Eat and meet

Sangkhlaburi

Sangkhlaburi is a small town, and as such eating and drinking options are limited outside guesthouses and hotels.

The Burmese Inn has long had a reputation for serving up some of the best food in town, and its menu has a range of Burmese dishes. Cafe Bezo is a good spot for a few beers (bezo is Karen for fresh beer) before or after dinner -- it's also a hit with the local NGO crowd. P Guesthouse has a popular restaurant with a great atmosphere-- tables are set outside on a large patio, with great views across to the Mon village. They have a wide range of Thai food and a few Burmese specialities, though their food gets inconsistent reviews.

One of the best non-guesthouse restaurants is at the Baan Unrak Bakery, located across from the wat on Nongloo Rd. Run by a local orphanage, Baan Unrak has a counter full of delicious brownies and cakes, and serves lunch and dinner. The menu features Thai staples like red curry, and more inventive dishes like potato with cashew nuts and kaffir lime leaves. Their huge fresh fruit shakes are the perfect treat to relieve the midday heat. Baan Unrak also has a large shop featuring woven goods made by local women. The silky scarves, shirts and fisherman's pants are very well priced, and all proceeds go toward supporting the orphanage.

For cheap local food, try the decent selection of stands around the market at all times of day while a night market springs up here in the evenings. The cheap beer and tasty boat noodles draw a large crowd of Thai tourists most nights. Of particular note is the wide selection of dessert stands -- it's a great place for a banana roti or some pumpkin custard. The street south of the market also has a few hole-in-the-wall restaurants, though none have English menus.

Baan Unrak Bakery T. Nongloo Sangkhlaburi
Burmese Inn 52/3 Moo 3 Sangkhlaburi. Tel: (034) 595 146
Cafe Bezo 81/1 Moo 1, Sangkhlaburi. Tel: (09) 043 7529 Daily 10:00-24:00
P Guesthouse 82/1 Moo 1, Sangkhlaburi. Tel: (034) 595 061