Prachuap Khiri Khan can be described as an unspoiled sleepy beach town. Unlike the hot tourist parts of Thailand, the beaches of Prachuap Khiri Khan are not yet fully discovered by the hoard of tourists. Commonly pronounced as Prajuap Kiri Kan, or generally called Prajuap, it is a perfect place to relax and unwind. In central Thailand, this city is located in the South Eastern Coastal part. In the past, the city used to be a favorite holiday destination of the Royal family. The beaches of this town are calm and tranquil, perfect for swimming, snorkeling or sunbathing, away from the choking crowd of Pattaya.
Along with the beaches, the Limestone Mountains are worthy of a visit. The beaches are not so crowded as the rest of the towns of Bangkok and perfect to enjoy the seafood of the area.
1. If you are an early bird, start your day with the sunrise of the Prachuap Bay
The rising of the sun from the sea-side of any town in Thailand is indeed an extraordinary experience one can have. The bay is located further north to the famous Ao Manao Beach. Open in the east, the bay gives an excellent vision of the Eastern sky over the sea and the limestone Mountains.
Prachuap Bay
Website: Prachuap Bay
2. Visit the Ao Manao beach
The Ao Manao beach is located near the Wing 5 Royal Thai Air Force. The beach remains clean as it gets cleaned by the Royal Air Force. The limestone rocks rising from the clear water are the specialty of the Ao Manao beach. The north part of the beach is full with deck chairs where you can spend quality time sipping beach cocktails. The beach is also good for swimming or sunbathing. If you are looking for further adventures, you can opt for quad-biking, horse-riding, archery, etc. This beach is mostly favored by the natives of Thailand for their quiet weekend gate-away.
Ao Manao beach
Address: Wing 5, the Prachuap Airbase, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Website: Ao Manao beach
3. Search for some peace and quiet at Ao Noi Bay
If you don’t like the tourist grandeur of the Ao Manao beach of Prachuap Khiri Khan, then take a drive through the bay of Ao Noi. Ao Noi Bay is connected with the Ao Prachuap Khiri Kan Bay. The best time for visiting this bay area is early morning or the late evening, at the time of sunset. The entire area is also good for taking a bike ride. Here, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the ocean and the nearby islets along with the limestone mountains. For those of you up for more adventure, visit the teak temple Wat Ao Noi.
Ao Noi Bay
Website: Ao Noi Bay
4. A trip to the Wat Thammikaram or Monkey temple
The Wat Thammikaram or Monkey temple gives you an awesome taste of an adventurous trip through a hill full of monkeys. The temple is located at the top of Khao Chong Krajok hill, which gives a 360-degree view of the whole town from the top. The mouth of the staircase which leads to this temple is located at the Sao Noi Road, there are a total of 418 steps which lead to the top of the hill, into the temple. The troop of monkeys live on the way, but enjoy their sight and presence from afar, don’t try to disturb them or to feed them to avoid any unseen attack.
Wat Thammikaram or Monkey temple
Address: Sao Noi Road, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Website: Wat Thammikaram or Monkey temple
5. Trek to the Khao Lommuak mountain
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The hill of Khao Lommuak starts from the Airforce base of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The whole area of Khao Lommuak is preserved for the amazing monkeys of this area. Climbing to the top of Khao Lommuak is not a hardship, just a bit of lengthy exercise. The site opens to the public early morning, so to avoid the direct glare of the sun, you can start early.
Khao Lommuak mountain
Address: Khao Lom Muak Ko Lak, Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77000, Thailand
Website: Khao Lommuak mountain
6. Climb till Khao Chong Krachok monastery
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The Khao Chong Krachok monastery is located at the top of the mountain. The temple is famous for having the footprints of Lord Buddha. You have to climb 395 steps to reach the top of the mountain. The monastery has a small picturesque pagoda. This place is also full of monkeys which you can admire from afar.
Khao Chong Krachok monastery
Address: Tambon Ao Noi, Amphoe Mueang, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Website: Khao Chong Krachok monastery
7. A visit to the Phraya Nakhon Cave
In a day trip, a visit to the Phraya Nakhon Cave is a must from Prachuap Khiri Khan. It is one of the mysterious landmarks of the country. Stepping into this cave is like stepping into the world of Indiana Jones. The cave is located inside the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. The cave of Phraya Nakhon is mainly divided into two chambers. The sunlight passes through the ceiling of the caves and illuminates the chamber inside. The calm and tranquil atmosphere of the cave can also be termed as mysterious and surreal.
The Phraya Nakhon Cave
Address: Amphoe Sam Roi Yot, Chang Wat Prachuap Khiri Khan 77120, Thailand
Website: The Phraya Nakhon Cave
8. A visit to King Mongkut Memorial Park of Science and Technology Waghor
King Mongkut Rama IV established this science museum in the year 1989 to showcase his father’s study in the scientific field. One of the main attractions of this science museum is Waghor Aquarium. The other attraction of this place is the butterfly garden.
King Mongkut Memorial Park of Science and Technology Waghor
Address: Moo 4, Tambon Khlong Wan, Amphoe Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan, 77000, Thailand
Website: King Mongkut Memorial Park of Science and Technology Waghor
9. Take a day trip to the Namtok Huay Yang National Park
Apart from the immense beauty of nature, the Namtok Huay Yang National Park has a multi-tier waterfall which is called Huay Yang waterfall. A day trip from the city Prachuap Khiri Khan is enough to admire the beauty of this National Park. You can see the wild animals around the park, like wild boar, leopards, indochinese serow, barking deer, langur, gibbons, porcupines, etc. Apart from the famous waterfall, there are also some other waterfalls, like Bua Sawan Waterfall, Huai Hin Dat Waterfall, Kha Aon Waterfall, and Khao Lan Waterfall.
Namtok Huay Yang National Park
Address: Namtok Huai Yang National Park, Tambon Huai Yang, Amphoe Thap Sakae, Prachuap Khiri Khan, 77130, Thailand
Website: Namtok Huay Yang National Park
The beach, bay and the seafood away from the choking crowd
Along with the various religious places and the vast coastline, the town is also best for the culture and friendly people. The charm of this town cannot be tested fully unless you are trying some of its seafood. The combination of beach, bay and the seafood are perfect for your quiet beachside holiday in tourist-favorite Thailand.
History
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