NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST Requires Alittleingenuityandmayputyourindependenttravel Spirittothetest

NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST requires alittleingenuityandmayputyourindependenttravel spirittothetest. point forthediving-centricKoTao. spot onthemapasofficialgateway tosouthernThailand andtheobligatorytransfer for wildlife enthusiasts. Andatthesouthernmostpointofregion, Chumphonearnsits destination oftheroyalfamily. south,whichisthefavoured resort further beachfront thoroughfare, inHuaHin, muchlike bustle.ing theusualweekend are Countlessguesthousesandresorts crammedalongthe master thelyricsofyourfavourite Thai pop-rocksongasitblares alongthebeachdur- vacationing experiencesteeped inlocaltradition. southerntreasures.destined forthekingdom’s Those whodecidetostopwillenjoyaunique itagreat placetosloughoffBangkok’surbansmog.dunes, making continent totheMalayPeninsula offers sleepyseasidetownsandruggedshell-strewn sand somehow foreign touristsnever gotthememo. This theAsian thinisthmusconnecting Thai toThailand’s vacationershave beenflocking gulfcoastfordecades,yet northwestern Coast Gulf Northwestern 164 © LonelyPlanetPublications While transport betweenmajor destinationsisacinch,navigatingthequieter regionsWhile transport SamRoiYotNational ParkThe dramaticcragsofKhao are avisit,especially definitely worth Quiet Phetchaburi forapleasantafternoon makes oftemple gazing. StopinCha-amto Most touristswillonlyexperiencetheregion throughthewindowofaspeedingtrain

HIGHLIGHTS

DRY SEASON:NOVEMBER-MAY Pressing binocularsagainstyourfacewhile Listening forrustlingleaves whiletryingto Oglingcrumblingtemples scattered around royaltyinoneoftheswish Livinglike Smilingattheseawhilelounging inthe Kaeng KrachanNationalParkKaeng anticipating thearrivalofarare birdin at spot afurrymonkey Phetchaburi seaside hotels around Cha-am shade ofmyriadbeachsideumbrellas in National Park (p169) (opposite ) (p180) Hua Hin Khao SamRoiYot (p168) ( p172)

WET SEASON: JUNE-OCTOBER WET Kaeng Krachan National Park Khao SamRoiYot Hua Hin Phetchaburi Cha-am National Park close to Khao Wangandwillhave toKhao close totake a through Februarythrough isknownasthe‘cool’sea- Novemberthe JunetoOctober wetseason. followedbymonsoonrainsfallingin season, Temperatures peakintheMarch toMay hot patterns withtherest of centralThailand. The northwestern gulfcoastshares itsweather lonelyplanet.com users should followtheroad southeastof the into thecentremotorcycle taxi of town. Train Orientation &Information caves isalsoworth a visit. Luang ground Buddhistshrine attheKhao theboxedtour (see text, p167 ). The under- walking eastern riverbank duringahalf-day thediverseglimpse array of wátalongthe inan afternoontown canbetackled visit– of a modern future. andmisplacedconcreteteak houses indicators teeming withcrumblingwátmixed withold thecitycentrestroll through willreveal aburg Today, thetownhasbarely changed, anda riverside locationasacentraltradingpost. thathaveinhabitants theconvenient used asteady streamthen thetownhasseen of heresettled inthe11thcentury,andsince that flourished long ago. first TheKhmer relic reflecting theachievements of empires city’s slowlypacedquotidianlife, each onea Dozensof templestraffic. liefrozen withinthe Phetburi) of feels surprisinglydevoid tourist the world,quiet Phetchaburi (alsocalled Unlike manyothercentres of worship around pop 47,200 v.g}nv'gr(i[=iu PHETCHABURI (PHETBURI) off their lists. This isanotherspotbirdfanaticscancheck ing viewsof thegulfamidlimestonecliffs. of SamRoiYot( Khao p180 ) offer breathtak- excellent bird-watching. Theundulatinghills of jungleisknownforthePala-U waterfall and Phetchaburi Province. Thisunendingexpanse park inThailand,covering nearlyhalfof National Parks cooler andthere is little rain. tend theyear,butevenings tobe throughout temperatures tohover seem around32°C son andisthebesttimetovisit.Theafternoon If you’ve comebybus,you’llbegetting off Kaeng Krachan ( p168 ) isthelargest national Climate If you’re religious ontime,thesleepy light NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Phetchaburi (Phetburi) GULFCOAST ••Phetchaburi NORTHWESTERN Kraburi RATCHABURI GULF COAST NORTHWESTERN Krachan National Kaeng Park MYANMAR Ranong (BURMA) RANONG (281km) PHETCHABURI Phuket National Khao DaenNoi Ka Poh To Park Isthmus CHUMPHON of Kra To Ratchaburi Khao Thwe Khao Yai (1204m) Krachan (582m) Kheuan (891m) Karng (30km) Chumphon Tha Sae 4 4006 To SuratThani Dan Singkhon 4139 (105km) KHIRI KHAN Huay Yang PRACHUAP Lamae Falls Prachuap Khiri Pran Buri Kheuan Nam Sawi Pak 41 Khan Sawi Ao Phetchaburi Lang Suan Tako Estuary 4 Pathiu Hat PharadonPhap 4 Ao BawMao Ko Samet Ko Maphrao Ao PhanangTak Hat Arunothai Bang SaphanYai Ko RangKachiu Bang SaphanNoi Ao BangSaphan Ban Krut Hat Sairi Cha-am Thap Sakae Ko Jarakhe Hua Hat TawanChai Hin Hat SuanSon Hat Sombun Ko Wiang Hat SaiKaew Hat BawThawngLang Hat LaemKum Ko Thalu Hat Peuktian Pranburi Ko Sing Khao Takiap Ko Sang

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COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST There’s atelephonecentre upstairs. TAT office Post office Police station Phongsuriya andTh Panichjaroen. plan totour the temples. days. Wearsunscreen andbring water ifyou out, andthere isvery littleshade onsunny In). Thecitycentre isactuallyquite spread majorto thesecond intersection (ThChisa- andfollowthemainboulevard then turnright tracks untilyoucometoThRatchadamnoen, 166 direction oftemples,cheap food direction and lodging. of brochures, butthesmileystaffcanpointyou in the itdoesn’thave loads structure, inawát-like 4.30pm) Set intersection ofTh intersection Ratchadamnoen. (100m) To Hospital 12 Bangkok (123km) To RoyalDiamond(400m); (4km) Luang Caves To Khao 4 1 3 2 PHETCHABURI (PHETBURI) There are three banksatthecornerof Th Park (61km) Kaeng KrachanNational Khao Banda-ItCaves(2km); To Hwy4(1km);

