Sam Roi Yot National Park

Sam Roi Yot National Park

Located 63 kilometres south of Hua Hin in the vicinity of Kui Buri district, this coastal national park covers an area of 98 square kilometres with limestone mountains, mangrove swamps, and beaches. It is also home to various kinds of local and migrating birds, which are plentiful from November to February. With a large number of ridges, Khao Sam Roi Yot (or the mountain of 300 peaks) stands as a landmark for seamen and also provides a good shelter for ships during a storm. To get to the park, follow the direction signs marking the remaining distances of 38 and 15 kilometres at Km. 256 and Km.286.5, respectively. Admission is 200 baht per person.

Attractions within the park area include:

Hat Sam Phraya, located 3.5 kilometres north of the park office, is a beautiful beach lined with pine trees. Accommodation is available.

Tham Kaeo is situated some 23 kilometres from Pran Buri or 15 kilometres north of the park office. This cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites. Oil lamps can be rented at a nearby village for exploring the cave.

Tham Sai, is 9 kilometres north of the park office. Exploration inside the cave takes about half an hour. Oil lamps can be rented at nearby Khung Tanot Village.

Hat Laem Sala is located 16 kilometres north of the park office. It can be reached by boat or walking across a hill from Bang Pu Village. Walking up a beachside mountain for a while, visitors will arrive at a famous cave called "Tham Phraya Nakhon". The cave has a big hole through which a shaft of light reaches and permits the growth of various kinds of plants. Phra Thi Nang Khuha Kharuhat, a Thai style pavilion, lends the most attractive sight to the cave and has become the symbol of Prachuap Khiri Khan. It is a four-porched building first constructed in Bangkok in 1890 during the reign of King Rama V, then dismantled and moved to the cave where it was reconstructed. Its gable tops were raised by the King himself.

In addition, there is a viewpoint on Khao Daeng, 400 metres from the park office and Ban Khao Daeng, a canalside village, which is the starting point for a 1 hour boat trip to watch wild birds.

Namtok Huai Yang National Park

Namtok Huai Yang National Park This 16-square kilometre-park covers a forested area on the Tanao Si Mountain Range. A 5-layer waterfall, Namtok Huai Yang, near the park office is its main attraction. The highest elevation is the 1,251-metre Khao Luang mountain. Admission is 100 baht per person. Accommodation is available near the park headquarters.

Thai Elephant Week

Thai Elephant WeekDate : 13 March 2009Venue : Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, Lampang
Thailand’s most noble beast, the elephant is the star of two important events this month. In the northern province of Lampang, people interested in the welfare and care of these noble animals gather for Thai Elephant Week, 13 March at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre.
The scene of documentary films made for worldwide TV audience, the conservation centre, located in Hang Chat district in Lampang province, is a renowned refuge where elephants, both healthy and invalid, can be cared for and respected.
In this day visitors can learn from mahouts about the traditions and practices that help to maintain an elephant’s health and well-being. On the lighter side, visitors can also join the mahouts, feeding the elephants in the style of the northern Khantok dinner. Considered an ancient royal tradition adopted by princes and high-ranking officials of the Lanna Kingdom, the Khantok dinner is at the pinnacle of traditional northern cuisine.

So what better way to recognise and respect our elephants than to give them a Khantok treat?
For more informationTAT Chiang Mai Office, Tel 66 (0) 5324 8604, 66 (0) 5324 8607Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, Tel 66 (0) 5424 7979http://www.thailandelephant.org/

Hua Hin

The provincial capital is a fishing port with a superb location beside beautiful curving bays and amongst steep mountain outcrops. About 100 kilometres to the north of Prachuap Khiri Khan is Hua Hin, Thailand’s first beach resort which is renowned for golf and spa. Between Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan are Pran Buri with many boutique resorts and Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with soaring peaks, numerous caves and exotic bird life.
Hua Hin
281 kilometers south of Bangkok, Hua Hin, which literally means stone head in Thai, is the oldest beach resort of the country and is still very popular. Clean white sand, crystal clear water and a tranquil atmosphere has continued to attract tourists in search of peaceful and relaxing holidays.
The town was originally known as Ban Samoe Rieng, or Ban Laem Hin (Stony Point Village). The construction of a railway station in the city as part of the Southern Railroad in the reign of King Rama VI resulted in making Hua Hin stand out from many quite fishing villages. In addition, the construction of a Summer Palace of King Rama VII totally transformed the village into a high-society resort town for royalty. Even today, the Royal Family continues to reside at the Palace for part of the year.
Hua Hin’s consequence came with the opening of the Railway Hotel (known today as the Sofitel Central Hotel), an elegant Victorian-style resort hotel, and also the countrys first standard golf course. A cluster of royal and high-society residences gradually became more visible resulting in the transformation of the whole village into the first seaside resort of the country, where visitors could enjoy swimming, fishing, and golfing in the country’s first standard golf course.Today, Hua Hin is a well-established beach destination with word-class facilities coupled with a true sense of Thai hospitality. Despite its expansive growth and development as a luxurious destination, the splendor of Hua Hin remains intact. Remaining content in itself, Thailand’s oldest seaside resort has never sought international recognition. It has continued to provide a peaceful and relaxed sanctuary in a picturesque environment that comes with a true sense of historical identity.