Prachuap Khiri Khan
Attractions and distractions
Attractions and distractions
Situated on a hill at the northern end of town, this monkey infested hilltop wat offers great views of the coastline to the north and south. At the top of the 395 steps is Wat Thamikaran, a revered monastery housing a Buddha footprint. The monastery forms part of Wat Thamikaran, sometimes known as Wat Khao Chong Krachok, with the rest of the complex lying to the west of the hill and to the ... Read more about Khao Chong Krachok .
With its attractive beach lined with cool, shady trees and umbrellas, Ao Manao embodies what the resort beaches to the north would like to be when they grow up. At the same time, it has more of the feeling of a national park than a beach resort, no doubt because it’s located on a airforce base, the 53rd Air Division, just to the south of town. There are plenty of food stalls and even a food ... Read more about Ao Manao .
This rugged limestone peak is at the southern end of Prachuap Khiri Khan, just on the far side of the airforce base, and is the highest peak in the immediate area. If you look carefully from the beach road you’ll spy a small Buddhist sala and Thai flag at the summit -- yes you can climb to the top! You’ll need to have a fair degree of fitness and be good with heights as the climb up is quite ... Read more about Khao Lommuak .
This intsy wintsy national park roughly midway between Prachuap Khiri Khan and Namtok Huay Yang National Park offers deserted beach scenes and plentiful bird spotting. Gazetted in 1995, Haad Wanakorn National Marine Park is Thailand’s smallest park at just 38 square kilometres, of which 23 is coastal scrub and woodland and 15 is marine, including the two small islands of Ko Chai and Ko Thaisi. ... Read more about Haad Wanakorn National Park .
This is Prachuap Khiri Khan’s best regarded national park, and the prime attraction here is, you guessed it, a waterfall -- and it’s a pretty good one. Huay Yang waterfall is a seven-tier fall and bathing pools are on each level. The pools are packed with small fish like perch, so don’t worry if you feel hairs on your arms and legs being pulled -- piranhas are rare. While the falls have ... Read more about Namtok Huay Yang National Park .
Ban Darn Singkorn is the closest border crossing between Prachuap Khiri Khan and Burma, though it remains closed to foreigners -- even for those just wanting to do a border run. It’s worth a ride up to if you have time on your hands, want to pick up some Burmese cigarettes or just to enjoy what is a quite pretty ride. If you do decide to venture out here, swing by Khao Hin Tern Park which ... Read more about Darn Singkorn .
Ao Khan Kadai is the next bay north from Ao Noi (which itself is north of Prachuap Khiri Khan) and on the headland separating Ao Noi and Ao Khan Kadai is Wat Ao Noi (previously known as Wat Tham Khan Kadai). As the old name suggests, Wat Ao Noi is a cave temple -- well, a temple with a cave nearby -- and is worth a visit by those with a lot of time on their hands, both for the cave and also a ... Read more about Ao Khan Kadai .
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