Khung Kraben Bay Royal Development Study Center

[Atmos]

mentioned this place in an earlier thread, here's more detail

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Long stretches of Thailand's eastern shore used to be covered with mangrove forests, which provided an important food source for aquatic animals. Concerned about the deterioration of mangroves and the effect on local people's lives, His Majesty the King in December 1981 came up with the idea of establishing the Khung Kraben Bay Royal Development Study Center.

Located in Tha Mai district in the eastern province of Chanthaburi, the Khung Kraben Bay Royal Development Study Center monitors the extent and degree of mangrove destruction over recent decades to make room for large-scale shrimp farming, develops restoration strategies, and launches rehabilitation programs. Gradually, mangrove forests in the eastern coast are being restored, with the royal center taking the lead.

This center studies and researches the problems and potential of coastal zone resources and their management. It gives advice to local people on the use and preservation of natural resources. The Department of Fisheries has carried out many projects on the development of aquaculture and coastal fisheries at the Khung Kraben Bay Royal Development Study Center since 1982.

A fishery cooperative was established to undertake the production work of the community, and agricultural extension activities have been carried out to allow local residents to plant cashew nuts, groundnuts, rubber trees, vegetables, and herbs. These schemes also aim to improve the living conditions of local people, develop their occupations, and increase the country's fishery output.

This center has been introduced as a new eco-tourism site. It won the Thailand Tourism Awards 2002 for innovation and creativity in the field of sustainable tourism, conservation, and environmental protection efforts. Visitors to the center will have a chance to observe organic fertilizer production from soil in a shrimp farm and a demonstration of black tiger prawn farming under an environment-friendly system. Another attraction is the 1.6-kilometer-long Khung Kraben Mangrove Forest Study Walkway, which is well worth exploring.

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Location

30km from Chanthaburi city. Chao Lao well-signposted on Sukhumvit #3 if you're heading south from Bangkok, Rayong.

Continue north from Chao Lao past the roundabout with the dugong stautues for 3km to Laem Sadet; there are several entrances along about 500m of road on the right hand side; suggest if you're driving, park at the Laem Sadet Aquarium carpark and cross the road, takes you into a seedling nursery area, short bush walk, followed by access to the 1.6km mangrove walkway.

Entry is free.

Couple of maps attached, the Google Earth one gives an idea of the scope of fish/prawn farming in the area

[Atmos]

Mangroves

A 1.6m raised walkway through the mangroves is a relaxing walk, nicely shaded from the sun; about every 100m there is an information point - all in Thai, no English - and seats/rest area.

At the far-end of the walkway is an observation tower which gives views over the mangroves and out across Khung Kraben Bay.

Mangroves

The only forest type rarer in Thailand than mangrove is freshwater swamp forest. At Kung Krabaen Bay, named because its shape resembles a ray or krabaen, pristine mangrove forest with its tall (15 to 20-metre) canopy, covers one hundred glorious hectares. There, Rhizophora trees with branching taproots stand like forest goblins. A further 82 hectares are being reafforested as part of the Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Centre, one of more than 3,000 royal projects initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX. In this zone, Rhizophora tree saplings, one of the pioneer plant species, are planted in neat rows. When they are mature, the replanted mangrove forests will help buffer the coastline against erosion.

Conservation Significance

Mangroves are feeding grounds for marine life. At low tide, egrets, long-tailed macaques and civets feed on aquatic animals exposed in the mud. Above the water’s surface, mangroves provide nesting and roosting trees for various large waterbirds. Brahminy kites, striking rust-red and white feathered birds of prey with metre long wingspans, wheel above the mangrove canopy and shallow water in search of fish. Casual visitors to Kung Krabaen have the chance to see all of these animals. For enthusiasts prepared to spend half a day or less looking, mangrove forests at Kung Krabaen offer smaller avian inhabitants: Mangrove Whistlers, Copper-throated Sunbirds, as well as a fair diversity of shore birds, though not in big numbers. A remote possibility is the Masked Finfoot, an uncommon and secretive migrant waterbird occasionally spotted at Kung Krabaen, usually during its non-breeding season (February to June).

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Dugongs

In the past, this part of the sea was home to dugongs. But today, only a dugong statue remains despite efforts to revive and restore the mangrove forests of the area.

The last dugong sighting here at Khung Kraben was in April 2006.

Nature-Based Tourism: Aquatic/Marine Landscape

Beyond the mangrove treeline, the shallow waters of Kung Krabaen Bay protect extensive sea-grass beds, important nurseries for fish that are commercially harvested outside the bay. According to Nopadon Kakhai, a fisheries' biologist at the Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Centre, local people have agreed to look after the bay and its fish stocks by ensuring that only appropriate fishing methods are used. The sea-grass beds also serve as feeding areas for rays, bottlenose dolphins, and rare dugongs that sometimes enter the bay. The Centre and provincial authorities have been promoting the rehabilitation of the sea-grass beds in the hope of attracting more dugongs, which are classified by the World Conservation Union as a globally threatened species.

