Written & Photography by Li Xinyi
On the way from Bangkok to Hua Hin, you’ll pass through Samut Songkhram, a low-lying province abundant in seafood, sea salt, and fruits—especially sea salt. Along the highway, you’ll often see small vendors selling bags of sea salt, both large and small. The salt here is very affordable, with a big bag costing just 20 baht. The tour guide recommends mixing some sea salt with essential oils to create an economical exfoliating scrub.
Samut Songkhram is located about 10 kilometers off the main highway between Bangkok and Hua Hin. There, tucked away, is a beachfront restaurant known only to locals──Rimtalay Kitchen. The seafood is freshly caught from nearby fishing ports and requires little cooking to taste incredibly sweet and delicious. This restaurant is highly recommended by local guides. As it hasn’t been promoted internationally, there’s no official website, and it’s not found in any travel books. To find this hidden gem that the guide calls a “mysterious beach restaurant,” you’ll need to ask locals—and have a bit of luck on your side.
The restaurant, built with wood and thatch, is full of local charm.
By the seaside next to the restaurant, you can see sea salt being made.
Rimtalay Kitchen is a seafood restaurant constructed from bamboo, wooden planks, and thatch. Inside, there’s a row of private dining pods, outside of which you can watch locals making salt. In Thailand’s heat, people love sitting in these pods with friends to enjoy affordable and tasty seafood, all while being gently caressed by the sea breeze—a truly relaxing experience. Along the wooden walkway, you’ll also find tourists using ropes to catch crabs on the beach. After snapping photos, they release the crabs back into the wild.
A row of private dining pods lines the wooden walkway.
Dining in the private pods, which are built from wood and thatch, costs an additional 300 baht.
The restaurant’s most recommended dish is a plate of oysters for just 120 baht, served with five different toppings—red, green, sweet, and sour—that you can mix and match according to your preference. Other popular dishes include fish sauce prawns, seafood soup, blood clams, pork satay, and grilled squid. The ingredients here are super fresh, and with simple cooking and minimal seasoning, dishes like grilled squid are incredibly delicious just as they are. Other dishes pair wonderfully with a splash of tangy and spicy sauce, delivering an authentic Thai flavor.
A huge plate of fresh oysters is only 120 baht—super affordable.
- 1
- 2