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9 h Phokarong Th (dona- 6 9am- lonelyplanet.com of Khao Wang,which provides stunningviewsofallthetemplesof Khao you’ve justvisited. on Th arightatTh Banda-It,andmake Keeleetaya. You’llfindthecobbledstaircase uptothetop If youhave time, continue alongTh extra Phrasong, turn leftonTh aquickright Ratchadamneon, a typicallate adaptationofthe Ayuthaya–earlyRatanakosin there’s ofThai adecenton-site treats. restaurant upthe usualassortment thatserves Duration Distance Finish Start relics fromprevioustour amblesthroughsomeofthetown’smoststriking empires. Sleepy Phetchaburi isknownthroughoutThailand ofvariedwát.The foritscollection following WALKING TOUR:WÁTTOSEEINPHETCHABURI Phrasong; Its large soonyou’llreach white WatMahathat. Follow Th Panichjaroen infrontofWatKotowardscentralPhetchaburi andturnleftontoTh (6)Wat Mahathat (Wat Ko).The Sutharam 800m turnrightattheclocktowerandlookforsignstoAyuthaya-periodWat KoKaew Follow Th Phrasong backtowardsthetowncentre, turningleftontoTh Matayawong. After about Sutharam(5)Wat KoKaew oftheoriginal towers)andpart (Khmer-style chimney-like site.South ofthetwowàts,onTh isthispleasant, 13th-centuryKhmer Phokarong, Ithasfive Laeng(4)Wat Kamphaeng graceful wooden‘dormitories’onstilts. the east.They aren’t especiallyattractive, buttheydohave distinctive monastichallsandlong, These wátare toeachotheropposite next WatYai SuwannaramonTh Phongsuriya, alittleto Wat Borom(2)& Wat Trailok(3) The muralsinsidethe cloister filledwithsombre Buddhaimages. bòht to theBurmeseattackofAyuthaya. The main woodendoorsdatesin theornately carved (r 1868–1910).Legend hasitthatthegash renovated V duringthereign Rama ofKing originally builtduringthe17thcenturyand ple ontheright.This isWatYai Suwannaram, Th Phongsuriya untilyoucometoabigtem- (Phetchaburi River), walkabout300malong After crossingMaeNamPhetchaburi Wat Yai Suwannaram(1) to famous standing. The front tic hallonstilts–similartotheonesat WatsBoromandTrailokbutinmuchbetter condition. other showsforeigners undergoing Buddhistconversion. There isalsoalarge woodenmonas- whatappearstobeaJesuit priestwearingtherobesofaBuddhistmonk,whilean- panel depicts designed old bòht, 1730s andare tothe ingoodcondition.Next setonamurkypond,isbeautifully (central sanctuary) issurroundedbya(central sanctuary) WatYai Suwannaram WatMahathat 2.7km 1½ hours l ŏ o·ang pôr h NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Phetchaburi (Phetburi) GULFCOAST ••Phetchaburi NORTHWESTERN bòht ŏ r đ features early-18th-centurymuralsthatare among thebestinThailand. One rai Ъ rahng bòht (Tripitaka library). (Tripitaka (venerated monks),andtwohave beenrestored. Ifyou’re feeling peckish, date backtothe containsaBuddhafootprint.Twootherscontainimagesdedicated WALKING TOUR PHETCHABURI (PHETBURI) Th Chisa-In

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167

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST chilled rice served with sweetmeats –a hot- withsweetmeats chilled riceserved which includes forcheap,evenings treats.tasty marketurban fray.Trythe night onMonday aremark, somostchow houses hiddeninthe ists. Western touristshave yettomake their collection of lodginganddiningoptionsex- oglers, soit’ssurprisingthatsuch asmall Phetchaburi isapopular stopfortemple Sleeping &Eating for Phetchaburi widows. the usualbeautycontest provides ashowcase modern-style historicaldramas.Atwiston drama), of ples festooned andperformances withlights, palace,tem- Khiri held atthePhra Nakhon Festivities show includeasound-and-light Wangandthecity’shistorictemples.on Khao The taxi is 40B. to eithersite costs about55B;amotorcycle three-wheeled pedicab)fromthecitycentre questions. As thecaveslead youthrough andansweryour west of town.English-speaking guideswill Banda-It more Luang–isat magicalthanKhao formations, andshowers of stalactites. which feature rock easilyanthropomorphised are multiplechambers towanderthrough, artefacts below withanethereal glow.There piercestheceiling,surrounding light evening IV. Thebesttimetovisitisaround5pm,when many of themoriginallyplacedbyKing Rama ageing Buddhaimages invariousstances, 168 Festivals &Events Another cave –perhaps even sanctuary The townisfamous foritslocalcuisine, in rusticbungalows(2400Bperperson,minimumfourpeople). trips (2000Bperperson,minimumfourpeople,or6000Bforagroupoftwo)andovernight visits (see p175 NamGuestHouse( Rim ). InPhetchaburi, Rabieng contact below Dam, then3kmmore), whicharrangesday totheparkheadquarters. Alternatively youcanarrangea tour inHuaHin 4 about20kmfromPhetchaburi, Pet andattheKern turnrightandgo38kmtoPet Junction, of thefew placestosee elephants roamingwild.Toreach theparkbycar, drive southonHwy the evergreen Krachanhasfantastic Kaeng forest thepark. thatblankets anditisonetrekking, andexcellent a hugelake (seetheboxedbird-watching opportunities text, p182 ) tobehadin (adult/child 400/200B) The largest nationalparkinThailand andhometothegorgeous Nam TokPala-U, DETOUR: KAENG KRACHAN NATIONAL PARK lá·kon chah- Phra Nakhon Khiri Fair Khiri Nakhon Phra OTWSENGL OS • Pecaui(htui (Phetburi) GULFCOAST ••Phetchaburi NORTHWESTERN

lí·gair (donation encouraged; ǎ Ъ hm·lór (alsospelts đ kôw châa pét·bù·ree àh ree iseasilyreached fromPhetchaburi. There are caves toexplore, mountains, (folk dance-drama)and (classical Thaidance-

( h h early Feb) 9am-4pm) ǎ centres amláw; (moist, , 2km Khao jackets gluedtothewalls(thinkABBA and The wafting’70smusicmatches therecord ples. Gofora of anenormous selection Thaista- serving side restaurant isopenforallthree meals, river-the placefeels like aprison.Rabieng’s price. Don’tbotherwalkingoversame there; bridge totheJomklowHotel, which isthe the rooms,ownerwillpointacross with amattress. Ifyouaren’t impressed with that are nothingfancierthanawoodencloset popular backpacker choice hassimplerooms teak structure sittingalongthelazyriver, this 1 ThShesrain;s/d120/240B) peting. The attached karaokepeting. The attached baris agood rooms, which comewith wall-to-wallcar- especially forthe roomy cheaper (standard) able lodging.The rates are pretty goodvalue, ofDiamond hasagood selection comfort- It’s abitof ahike toget there, butRoyal r1200-2000B; hotel.com; 555Moo1,ThPhetkasem; given. usually ice foranextra5B. Discounted roomrates are willturnyourfoodorderintoroomserv- staff popular withtheThaiguests.Theprofessional restaurant intheopen-airlobby that’squite colouredone brightly accentwall.There’s a mostly painted incoolgreys andbrowns,with tique sophistication.Theenormousroomsare is backcountryThailand’sattempt atbou- SunHotel Khiri, funicular toPhra Nakhon r 800-1500B,ste1700B; organised from here. Kaeng Krachan NationalPark ( above ) canbe piece) andmotorcyclerental (250B).Tripsto (5Bper includelaundryservice Elvis). Extras gaang speciality)andthewidelyknown season Sun Hotel Sun Hotel NamGuestHouse Rim Rabieng Royal Diamond custard). (egg ( x yam Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels 0 3240 0000; 43/33 Soi Phetkasem 1; 0 32400000;43/33SoiPhetkasem

