park€™s main appeal.”

Pranburi Forest Park consists of mixed forest and mangrove forest. It has naturally beautiful sceneries and beaches. Pranburi River also runs through the middle of the forest plants in the area are for instance pine three, Casuarinas, mangrove swamp, cycad, copper pod, Aloe, Australian wattle and tropical almond. The animals in the area are small-size animals such as hare, porcupine, squirrel, chipmunk, and many kinds of kingfisher and reptile.”

Singapore Sling – The ultimate refresher in a hot afternoon

Modified Singapore Sling - The ultimate refresher on a hot afternoon

In the days of the British empire the well to do gathered in exclusive clubs during the relative coolness of the evenings to gossip about the events of the day. Times may have changed but on a hot afternoon the Singapore Sling is still today the ultimate drink to ease your thirst. The original Singapore Sling was developed sometime before 1915by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel Singapore. The original recipe used gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, and fresh pineapple juice, primarily from Sarawak pineapples which enhance the flavor and create a foamy top.

• Original Singapore Sling
• 40 ml (8 parts) Gin
• 20 ml (4 parts) Heering Cherry Liqueur (cherry brandy)
• 5 ml (1 part) Cointreau
• 5 ml (1 part) DOM Bénédictine
• 1 0ml (2 parts) Grenadine
• 80 ml (16 parts) Pineapple juice
• 30 ml (6 parts) Fresh lemon juice
• 1 dash Angostura bitters

Preparation

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into Poco Grande glass. Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherry.

In my own personal taste however the original Singapore Sling is a little bit to sweet to be the ultimate refresher. At the Mountain Breeze Villa I have experimented during hot afternoons and found a modified version of the Singapore Sling to be more refreshing than the original. The ultimate hot afternoon refreshing Singapore Sling is prepared like this:

Modified utimate hot afternoon refreshing Singapore Sling

2 parts Gin
1 part cherry brandy
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
1 dash of grenadine
Soda water to fill

Preparation

Pour all ingredients except the soda water into cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake well. Strain into highball glass with ice cubes and fill with soda water. Garnish with lime zest and maraschino cherry.

Swapping the pineapple juice for soda water makes this drink less sweet and refreshingly carbonated. Also by putting just a dash of grenadine you get a subtle sweetness to the drink that enhances the flavors without making it to sickly sweet. Enjoy!

Original Singapore Sling - Foamy pineapple top

25% off weekly rates at the Mountain Breeze Villa 20 April to 5 May 2012

Get 25% off our rates for stays of at least one week during the period 20 April to 5 May 2012!

Kite Surfing – Action sport in Sam Roi Yot and Pranburi

Gaining speed at the kite board, Pak Nam Praan, Pranburi

Kite surfing has flown up as a very fashionable sport down at the west coast. Specifically in Sam Roi Yot and Pranburi where the wind conditions are the best in south-east asia. It’s full action from start to finish. Giant kites are used to sail at speeds up to 100 km/h on a kite board, resembling a wake board but thinner and more versatile. In the late summer of 2009 the kite boarding world cup was held in Hua Hin just 30 km to the north of Sam Roi Yot. After 2009 several competitions of varying standing have been held in the area.

Dolphin Bay at Sam Roi Yot is the ideal bay for beginners to the sport to practice. The shallow waters make for a level surface even during strong winds. This is truly the Mecca of kite boarding for all skill levels, from the professional to the absolute novice. A number of kite boarding schools dot the beach road between Khao Galok (Skull Mountain) and the little genuine fishermen’s hamlet of Pak Nam Praan which both justify their own post if full right should be given to their spirits. If you want to learn kite boarding Sam Roi Yot and Pak Nam Praan in Prachuapkhirikhan is the place to go!

Try one of the following for kite surfing lessons or contact us at the Mountain Breeze Villa for help with arrangements:

KBA: http://www.kbapranburi.com/
Kite Zone: http://www.kitesurfingpranburi.com/
Airstylers kite school: http://www.airstylerskiteschool.com/

Taking the wind at Pak Nam Praan, Pranburi

Preparing to kite at Pak Nam Praan beach

Kites in the air, kiters in the water Pak Nam Praan beach