Towering limestone outcrops form a rocky, jigsaw-puzzle landscape at Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park (Three Hundred Mountain Peaks, thainationalparks.com/khao-sam-roi-yot-national-park; per person 200฿), located about 30km from Pranburi.
Arguably the most famous attraction in the park, Phraya Nakhon Cave (200฿) rewards visitors willing to hike an hour along a rocky pathway – much of it uphill – with a two-chambered cave housing the beautiful royal Kuha Karuhas Pavilion, which at around 11am is bathed in a single ray of bright sunshine. The four-gabled pavilion was built by master artisans to commemorate Rama V’s visits to the cave between 1863 and 1890. Phraya Nakhon Cave has seen a number of royal visitors all the way back to the time of Rama I, who sought shelter from a storm at nearby Hat Laem Sala, a beach 400m from the mouth of the cave.
Unfortunately for visitors not fond of hiking, the one-hour estimated hiking time can seem like at least twice that amount since you must climb up and over Tian Mountain. Luckily, a boat from the parking lot to Hat Laem Sala cuts the walking time in half. At 200฿ a person, it is money well spent for people who either don’t hike very often or do not do well in heat and humidity.
While you're in the park, you can hire a covered boat at Wat Khao Daeng for a one-hour scenic cruise along Khlong Khao Daeng. There are great mountain views and you’ll also see birds, macaques, water monitors and mudskippers.
Birders descend on the park during the cool season from November to March to see some of the park's 300 migratory and resident species. At the intersection of the East Asian and Australian migration routes, Khao Sam Roi Yot is home to yellow bitterns, purple swamphens, ruddy-breasted crakes, bronze-winged jacanas, black-headed ibises, great spotted eagles and oriental reed warblers.
Most travelers visit on a day trip from Hua Hin or Prachuap Khiri Khan, both around 50km from the park. There's no public transport, so you'll need to come with your own wheels. If you choose to stay overnight, there are bungalows at Khao Daeng, but most people prefer accommodation just outside the park at Hat Sam Roi Yot beach.