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depending ontravellers’ requests. Mostbuses pullingintotownmake stops Buses several Getting There&Away to quiet Phetchaburi. place tomake duringyourvisit somenoise lonelyplanet.com room rates and quiet sands. ing itagreat timetocash in onthelowered mak- Cha-amisvirtuallydeserted, weekdays, filled withpicnics andfrenzied chatter. On the millionsof beachside parasolsfordays giddy revellers whograbashadedspotunder the chance your to practise bargaining skills. geared towardsThaitastebuds andyou’llhave south: thepricesare cheaper, thecuisineis a great alternative toabeach vacationfurther caters mostlytoweekending Thais.Itcanbe stretchsandy of casuarinasandumbrellas has managed toescapeasimilarfate –this tion. Little Cha-am, just20kmupthecoast, beachformed intoacosmopolitan destina- moved in,thequietfishing townwastrans- After HuaHinstruckitbigwhentheking pop 65,500 veg#v(tve CHA-AM day). per rentsGuest House outmotorcycles(250B RimNam to 20Baroundtown.Rabieng S charter themforthewholeday(from300B). in thetowncentre for30B;youcanalso S Getting Around class around100B, three hours). train andclass(2ndaround200B,3rd Farestrain station. varydependingonthe Hualamphong to/fromBangkok’s services busterminals. ThereBangkok’s are frequent you factorinthetimetaken toget toorfrom as Cha-am(35B)andHua Hin (50B). kilometre toreach nearbydestinationssuch market.the night Figure onaround1Bper isacrossfrom to/fromBangkok con buses (120B, 2½hours). Thebusterminal forair- Southernbusstation ices to/fromBangkok’s sites. There are frequent air-con busserv- tothetown’s of Wang),asitiscloser Khao It isbesttoget (justwest atthehospital off centre) andalarge lime-coloured hospital. stop attheBigC(amultistorey shopping ŏ ǎ hm·lór and motorcycle taxis goanywherehm·lór andmotorcycletaxis rng·t Each weekend astreamEach of expels tourbuses Trains are lessconvenient unless thanbuses, ǎ a·ou (smallpickuptrucks)cost10B NORTHWESTERN GULFCOAST ••Cha-am NORTHWESTERN Northwest of Northwest the beach. Th Ruamjit& Narathip) Th Phetkasem; Th Phetkasem; and Prachuap Khan. Khiri HuaHin staff andinformationonCha-am,Phetchaburi, tre cares foranentire menagerie of creatures 35kmnorthwest ofBased Cha-am,thecen- www.wildlifevolunteer.org) volunteering centre www.wfft.org, Centre Rescue ofThailand Friends hard work, then considerastintatthe If youlove animals andaren’t afraidof abitof Volunteering along themainstrip(5B to 10B). travellers tooneof themany Attheendofsand. theday,followyourfellow can hire abeach chair anywhere alongthe by the‘wheninRome…’philosophy,you giant parasolsalongthebeach. Ifyouabide Thai touristswhospendtheirholidaysunder evil’. no speak hearnoevil, no evil, kinda like ‘see in asymbolicgesture – denyingthesenses handcovers Each statue. organ asensory Chaolai, features anunusualsix-armedBuddha The beautiful Sights &Activities police Tourist TAT office themainofficeisneartrain beach strip; station. Post office internet caféonthe main drag. CV.Net Cha-am Hospital Narathip, andThNarathip Th Ruamjit. at theintersections of ThPhetkasem andTh There are large clusters of banksandATMs Information and stalls public bathhouses. crammed withhotels, restaurants, souvenir isalongstring 2km fromthetrainstation, road thatfrontsthebeach, ThRuamjit,about andgovernmentthe policestation The offices. thetrainstation, ties: themainpostoffice, you’llfindallof‘highway’) thecivicfacili- Orientation ing Nordicflagsat the entrance. less restaurants proudlywav- andguesthouses for touringScandinavians –you’llfindcount- On thewestsideof Phetkasem Hwy(the Colourful Cha-amislargely thedomainof Cha-amhasbecome apopularstop Lately, (Th Ruamjit;perhr40B; (Th ( (Th Ruamjit)Thissmallbranchisonthemain (Th x h ( 0 32471005;[email protected]; 500/51 x ( 8.30am-4.30pm) Has English-speaking 8.30am-4.30pm) HasEnglish-speaking x Wat Neranchararama 0 32515995,emergency1155;cnr 0 3247 1808; Th Leapkhlong) 0 32471808;ThLeapkhlong) h ( x 9am-10pm) An public bathhouses 0 3245 8135; rescue 0 32458135;rescue , onTh Wildlife Wildlife 169

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST room for the best views. tion isratherlacklustre –go foranupper-floor positive andnegative space. Fan accommoda- managers and cute thatplaywith décor details an endearingspot with cleancottages, friendly .com; 247/7ThRuamjit;r300-1000B; Nirundorn 3 BUDGET any numberof seemingly illogical reasons. and expectpricestoincrease ordecrease for ing). Considerbookingaheadonthe weekend, (some exceptionstotheruleare listed follow- packed andgenerally of inneed renovation lodgingincentralCha-amistightly seaside tofuturisticboutiquehotels. Thehouses optionsrunfromhovel-likeSleeping guest- Sleeping expected fortwoto tostay three months. all accommodationandmeals.Volunteers are including Volunteering costsUS$140perweek, islandrefugesand establishing forgibbons. sun bears, buildingenclosures formacaques owners. Anaverage daycouldinvolve feeding rescued fromanimalshows andexploitative 170 Phetchaburi (38km) To CHA-AM OTWSENGL OS • Caa GULFCOAST ••Cha-am NORTHWESTERN SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION otOfc...... D2 Post Office...... Wat Neranchararama...... Public Bathhouse...... TAT Office...... Main PostOffice...... Cha-am Hospital...... Tourist Police...... CV.Net......

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COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST stop inthetowncentre, onPhetkasem They’re agreat waytoget about town. bicycles are 20Bperhouror 100Bperday. ally gofor300Bper day,whilethehot-pink rent allalongThRuamjit.Motorcycles gener- around town Motorcycle taxis cost 30B. (30B)orsharemotorcycle taxi (10B)ride. taxi From thecitycentre tothebeach it’saquick Getting Around Cha-am. at tobesurein Bangkok thetrainisstopping train schedule –askattheticket counter Cha-am isn’tlisted ontheEnglish-language 180B andthejourneyisaroundfourhours. and 7.05pm).Tickets cost from60Bto (9.27am) andThonburi(7.15am,1.30pm Cha-am: Hualamphong(3.50pm),SamSen to three have trainstations dailyservices cle rideto/fromthebeach. FromBangkok, west of Phetkasem Hwy,anda30Bmotorcy- and HuaHin(25B, 30 minutes). three hours), Phetchaburi (35B,40minutes) (around150B,Cha-am includeBangkok Th Narathip intersection. Chaolai afew hundred metres southof the gotothebeach, stoppingonThBangkok Hwy. Someair-conditioned to/from buses way. one topayabout 300Bto450BHin. Expect the midrange hotels, have shuttlestoHua All of theluxuryhotels, aswellsomeof Getting There&Away the classiestspottodine in Cha-am. shady palms,DaVinci’schic patioiseasily a Euro-Asian mixof old-stylelampsand mains 120-400B; ‘licked’ everything we ate. rything’s ‘cooked thewayyoulickit’. We and, accordingtothelengthymenu,eve- but the portionsaretablishments, massive, pricierthansimilares- friends. It’sslightly to asociable withalarge evening groupof are andthelongtables conduciveseating, Thais –there’s copiousindoorandoutdoor is therestaurant of choice forweekending Th Ruamjit;dishes100-200B; 172 Ordinary andair-conditioned buses Da Vinci’s o The train station is inland on Th Narathip, isinlandonThNarathip, The trainstation operatingto/from Frequent busservices Bicycles andmotorbikes are available for NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Hua Hin GULFCOAST ••HuaHin NORTHWESTERN Poom Restaurant

