Talat Don Hoi Lot

Don Hoi Lot This famous tourist attraction of Samut Songkhram is a bar on the mouth of the Mae Klong River. It was formed by the sedimentation of sandy soil called by villagers here as ‘Sai Khi Pet.’ The bar of 3 km wide and 5 km long covers two zones: Don Nok is on the mouth of Ao Mae Klong, accessible by boat; and Don Nai is located on the beach of the Chuchi village in Tambon Bang Chakreng and on the beach of the Bang Bo village in Tambon Bang Kaeo, accessible by car. In the area of the bar, there are many shellfish, such as Hoi Lot (razor clam), Hoi Lai (undulated surf clam), Hoi Puk (Ridged Venus clam), Hoi Pak Pet (tongue shell), Hoi Khraeng (cockle), etc. Hoi Lot is mostly found here and it has become a landmark of this place.

Hoi Lot is a species of bivalve mollusks, having muddy white meat in a straw-shaped shell and living in mud. Hoi Lot will be caught during low tide. A small stick previously dipped in lime will be put in a hole where the shellfish live. Because of the lime, they will be stimulated to appear and are caught easily. The lime should not be directly spread on the bar since it will kill all other shellfish in the area. The best time for a visit is around March – May because the low tide will last longer and the bar will emerge to be seen. Tourists can hire a boat from the Aphon Pavilion (near the Krommaluang Chumphonkhetudomsak Shrine) to visit Don Hoi Lot. The charter boat fee is 60 Baht (not over 6 persons), or 10 Baht per person. To visit the bay mouth, it costs 200 Baht per boat (not over 5 persons). To admire the beauty of the mangrove forest, it is 300 Baht per boat (not over 7 persons). For more details on the times of the high and low tides, contact the Bang Chakraeng Sub-district Administration Organization at Tel. 0 3472 3749, 0 3472 3736.

Here, there is a Krommaluang Chumphonkhetudomsak Shrine, and traditional Thai music is performed monthly on the first and third weeks on its front lawn during 4.30 – 6.30 p.m.

Furthermore, many restaurants and souvenir shops here offer fresh and dried seafood, Hoi Lot, fish sauce, shrimp paste of Khlong Khon, coconut sugar, palm sap, etc.

To get there
By car
1. To the Bang Bo village in Tambon Bang Kaeo, take the Thon Buri – Pak Tho Road (Rama II Road), and before Km 62, follow the direction sign on the left to Don Hoi Lot for around 7 km.
2. To the Chuchi village in Tambon Bang Chakreng, take the Thon Buri – Pak Tho Road (Rama II Road), and at the foot of the Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai Bridge or around Km 64, follow the direction sign to Don Hoi Lot for around 5 km.

By bus A bus service is available all day from the market in Amphoe Mueang Samut Songkhram to Don Hoi Lot in Chuchi village.

By boat A boat service of various sizes is available from the pier on the Mae Klong River to Don Nok. For a group of 60-250 people, contact Khun Phonthip Saengwanit at the Sun Huat Heng Sawmill in advance at Tel. 0 3471 1466, 0 3471 2558, 0 3471 2451, 08 1378 5858; Fax: 0 3471 4240 (Food can be ordered to serve on the boat.), or contact the ferry ticket booth at the pier by the Mae Klong River.