Prachuap Khiri Khan…a town of three gulfs

from When I think of the seaside town which is not far from Bangkok, the first one in my mind is Prachuap Khiri Khan. It heads to the south of Bangkok about 290 km. It is a long and narrow province in the Western Thailand. The geographic of this province is steep area between the Gulf of Thailand on the east and the Tanao Si Mountains on the west. The narrowest area on the west of Thailand was recorded at 10.96 km. from the seaside of Ban Wang Duan, Tambon Haui Sai to the top of Hup Phueng Mountain on the Tanao Si Range, the border of Thai-Myanmar. We can see this point on the Phet Kasem Road, the National Highway No.4, at KM340.4 near the14th Border Police Fort.

Tanao Si Range at the Dan Singkhon, the border pass Thai-Myanmar

Prachuap Khiri Khan Town, view from the top of the Khao chong Krachok

Prachuap Khiri Khan Town, view from the top of the Khao chong Krachok

The featured of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province is every district lines on the seaside. It is along seaside, 224.8 km. length. The Prachaup Khiri Khan Province is divided into 8 districts, Hua Hin, Bang Saphan, Sam Roi Yot, Kui Buri, Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thap Sakae, Bang Saphan, Bang Saphan Noi.

There are many beautiful beaches in every district. The most famous is Hua Hin. By the way the Pran Buri becomes a famous beach too. In the other hand, we can drive on the the local roads along the seaside from the Hua Hin to the Bang Saphan Noi. We can visit many beautiful beaches along the length of this seaside province.

Hat Khao Kalok

Here I only talk to the three gulfs of Prachup Khiri Khan, Ao Noi, Ao Prachuap, Ao Manao. The Ao in Thai means a gulf.  If you love peace and calm beach and a nice small town, the Prachuap Khiri Khan Town is so properly. It is a small nice town although it is the administration center of this province. The restaurants and pubs are closed after 11 pm. What a peaceful town like this!

Prachuap Khiri Khan and the three gulfs, thank you for Google Map

Walk street at Ao Prachuap, every shops were closed 

The Ao Noi, it is the smallest gulf of these three. It is on the north of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Town. There is a peace small beach here. The south end of the gulf is the Khao Ta Monglai Forest Park.

Ao Noi in the far most, Khao Ta Mong Lai and the beach on the north of Prachuap Khiri Khan Town

The Ao Prachuap is in front of Prachuap Khiri Khan town. It is the biggest gulf of these three gulfs. There is a mountains on the end of the gulf between Ao Noi and Ao Prachuap. It was named the Khao Ta Monglai. It was reserved as the Khao Ta Monglai Forest Park. Khao in Thai means a mountain.

Khao Ta Monglai

Khao Ta Mong Lai

Sunrise, Khao Ta Monglai

There is a beach on the north  which lines between the Khao Ta Mong Lai and the Khao Chong Krachok. We can picnic in the shadow of some pine trees on this beach.

The beach nearby the Khao Ta Monglai

The Khao Chong Krachok statutes on the north of the town. There is a wonderful viewpoint on the top of the mountain. The highlight on the top is a pavilion where makes us feel fresh by the wind. We deeply breathe some ozone from the sea. By the way the height of a stairway to the top of the Khao Chong Krachok is not any problem, besides the monkeys. There are some monkeys take await to feeding from the tourist. The most of them are naughty so please beware the bags, the cameras or something else.

Khao Chong Krachok

A stairway to the Khao Chong Krachok is full of the monkeys.

Ao Prachuap view from the top of the Khao Chong Krachok

Saranwithi Fishing Pier

Saranwithi Fishing Pier

I have always stayed at Prachuap Beach Hotel when I want to stay in the town. It is a small hotel. The view from the rooms are quite good. You will be stunning with sunrise and sunset in every room here. Moreover it is not expensive. They serve a cup of coffee in the morning but don’t have breakfast here. It is not any problem for me. There are many delicious restaurants in the town.

View from the room of the Prachuap Beach Hotel

Ao Prachuap Sunset, view in front of the Prachuap Beach Hotel

Sunrise at Ao Prachuap, Khao ta Monglai

Sunrise at Ao Prachuap, Ko Lak

Mean Sea Level in Thailand Memorial 

The Ao Manao is in the fort of the Wing 5. It is very nice place. In this fort provides an accommodation for the tourists. By the way we have to reserve the room in the early when we get a plan to stay here. The accommodation is always full. The standard of room services looks like the 5 star hotel but not expensive. Because it is a welfare of the Royal Thai Air Force.

Ao Manao, Khao Lom Muak

Ao Manao

The zoo, Ao Manao, Wing 5

Sunrise, view from the room, Ban Chom Khluen

Sunrise, view from the room, Ban Chom Khluen

Ao Manao

The beach here is very nice. There is a small zoo in the other side of the beach. II is a good recreation place.

There is a mountain which partition  between the Ao Prachaup and the Ao Manao. It is called Khao Lom Muak. There is an attractive hiking. The elevation on the top of the Khao Lom Muak is 902 meters from the mean sea  level. It is not too high. This hiking is opened on the holidays at 06.00-10.30 am. The hiker must check the blood pressure before hiking. We can found the leaf monkeys here.

Khao Lom Muak, view from Ban Chom Khluen

Khao Lom Muak, view from runway Wing5

How to go to the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province? We can go there by bus, van and train. The bus departs from the Bangkok Bus Terminal every an hour since 7.30 am – 11.59 am. The van departs from the old southern bus station every 30 minutes since 05.00 am – 08.00 pm. Please Check them again before journey. The train departs from the Bangkok Station, Hua Lamphong, and Thonburi Station. Please check the timetable from the State Railway of Thailand.

Everyone!!! Who gets a plan to visits Thailand and requires a traveling plans, please send text to me on Contact.  I will give you a traveling plan and a free copy of Tout Thai Hi-Way Map 77 Provinces!!!