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173

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST tourism enterprises –thebeststretchtourism enterprises of sand HospitalSanPaolo MEDICAL SERVICES Observer Hua Hin MEDIA Dark After Hua Hin RESOURCESINTERNET World NewsCoffee Internet access isavailable allover HuaHin. ACCESSINTERNET police Tourist EMERGENCY Bookazine BOOKSHOPS Information ing roomisagreat spotto get snap-happy. of town,anditsbeautifullyrestored royalwait- liesatthewestern end ming. Thetrainstation ‘stone head’)andisidealforyear-round swim- by round,smoothboulders (HuaHinmeans stretch of peach-coloured beach isbroken up can befoundbytheSofitel resort. Thispleasant 174 good resource fornight-time shenanigans. contains snippetsoneating out,culture and entertainment. Availablea few inGerman). atmosthotelsaroundtown,it features inEnglish(and magazine withshort home-grown (see tion inair-concomfort p177 formore information). h kasem) Forbasicandemergency kasem) care. travel books,includingLonely Planet guides. h Damnoen Kasem) The beachfront iscompletely obscured by 2482; Th Phetkasem; admission90B; 2482; ThPhetkasem; designed to be the royal waiting room for the king, andfeaturesdesigned tobetheroyalwaitingroomforking, asimilarflamboyantdesign. fromthere.place; it’sacoupleofkilometres buses,asktobedroppedattheroadthis oneofthehalf-hourlyCha-am–HuaHin If youtake gate youshouldhave notroublereceiving permissiontotourthepalaceduringopeninghours. surrounded bythegroundsofCamp VI,amilitarypost,butwithpropercheck-in Rama atthe circulation –atropicalbuildingdesignsorely missinginmostmodernThai architecture. It’snow Along withthehigh,tiledroofs andtall,shuttered windows,thisdesignallowsformaximumair golden teak andinterlinked bycovered boardwalks,allraisedhighabove thegroundonstilts. during thereign ofKing andtwo-storey buildingsare VI. The one- Rama constructed ofprime stands betweenCha-amandHuaHin Midway THESUMMERPALACEDETOUR: 8am-11pm; 9am-10pm) Hastonsofmaps,booksinEnglishand NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Hua Hin GULFCOAST ••HuaHin NORTHWESTERN If youdon’thave Itwas timetovisitthesummerpalace,checkouttrainstationinHuaHin. ( x ( a x 0 3253 2071; 166 Th Naresdamri; 0 32532071;166ThNaresdamri;

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tai a goodshow.Ifyou’re inspired bythe any stretch of theimagination,buttheyputon and Fridayat9pm.Thefighters aren’t prosby admission 300B) Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels and showcases Thailand’sbest and showcases jazz talent. huahin.com; The annual Festivals &Events Tours Western Diamond Ken pick-up from your hotel. Park otherthings. Toursinclude (1900B),amongstseveral Runs SamRoiYotNational intheKhao trips kayaking hinadventuretour.com; ThNaepKhehat; Tour Adventure Hua Hin signs upforyour desired trip. wait adayortwobefore aquorumof tourists and Kaeng Krachan ( p168 ). Youmayhave to Phetchaburi ( p165 SamRoiYot( ), Khao p180 ) which offer daytripstonearbyplacessuch as Hua Hinhasloadsof travel agencies, mostof Tours eral people are interested. and recipe book–butthey’re onlyrunifsev- cost1000BandincludeamarketClasses visit Thai Buchabun. cooking class withRatthreeya Dechanuchit) 22Th 3805; www.siambeing.com/restaurant/cookingcourse; visit scrumptious dishes you’ve eaten inThailand, guided tours of the facility. thatitoffersunique designdetails regular free retreatning, state-of-the-art issoproudof its kilometres southof thecitycentre. Thisstun- Takiap)Th Khao the (300B). Dailyadmission tothegym is 180B. of andmarket thehospital –thatgives lessons a inalittlekickboxingtaking there’s yourself, There’s anotherbranchon Th Amnuaysin. agentforThaiAirways. It’sanauthorised transportation. andhelp withlocal bustickets rentals), hotelbookings, rounding attractions, (includingequipment golf packages Hastourstosur- 11ThDamnoenKasem) huahin.com; locations. Italsoarranges car rentals. nationalparks,and waterfalls, diving and snorkelling todestinationsinthevicinity,including dozens oftrips outfitthathas AGerman-run .com; 4/34ThNaresdamri) gym Muay thai Muay If youwish tore-create someof the pampering,headtoFor someserious (or Barai Spa Buchabun Art & Crafts Collection &Crafts BuchabunArt (Th Phetkasem) (Th muey thai

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There’s often live music anditattracts amix most popularentertainment venues around. maze of barges, decksand mastsisoneof the the centre of ThPhetkasem) town(off tofry, major attractions.Vendors in gathernightly and inexpensive market isone of HuaHin’s nearby Hilton.Breakfasts andbagels are prof- esque, popularbreakfast venue isrunbythe tion foratraditionalThaidinneraccompa- Regency Hotel, op- Sasiisanotherpleasant 67/2 Dechanuchit;setmenu350-450B; menu 350-450B; of hotel guests, expats,tourists andsome around tunedtoevents screen TV the world. themselves assportsbars andhave a wide- offer aThai-hostess atmosphere, but afew bill Kasem. Some ofdamri andThDamnoen these andonthelittlesoioff ThNares-Hin Bazaar Countless faràngbars canbefoundatthe Hua Drinking as strawberries,custard or raisins. such andfilledwithsweets with specialdough atthismarket, adelicioussnack made served without tryingthefamous for hordesof hungryThais.Don’t leave town steam, grill,parboilorbake fresh gulfseafood dance. and nied byaperformancefeaturing Thaitheatre Thai-style pagodas–it’sonly mildly cheesy. around set withtables nice moodlighting show. Thefood’snotbadeither,andthere’s classicalandfolkThaidance Wednesday night free performances–trytomake nightly the Thai restaurant drawsinthecrowdswith the mainnight-market street, thisopen-air mer and airyrestaurant. There’s agoodviewof Hua-Hin isaspeciality)inthislovely, light uprealFrench French chef food(crab serves dishes 180-500B; Internet accessisavailable for40B per hour. magazines todigest withyourmorningbrew. ofan excellentselection newspapers and fered here, asare variouscoffee drinks.There’s 60-120B; marred the experience. 50B water surcharge wastheonlythingthat a mixof regional andforeign cuisine. The World NewsCoffee Hua Hin Brewing Company Brewing Hua Hin Chatchai Market Sasi Show Thai Hua Hin deParis Brasserie from upstairs. ( x h breakfast, lunch&dinner) 08 1880 4004, 0 3251 2488; Th Khao Takiap;08 18804004,032512488;ThKhao set h h dinner) breakfast, lunch&dinner)

