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Prachuap Khiri Khan

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The province of Prachuap Khiri Khan boasts stunning coastline along the Gulf of Thailand which includes some lovely beaches. The province is bordered to the north by Phetburi and to the south by Chumphon. This is where Thailand slims down to its skinniest--at one point only 11 km separates Burma to the west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east.

The name Prachuap Khiri Khan means 'Land of many mountains', and stems from the range lying near Burma. The official tourist brochures itemise the occupations of people living here as: agriculture, fishing and cowboys. If you sight any cowboys, please let us know.

While the majority of foreign visitors know the province for Hua Hin -- a beach resort area located to the north of the capital -- Prachuap Khiri Khan is a bright spot as you head south, worth a visit just to soak up the vibe. It's a pleasant, friendly town, at once restive and bristling with energy -- full of enterprising ethnic Chinese Thais who go about their business without centring their lives on the tourist industry.

Although the city beach is not up to much there are some great beaches nearby. The view from the top of Chong Khra Chok hill is magnificent and with fishing being the town's main industry another good reason to stay here is the superb seafood.


Ninety-three km south of Hua Hin and 176km north of Chumphon, the city was originally known as Muang Bang Nong Rom and it was more or less abandoned after the fall of Ayutthaya towards the end of the 18th century, to be rebuilt at the mouth of the Klong 1 Ron River during the 19th century when its modern name of Prachuap Khiri Khan was adopted. The town is situated on the Gulf coast on Ao Prachuap, a wide, scenic bay bracketed to the north and south by large limestone outcrops.

The bustle of Hua Hin seems to distract many travellers from exploring the much-nicer beaches in the province's south -- making it one of the last undiscovered areas in Thailand, and in some people's minds, the next big thing. Bang Saphan Yai, with it's mellow pace and cheap bungalows along the uncrowded, uncluttered shore-line, has been a well-kept secret for many years and Haad Ban Krut rivals the beauty of the beaches of the Andaman Islands.



Text and/or map last updated on 12th August, 2009.

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