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Along the roadside there are several seedling nursery areas, producing plants for ongoing mangrove plantings, as well as for controlling coastal erosion.

About 1km of walking trail through established trees, most of which have species name tags in Thai, with the Latin name also.

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Khung Kraben Bay

Kayaks are available for hire between 15 October and 15 April; cost is 50 baht for a single kayak per hour, 100b for a double.

Hire location is mid-way through the raised walkway, a short paddle through the mangroves and out into the sheltered waters of the bay, it's approx 3.5km to the north end, 2.5km wide.

Leaving the Development Center grounds we headed 1km further along the road to a small pier where fishermen moor their boats; good views across the bay

In pic 4201 attached, the white dot above the boat is the roof of the observation tower on the mangrove walkway.

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Khung Kraben Bay

Continuing along the road, a collection of fishermen's houses on stilts (4212 - pic of man arriving home after a day's fishing) and a view of the entrance to the Bay (4206).

There is a Marine Fishing Training Center here (pic 4209), and a resort under construction (4217) that looks as though it will be completed before the end of this year.

Options to take boat trips for sightseeing, fishing, snorkeling, as well as kayak hire available here.

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Back to the beach at Laem Sadet

This section of the beach is not suitable for swimming April-November, and even then, with caution as it get deep very quickly - more suited to surfcasting/beach fishing than swimming.

Best to head further south 2-3km to the main Chao Lao beach.

The aquarium here is worth a visit - free entry.

Further reading

Enchanting Coastal Chantaburi

and all in Thai: Khung Krabaen Forest

[Tim207]

Just wanted to let you know I enjoy your posts. I live in Chan 5 months per year and have been to many of the places you write about but others didn't seem that interesting until I read your posts. I knew about the nature walk and have been wanting to see it for a few years but never got around to it. After your write up and finding out about the kayaks in the mangroves, I will certainly be visiting this year.

Thanks, and keep it up.

[Atmos]

^ thanks

it's our low-key tourism approach, not for everyone I admit - no bars/nightclubs etc, but suits us.

We first visited this area May 2010 had four more trips here before making the move in March this year, still plenty to do/see, and will spend time in Trat, maybe Koh Chang too, late 2011/early 2012.

Off to the Chantaboon Heritage Festival tonight, and again tomorrow for riverboat racing, so much history in the old riverside community.

[Tim207]

^ thanks

it's our low-key tourism approach, not for everyone I admit - no bars/nightclubs etc, but suits us.

We first visited this area May 2010 had four more trips here before making the move in March this year, still plenty to do/see, and will spend time in Trat, maybe Koh Chang too, late 2011/early 2012.

Off to the Chantaboon Heritage Festival tonight, and again tomorrow for riverboat racing, so much history in the old riverside community.

The lack of in your face night life is a plus for me also. After ten winters in Chan I still enjoy just going out for a drive to see what I find. With so few tourists around the people are pretty much still happy and excited to meet foreigners. A couple more months and I will be back wandering the markets and hanging out with the extended family.

[gomangosteen]

Twelve years later Khung Kraben (also Kung, Krabaen or Krabean) is still here.

I cycled there on Monday.

 

Beware! Marked cycle lane on the coast highway; about 1km from KK the lane is separated from the road traffic by a 1m wide concrete strip, this style runs right through Chao Lao town about 4km in total

 

One of three entrances, chose this one as there are a few food carts here (needed water) and a railing to lock my bike to

 

The start of the boardwalk train through the mangroves, this first section recently replaced with concrete as the old wooden one is decaying in places

 

[gomangosteen]

About 2km of boardwalk through the mangroves

 

Swingbridge allows for kayaks to paddle under

 

Kayaks (all new this season) available October to April - note the prices still the same as 2011: single is 50 baht one hour, doubles (and larger for two adults and one child) 100 baht. 

Note lifejackets are provided and wearing is compulsory, there's a range of adult and child sizes

 

[gomangosteen]

Out of the mangroves this is Khung Kraben bay/estuary. Safe and calm kayaking, the entrance to the Gulf of Thailand a narrow 300m.

 

 

Not my photo: Aerial view of the mangroves and estuary - entrance at top left

 

[gomangosteen]

Back again on Sunday for kayaking

Through the mangroves, follow the marker poles. We went through a nesting area for white egrets and brahminy kites

 

and out into the bay

 

Entrance to the estuary; the buildings with yellow roof are the marine education centre (free entry); to the right is the end of the Khung Wiman peninsula, with a good beach over the hills; not clear in this pic that's Ban Hua Lem Pagoda in the centre marking the entranceway.

[gomangosteen]

One from the archives - Xmas Day 2012 kayaking - hope to do the same this year