(Th Dechanuchit) (Th ( (Th Naresdamri; breakfast Naresdamri; 150B,coffee (Th

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Located neartheHyatt 0 3253 0637; 3 Th Naresdamri; 0 32530637;3ThNaresdamri; 08 14007030,032511423;

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Just off Just off This (10B) 177

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST times a day (one-way3100B, 40minutes, 3233; www.sga.aero) SGA its many televisions. well astheoccasionalsportsmatch ononeof expat ‘drinkwithyourmates’ moodhere, as fort. It’snottoorowdyandthere’s afriendly of air-conditioned, Guinness-drinkingcom- weather). There are twowood-finished levels directly fromthemotherland(minuscold favourite Irishbarhasimported everything patio, which hasagiant projection screen. the comfortof air-con) orsitontheoutside aroundaslick,modernwhite bar(in seating popular placeforafew drinks.There’s indoor mealsbutisalsoa plenty of action.Itserves The cornerlocationensures thisplacesees in the area. golf nutwithloadsof info on swingingaclub British-run sportsbar–theownerisabig hotels in town. tooneof –it’sattached however theclassiest local ‘ladiesof It’snotatallsleazy, thenight’. 178 Getting There& Away Crawford’s Point Meeting Hua Hin Bernie’s cultural history–championshipfighters becomeinstantnationalheroes. and iftwofighters execute thesame asawarmupandoftentor, aswellacting stirringupthecrowd.Each are elaboratedance), thesevariedperformances recitals thatpayrespect tothefighter’s instruc- groin isnotconsidered a‘valid’target. awarded forevery landedblowandeven blowsbelowthebeltare allowed,thoughahittothe tothethighisadistinguishingtechnique frequentlythe lowkick usedin ring, boxing elbows,kneesandstand-upgrappling– techniques are used,aswellhardkicking, limbs’ becausefighters canusenotonlytheirhandsandfeet, butelbowsandkneesaswell.Inthe they have thesameteacher. When watchinga Moo·aytai MOO·AY TAI (MUAY THAI) and trainingprograms. Most TourismAuthority ofThailand (TAT) agencieshave information aboutupcomingmatches of out ofpoverty. The sport are leftbehindintoday’spopularring-basedversion. which originated inSoutheastAsia more than2000yearsago. Thankfully thesticksandswords of flyinglimbs. issteepedHowever, intradition,anditsmeaninggoesbeyondthecacophony thisancientsport ( x NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Hua Hin GULFCOAST ••HuaHin NORTHWESTERN Moo·ay tai Young Thai menallover thecountrytrainas the Before eachbout,opponentswillperform Moo·ay tai in Hua Hin 032522300,inBangkok2134 in HuaHin (Hua Hin Bazaar, Th Damnoen Kasem) Bazaar,ThDamnoenKasem) (HuaHin ( (often speltas x matches take placeallover matchestake duringfestivals Thailand, andpublicholidays. particularly is derived from an early martial art knownas art isderived fromanearlymartial 0 32511517;5ThPhunsuk) flies a 12-seat shuttlethree flies a12-seat moo·ay tai ( x 0 32531132;3ThPhunsuk) muay thai match, it seems like theonlygoalistobutcheryouropponent. match,itseemslike moo·ay tai

Hua Hin’s ; Thai boxing) is the most popular spectator sport inThailand.; Thai boxing) sport isthemostpopularspectator wâi kroo, ishighlyrevered withreligion andisintertwined and A

theywillnotfightbecauseitisunderstoodthat wâi kroo moo·ay tai half hour). These leavehalf hour).These HuaHin70mnorthof (171B,3½hours,Southern busstation every Suvarnabhumi airport to Hua Hin. 11.45am, 3pmand6.30pm)fromBangkok’s ern railway line. four hours) onthesouth- and otherstations class 292Bto382B, 3rdclass234Bto294B, (2nd Hualamphong trainstation Bangkok’s ofsection ThChomsinand Th Phetkasem. (25B, 30minutes) leave from neartheinter- Phetchaburi (50B, 1½ hours) andCha-am 11 hours). Frequent non-air-con to buses (457B,(320B, ninehours) andSongkhla hours), hours), Krabi(389B,eight Koh Samui (160B, fourhours), Phuket (378B,eight (80B,1½hours), Khan ChumphonKhiri hours), Cha-am(40B,30minutes), Prachuap day toeach destination: Phetchaburi (80B,1½ chase. There isatleastoneair-con busper andticketthe windowforassistance pur- sure toignoreBe thetoutshere andgoto thecountry. many destinationsthroughout Liap ThangRotFai, hasair-con to buses the Hotel).Siripetchkasem onThSasong(outside GardenHouse Rajana There are frequent trainsrunningto/from There are air-con to/fromBangkok’s buses The maingovernment onTh busstation, Moo·ay tai . Alsoknownasthe fighters; formanyit’stheironlyway grà·bèe grà·borng isknownasthe‘scienceofeight moo·ay tai ram moo·ay wâi kroo (stickandsword), lonelyplanet.com . Pointsare is unique, (boxing

leave fromthecornerof ThSasongand 150B taxi ride away. The airport is6kmnorthof town–about a Getting Around Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels hamlet has caught theeyeofhamlet hascaught cinematogra- orchards andcreamy thislittle brownsands, king’s coast.Flanked byverdant pineapple travellersfor high-end headingalongthe is quicklybecomingthechoice destination Pranburi, about 35kmsouthof HuaHin, 75,000 xikI[=iu PRANBURI costs 50Bto100B per day. 1500B forasmallSuzuki4WD.Bicyclerental Tours ( p175 topayaround1300B ). Expect cluding Ken Diamond( p175 ) andWestern also bearranged atmosttravel agencies, in- and4WD rental can 600B to700Baday.Car larger bikes (400ccto750cc)are available for per dayfor100ccto125ccbikes. Occasionally, Motorcycle rates are reasonable: 200Bto250B near theSofitel HuaHinResort. Central a coupleof Kasem placesonThDamnoen ers willaskforatleasttwice this much. to ThaThiapReuaPramong,20B. Mostdriv- size of yourbags);andfromChatchai Market Naresdamri, 30Bto40B(dependingonthe 20B; fromtheair-con busterminal toTh ple fares: tothebeach, fromthetrainstation isstilloftenhaggling required. Somesam- have bythemunicipalauthorities, set been Dechanuchit. Th to AoTakiap, forresorts southof HuaHin, Motorcycles andbicyclescanberented from Even s though Local buses (10B)ands Local buses we continue todisrespect the land, wewillsoon have nothing lefttoreap.’ said, ‘forThailand naturalproducts. todevelop If the kingdom’s better habitswhenharvesting jobs, whichprompted himtobecomeinterested he insustainable endeavours. ‘It’simportant’, on ashrimpfarmasyouth.Whenthe land becameexhaustedworked manypeoplelosttheir personal storiesdetailingthereclamation ofsulliedland.He wasraisedinanearbytownand boardwalk thatwindsthroughtheforest ofgnarledbranches. Onourtour,theguideoffered interpretive centreinformal toursthroughthestate-of-the-art andthencontinuealongtheraised Rte 4, Pranburi Estuary;admissionfree; 4,Pranburi Rte mented torestore thecoastalforest and,after 12longyears,the Areclamationthis oncethrivingestuaryintoaveritable wasimmediately project desert. imple- extensive shrimpfarming hadmarred theland.The ground conditionswere inhospitable,turning In 1996the andqueenvisited thequietregionking ofPranburiandwere tofindthat shocked MANAGING MANGROVES Local environmentalistshave onanewrole–theyhave nowtaken becomeguideswho lead ǎ hm·lór fares inHuaHin ŏ rng·t NORTHWESTERN GULFCOAST ••Pranburi NORTHWESTERN h ǎ a·ou (10B) 8.30am-4.30pm) tually madeupof twodifferent properties: Several fantastic adventure fantastic activitiescanbeSeveral tling themaroundthecampusandbeyond. catering whimandshut- to guests’every super-smiley donpastel uniformswhile staff villas, somewithexquisite plunge pools.The ing andtheotherzonefeatures ultraprivate offersone section charming hotel-style lodg- 18,000B; 9Moo5,Pak NamPran;r&bungalows5500- -huahin; an extrapinch of Beach biles andcolourfulteapots give theLazy mo- and littleknick-knackssuch asseashell tinctly Mediterranean. Handcrafted furniture with anoccasionalblueaccentthatfeels dis- Theinteriorsby thesea. are white-on-white sun-drenched roomslineaminiature pasture lazybeach.com; 163Moo4;r3500-7000B; restaurants. resort most gueststend todineatthefantastic and bars alongthemainbeach street, but There are afew independentrestaurants newhotels areularity, several poppingup. As theregion continuestoincrease inpop- Police Tourist Hospital Pranburi tides. crashing resorts theseaside andthecool, path between road snakes directly alongthecoastcuttinga monly knownasPak NamPran.Along,sandy from theocean,whilebeach area iscom- seclusion. and phers onthearea’s capitalising naturalbeauty Sleeping &Eating has finallyopeneditsdoorstovisitors. Evasons Evasons Huaplee LazyBeach The region of inland Pranburisitsslightly ais

