Khao Phlai Dam

Khao Phlai Dam isn’t the alpine peak its name suggests — it’s a low coastal hill, roughly 100-150 metres above sea level, straddling the boundary between Sichon and Khanom districts in Nakhon Si Thammarat. What draws visitors here is the road that runs along its flank: an 8 km stretch of coastal highway connecting Sichon and Khanom, regularly cited as one of the most scenic drives on the Gulf of Thailand coast. It also happens to be practical — the route shaves roughly 33 km off the older inland road between the two districts.

The land here is protected rainforest and scrub covering about 2,618 rai (420 hectares), and it’s genuinely wild in one specific way: an estimated 100-plus wild deer live along the roadside and adjoining bush, along with serow, barking deer, and mouse deer deeper in the terrain. Deer sightings from the car are common enough that locals treat the road itself as a wildlife-watching drive, not just a scenic one. Several pull-offs along the way — including a spot known locally as Plai Jamroen viewpoint — give unobstructed views over the Gulf, and the road undulates over low ridges the whole way, so the sea keeps disappearing and reappearing as you drive, cycle, or ride.

Insider Tip: Treat this as a drive-and-stop viewpoint route rather than a hike. There’s no marked summit trail — the appeal is the road itself, the pull-off viewpoints, and the beaches you can detour to along the way.

Two beaches sit directly on this stretch of coast: Ao Thong Yang, right at the base of the hill, and Ao Thong Yi a little further along toward Khanom. Both are quiet compared to the developed beaches further south, with none of the resort infrastructure you’d find in Khanom town itself. The road also runs close to Khanom-Mu Ko Thale Tai National Park, which covers the nearby coastline and islands.

Early morning is the best time to drive it — softer light for photos, cooler temperatures, and better odds of spotting deer before the day’s traffic picks up. A car or motorbike from Sichon town gives the most flexibility to stop wherever a viewpoint looks good; there’s no fixed parking area or ticket gate, just pull-offs along the road.