Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

Khao Sam Roi Yot — “the mountain of three hundred peaks” — is Thailand’s first coastal national park, about an hour south of Hua Hin. Limestone peaks rise straight off the coastal plain over beaches, freshwater marshes and mangroves, but the sight most people come for is the Phraya Nakhon Cave and the royal pavilion inside it. Entry is 200 THB for foreign adults, and the park is open daily, roughly 08:00 to 16:30.

Phraya Nakhon Cave and the pavilion

Inside a collapsed cavern stands the Kuha Karuhas Pavilion, a small golden sala built in 1890 for a visit by King Rama V. On a clear late-morning, sunbeams drop through the hole in the cave roof and light the pavilion directly — the shot that put this park on the map. Getting there is a effort: from the park you either take a short boat to Laem Sala Beach (about 400 THB return) or walk in, then climb a steep 30–45 minute trail up to the cave mouth.

Insider Tip: Time your climb so you’re at the pavilion between 10 and 11am from November to March — that’s when the light beam is strongest. Start early to beat both the heat and the mid-morning arrivals.

The rest of the park

Beyond the cave, Khao Sam Roi Yot is a patchwork of peaks, beaches and Thailand’s largest freshwater marsh, and it’s a serious birdwatching site — painted storks, purple herons and hundreds of other species. There are viewpoints, mangrove boardwalks and quiet beaches that see a fraction of the crowds of the islands.

Watch out: The cave hike is steep and rocky, not a stroll — unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues, and hard going in the heat. Food inside the park is limited to basic stalls, so bring water and snacks.

Khao Sam Roi Yot is at Khao Daeng, Kui Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan. View on Google Maps.