( x ( mangrove park x 0 32622111;www.sixsenses.com/evason ( 0 32515995,emergency1155) x ) Thisstunningresort isac- je ne sais quoi 0 32621757,1767)

( x 0 32630555;www.huaplee

( x a . 0 32632255; Charming, )

179

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST 08 52425268) Bangkok andPranburi(220B).Thecommu- Bangkok national park status preserving thestunning preserving national park status 300 peaks. jagged jungle isknownasthelandof the ‘rot’ Theclude myriadskyscrapingmountains. by theregion’s naturalvirtues,which in- of theancientship becameovershadowed nickname started tochange –thememory the 300saved’. After many retellings, this Sam RoiRot then on,thearea becameknownasKhao swam toshore escapingawatery grave. From Miraculously, all300individualsaboard it sprangaleakandrapidlybegantosink. ing thecoast,andwhenitreached thisregion Long ago,awoodenmerchant shipwastroll- v=mpkocsj'(k^bg*klk}ihvppvf KHAO SAMROIYOTNATIONALPARK Hua Hin airport. Taxis fromHuaHincost400B,or500B form thedriver of yourintended destination. simplyin- PranburiandBangkok, between quickly. Ifyouare tryingtoconnectacity shuttlescanfilluprather book aheadasthese out attheVictoryMonument.Itisbestto plantoget andinBangkok, sole 7-Eleven, siteThe pick-upanddrop-off isPranburi’s since theoperators speakvery littleEnglish. bealittletrickyovernication might the phone There are two Getting There&Away point of snootiness. providing getaway –almosttothe asecluded natural textiles. on Thisplacepridesitself modernamenitiesand the quietroomsfuse groundslikethe sandy an Escher print,and cross staircases and-thatch fortress. Rambling offers withinanadobe- villasandsuites set 4; r5700-20,000B; nature. surrounding the impactof tourismandfishing onthe conversation; theprimaryfocusislimiting cated management toenvironmental and The resort hasanentire departmentdedi- in withthenaturallyoccurringfoliage. treatments thatblends inagardensetting site spasoffering aneclecticassortmentof and otherwater sports.There are twoon- arranged, includingbiking,hiking,diving 180 Recently, thistropical realm wasgiven a Aleenta (‘saved’) changed to OTWSENGL OS • Ka a o o ainlPr SamRoiYotNationalPark GULFCOAST ••Khao NORTHWESTERN

( that transport passengers between that transportpassengers between x , which means‘land of roughly 0 25085333;www.aleenta.com; 183Moo minivan services ais ) Delicate Aleenta ‘yot’

andtodaythis ( x 08 60074742, sion (adult/child under14years 400/200B)at road eastof Hwy4.You’llhave topayadmis- south fromPranburiandtheotheron a coupleof checkpoints –oneontheroad RongJai.leading northfromBan There are study centre liesattheendof a1.5kmroad informationonthearea.can obtain Anature Daeng)where Khao Sam Phraya andBan you three visitors centres (Hat Sala,Hat Laem RongJaiSala, Ban Daeng)and Khao andBan Information park’s variedfauna. of itstollonthenaturalhabitat the is taking ment of shrimpfarms) industry(inthiscase Thailand’s naturalresources, theencroach- withmanyofUnfortunately, asisthecase andmonitorlizards. lins, fishing cats,serows Malayaneating macaque,slowlorises, pango- SamRoiYotincludesthecrab- around Khao the boxed text, p182 ). region’s pondsandmangroves each year(see species of migratorybirdsdescend onthe sinceover esteem, hold theparkinhigh 300 otters andpalmcivets. Bird- watchers also monkeys, Javan barkingdeer, mongooses, system that includesfriendlyduskylangur hands. Thearea ishometoavibranteco- mounds, caves andtrailsfromdevelopers’ people, can behired Pu. Youcan fromBang the beach (250Breturn), which take upto10 here. starts Tham Phraya Nakhon Boatsto bungalows anda camping area. The trailto rinas, hasasmallvisitors centre, arestaurant, three sidesbydrylimestonehillsand casua- washrooms. picnicareascilities, includingfoodstalls, and Both of thepark’sbeaches have plentyof fa- BEACHES coastline below. tothewiggling park, fromthelimestonecliffs spansthelengthof andthevista the taking Daeng. Theviewsfromthetopare breath- marked Khao trailbeginning500mfromBan Daengviewpoint Khao 45-minuteWell worththesteep climb, the Sights &Activities already paid. and are returning, showproof thatyou’ve checkpointsthese or,ifyou’ve leftthepark There are three parkheadquarters (Hat Laem Hat LaemSala Other wildlife youmaybeable tospot , a sandy beach, asandy flanked on isreached byawell- lonelyplanet.com and washrooms. is about1kminlengthandhasarestaurant trail (20minutes’ walk). also reach Puviaasteep thebeach fromBang lonelyplanet.com actually looksmore like analligator. and‘CrocodileRock’,whichourful talismans, Check out‘Pagoda Rock’,covered withcol- SiThammarat. andNakhon Bangkok between herestop off whentravelling backandforth built forKing Chulalongkorn, whowould ‘open room’witharoof butnowalls).Itwas there’s aroyal istrulymystical.Inonecaveing theeffect intheearlymorn- the sunshinesthrough made upof twolarge andwhen sinkholes, 430m trailfromHat Sala. Thecave Laem is minutes each rocky waybyfootalongasteep, about 30minutes there andback,whileit’s30 reached byboatorfoot.Thetriptakes photographed cave inThailandandcanbe a detour. The three main caves inthisparkare allworth CAVES 1 3 2 KHAO SAMROIYOTNATIONALPARK Hat SamPhraya Tham Phraya Nakhon Phraya Tham SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION apSt...... D2 Camp Site...... Park Bungalows...... Park Bungalows...... Dolphin BayResort...... Camp Site...... Camp Site...... Brassiere Beach...... Tham Sai...... Tham PhrayaNakhon...... Tham Kaew...... Khao DaengViewpoint...... Visitors Centre...... Visitors Centre...... Visitors Centre...... Park Headquarters...... Park Headquarters...... Park Headquarters...... Nature StudyCentre...... Checkpoint...... Checkpoint...... AC NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Khao SamRoiYotNationalPark GULFCOAST ••Khao NORTHWESTERN s , 5kmsouthof Hat Sala, Laem ă h·lah To Prachuap Khiri Khan ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ (40km) isprobablythemost

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9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Th Phetkasem Th D2 C3 C2 D3 C3 D2 D2 D2 D2 C3 D3 D2 C3 C2 D2 C3 C1 C3 C2 Somrong Rai Mai Ban Ban B 4 sala; Ban Sam Roi Yot To HuaHin (40km) ὅὅ ὅὅ ὅὅ an Marsh ὅὅ ὅὅ ὅὅ Marsh a school of dolphins. abreeding groundfor This bayissupposedly along theuninterrupted andspotlessbeach. offer midrange totop-endaccommodation Sam RoiYot.Here, private resorts several bayandHat towardsalongsandy turn off Just outsidethenortherlycheckpoint, roads mindfulof steep drop-offs in Be the cave. to thecave, which features alarge singlecavern. cave’s mouth.A280mtrailleadsupthehillside lamps forasmallfee fromashelter nearthe Sala andSamPhraya beaches. Youcanrent Laem about 2.3kmfromthemainroadbetween be arranged at Pu. Bang ofbecause thedangerous footing.Guidescan best visited inthecompanyof aparkguide the cave’s name,Jewel Cave). ThamKaew is they were encrusted withdiamonds(hence mations glitter withcalcite asthough crystals by aladder. andlimestonefor- Thestalactites narrow passageways; youenter thefirst cavern features of aseries chambers connected by Sleeping &Eating Khao SamRoiYot Rong Jai National Park Tham Sai Tham Kaew Tham Ban 6 To Pranburi 3 (18km) Krachom (605m) Khao isahillcave Tanot, Khung nearBan 15 2 19 4 , 2km from the Bang Pu turn-off, Puturn-off, , 2kmfromtheBang 7 10 1 18 Ban KhaoDaeng 4km 2miles 0 0 16 Hat Sam Roi Yot 9 11 Hat Sam Phraya 20 13 Bang Pu 14 Ko NomSao 12 Ban Khung 17 Tanot D 8 Ko Lam Thailand 5 Laem Ko Sattakut Sala Hat Gulf of

181

COAST COAST NORTHWESTERN GULF GULF NORTHWESTERN NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST music video on the premises. wasgettinga Thaipopstar ready toshoot a loads of personalised charm. Whenwevisited, the stunningMediterranean-style villashas tached to acolourfulminiature bra. of Each you’ll noticeisthekey toyourroom–it’sat- the coast(hence tice are twobreastlike islands bobbing just off thefirstinto Brassiere thingyou’llno- Beach, Samroiyod; villasfrom4000B; 1397; [email protected]; 210Moo 5,Tambol the national park. on offer tonearbyislandsandpeaksaround has aslipperyslide. Awiderange of tripsis frolic aroundandthelarge swimmingpool to take thefamily.There’s plentyof spaceto as 227Moo4,PhuNoi;r&bungalows1290-11,000B; resort.com; spotsfor150B at these per night. point. Two-person tents are available forrent the visitors centre Daengview- neartheKhao roofingwith metal atHat Salaandat Laem ment hires outyellowandgreen bungalows 1400B, per6-9people1600-2200B) camp siteperperson30B,bungalows5-6people1200- 30B food pricedbetween and 120B. decent locations,serving atallthese taurants Sala oratHat SamPhraya. There are basicres- DaengViewpoint,atHatnear theKhao Laem 182 You canpitch yourowntent atcampsites o Dolphin BayResort Department Forestry and mudflats,isoneofonlythree placesinthecountrywhere thepurpleheronbreeds. and black-headed ibis. The parkhasThailand’s largest freshwater marsh,alongwithmangroves ruddy-breasted jacana,grey bronze-winged crake, heron,painted stork,whistlingduck,spotted eagle recorded here. Spotters canseetheyellowbittern, cinnamonbittern, purpleswamphen,water rail, Asian andAustralian flyways,andasmany300migratoryresident birdspecieshave been along thecoastandnearnature studycentre. The parkliesattheintersection oftheEast scimitar-babbler, bluepitta,yellow-belliedwarblerandnarcissusfly-catcher. thighed falconet,brownfishowl,grey peacock-pheasant, grey baywoodpecker, treepie, large breasted malkoha,great babbler,black- barbet,white-throated laughingthrush,white-hooded wreath hornbill,silver-breasted broadbill,bandedyellow-vented pigeon,chestnut- a bitofpatience,birdsyou’re toseehere likely includetherufous-belliedeagle,orientalhobby, aroundHuaiNamYen. ofthepark,particularly parts for bird-watchingare With inthenorthern recorded inthetropical,broad-leaved evergreen forests ofthisnationaltreasure. The bestplaces that theseworld-renowned birdingsites are afeast foravidavian-spotters’ eyes. watching spot.We’llleave thebattleforthathonourtoornithologists, butthere’s nodenying SamRoiYotNationalParks KrachanandKhao Kaeng bothvieforthetitleofThailand’s top bird- FOR THEBIRDS NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Prachuap Khiri Khan &Around Khan GULFCOAST ••PrachuapKhiri NORTHWESTERN In Khao SamRoiYotNationalParkIn Khao thebestlocalestolookare aroundmarshlandareas, both Krachanissohugeitstilllargely unexplored.Kaeng Sofar,over 250birdspecieshave been ) Thiswell-pricedoptionisagreat place Brassiere Beach Brassiere (

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Theforestry depart- ( x in Bangkok025620760; Whenyoucheck ) 0 32630555,2511 off Hwy4–make at aright Km 286.5. the parkfromsouth,there’s anentrance the park’sentrance. Ifyou’re tryingtoreach Fromthere, turnright. station, it’s19kmto intersection and4kmlater, atthepolicesub- to Pranburi.InPranburiturnleftatthemain From HuaHintake Hwy4(ThPhetkasem) bycarormotorcycle. Hin andisbestseen The parkisapproximately 40kmsouthof Hua Getting There&Away Thammikaram hike the418steps tothegolden-spired bite toeat.Ifyoureally someexercise, need OK placetostretch yourlegsand grab a little burg onattractions, butit’san islight for theprovince name. withthe same The Prachuap townistheadministrative centre v.g}nv'xit&;[%uiu*yoTN PRACHUAP KHIRIKHAN&AROUND Sam park) ratherthanBan Roi Yot. to gothe sure tomentionyouwant way tothepark.Be for300B,fromPranburiallthe torcycle taxi Sala. Laem PuisvirtuallyonHatinside thepark.Bang hours)Pu,asmallvillagedaylight toBang a s other regional places). FromPranburi,take andHuaHin,aswell both Bangkok a busortraintoPranburi(possiblefrom If youdon’thave catch yourownwheels, You canalsohire for350B,oramo- ataxi ŏ rng·t ǎ a·ou (50B, every half-hour during half-hour a·ou (50B,every ù·tá·yahn hàangchâht , established byKing , established IV.Rama lonelyplanet.com (national Wat of Th Sarachip. income for the town’s inhabitants andyou’reincome forthetown’sinhabitants away. 11km top stretches westtoMyanmar’sborder,only alongtheway.Theviewfrom tainment Hordes of monkeys provide endlessenter- lonelyplanet.com and ishands downthebest optionintown. beach, andairylobby thisplacehasalight .com; 21ThSuseuk;r700-1600B; kip, butthemattresses are onthe side. stiff Thesqueakycleanunitsaretive finefora staff. rooms withfan,andhasfriendly informa- r from200B) south of town,inparticularat Ao Manao. some better onesafew kilometres north and are here afew establishments passable and leave Khan Khiri alottobedesired, butthere The accommodationoptionsinPrachuap Sleeping office Tourist Post office Police station Bank Kasikorn Bangkok Bank Sarachip, charging 30B per hour. nexttoeach8am to10pm)right otheronTh ideal formorningor ambling. twilight esplanade runsthelengthof thetown,andis bay isn’tthebestforswimming,awell-lit along the8km-longAoPrachuap. Whilethe The cityof stretches Khan Prachuap Khiri Orientation &Information trail. toget thewell-troddentourist off the effort thefew faràngthatmakealways happytosee north andsoutharoundtown,localsare hang-outs along the coast. cheaper thanatthemore populartourist here isexcellentandconsiderablyseafood coloured birds.Notsurprisingly,the sea up anddownthecoastlinelike rainbow- painted vessels brightly bobbinglikely tosee telephone officewithinternet access. offer detailedinformationof the town. endoftown.ThestaffspeakgoodEnglishand northern rlig waters. rolling have calmcasuarina-lineddunesalongquiet Prachuap town,and Fishing stillprovides themainsourceof Yuttichai Hotel There are twounsigned internet cafés(open Uncrowded beaches andbroadbayssweep Hadthong Hotel Ao Manao Yuttichai offers large, olddecent (cnr Th Maitri Ngam & Th Suseuk) Right bya Ngam&ThSuseuk)Right (cnr ThMaitri ( ( (cnr Th Maitri Ngam&ThSarachip) (cnrThMaitri (Th PhitakChat) (Th x x and NORTHWESTERN GULF COAST •• Prachuap Khiri Khan &Around Khan GULFCOAST ••PrachuapKhiri NORTHWESTERN

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( ) Rachavadee x Colourful ) 0 32695123; & dinner) If the bungalows along Bang SaphanareIf thebungalowsalongBang with plentyof thatch thatsquatbeneath offersSuan Bankrut charming bungalows www.suanbankrut.com; bungalows2200-6400B; sei restaurant. scenic hungry foryournextmealattheresort’s aks andtwoswimmingpoolswillget you are hiddeninleafythickets. Bicycles,kay- bungalows here have large verandas and theone-andtwo-bedroomas SuanBankrut, Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels stop in front of the Rama Inn, awhite hotelstop infront of theRama direction from every (70B). Buses usually 11.45am, 1pm,4pm, 6pm,7pmand8pm day at8am,9.30am,ing Chumphonevery Saphan,depart- Krut andBang tions toBan From Chumphon,there are manyconnec- Getting There&Around bungalows outthebackfor1500B per night. are plentyof smiles.There are also acoupleof isgreatis spoken, buttheseafood andthere alongthebeach.right Notadropof English Coral Hotel, I-Ta-Lay localjoint isatasty things upinsleepy Saphan. Bang shakendécor –thisnewspothascertainly grounds, ahuge swimmingpool,Asian chic bangsaphan.com; r1900-4900B; bungalows are alsoavailable for families. the area onanorganised tour. Four-person your dayswithwater sports,orexploring fridge andhotwater.rooms have TV, Fill a huge pool,avery goodrestaurant andall managed onthebeach. hotel There’s isright amid acoconutgrove, thisupmarket French- 171 Moo9;r1525B,bungalows2730-3525B; you’re ona budget.tight holiday’, buttheroomsare if cleanenough feels abitlike ‘Soviet Gulagtakes atropical full, trytheWestern Hotel. Thedrabdécor ing bamboorestaurant on the sand. hotel isbeach-adjacent andthere’s acharm- liven upthewalls,butthiscookie-cutter withafewably spartan, stencil drawingsto r 270-1500B; Hotel Vanveena BANG SAPHAN palms. furry Sailom Resort Coral Hotel Hotel Western Suan BankrutBeachResort I-Ta-Lay Asmallwhite cottage, justsouthof

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( 0 77503628-32;fax77570196; x a a 0 77504366;8SoiBangkok ( Keep aneyeoutfora ) x ) The staff here don’t Thestaff ( x a 0 77571715-22;328/15 0 77506888;66/1Th ) Thenew kid D 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 C1 C3 A2 B1 A2 C1 A1 B1 B2 C3 B2 A2 A2 B1 A2 B2 A2 C3 A2 B1 is breathing newlife intoChumphon’squiet Th SalaDaeng;r550-1600B; are sparkling clean. town. Thelobbyisabitdrab, buttherooms to spotforbusinesspeoplepassingthrough on theblock,ChumphonGardensisgo- Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels right intheheart ofright towndishes outtasty h 1972; 188/181ThKrom Luang Chumphon;dishes80-200B; conditioning over weary travellers. thatblowscoolgustsofestablishment air- options are available atthisprim, modern 50-200B; Krua Pagsod Eating &Drinking mobile phoneorasktouse someone else’s. There are a nopublicphones,soyou’llneed 45B) andthencalltheresort forafree pick-up. tre toKaao –take ataxi Piijunction(30Bto is10kmfromthecitycen- jungle vines.Tusita among apatchwork of coconutpalmsand andprivate bungalowshidden swept sand, features large teak ready tohittheislands,thisIndian-styleresort ais 259/9 Moo1,Paktako, Tungtako; bungalows6900-18,500B; want toturnalayover intoa mini vacation. getaway isagreat placetohangyourhatifyou coast nearby.Despite itschain thisplush status, from 2500B; [email protected]; 110Moo4,HatParadonpab; r grab acab for around 300B. groves. aheadtoorganise transport,or Call dering aroundthenearbyislandsandman- boat toKoTao. There are free kayaksforwan- grimy downtowncore whilewaitingforthe outsideofyou’d ratherstay Chumphon’s Lomprayah ferry pier,isascenicoptionif a .com; HatTummakam Noi;bungalowsinclbreakfast 1500B; Resort MT SEASIDE hot water for around 350B. and offeringat thetrainstation unitswithTV you’lloften however, crously high; findtouts of air-con. stale Theadvertised rates are ludi- – justmake sure reek youfindonethatdoesn’t rooms buttheinterior hassomepassable house, Jansom coulddoubleasanabandoned ware- Jansom Chumphon Hotel Jansom ChumphonHotel Papa Seafood &Papa 2000 Papa Seafood Tusita Resort Chumphon BeachResort Novotel ) lunch &dinner) Thislow-key besidethe hang-out,right h

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