Phraya Nakhon Cave, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand

5dyhx 5:00 PM Oct 27, 2022

Breathtaking sight, worth the hike
1 hr drive from Hua Hin brings you to the national park where one pays a THB200 entrance fee. From here you can hike 30mins or take a boat for THB400 (the bigger your group, the more you save) to Laem Sala Beach. No proper platform here, so you have to remove your shoes and wad into the waters to climb into the boat. There are free taps at Laem Sala Beach for you to wash up but on the return, there aren't, so we had to buy drinks from the restaurant, in order to use their tap. From Laem Sala Beach, we began our 430m hike to the cave. No short cuts here, you can only do so by foot. Some reviews said 30 mins, I didn't watch the time but it certainly felt longer than that. Thanks to those who have gone before us, while there isn't a proper paved trail, there were steps somewhat created in the stones. We followed them, huffing and panting my way to this breathtaking sight. Finally, an attraction that looks exactly like the photos! I was expecting it to feel somewhat eerie, but it was actually rather calming. Except perhaps the corner where the Ceremony of Monks were. There were 2 statues of the monks here that looked so real for a moment I really thought they were real. Then it was the same way back out but this time alot faster as it was largely downhill.

5Raintree_Thailand 5:00 PM Dec 21, 2021

Wonderful magic of Phraya Nakhon Cave!! Don't miss it!!
We have been to Hua Hin many times for holidays, but have never ventured to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park or Phraya Nakhon Cave... in part due to the many reviews that suggested the difficulty in getting to and around the park and climbing to the cave. We're glad we finally decided to visit the park and cave, which are well worth the trip and not nearly as difficult as some portray. We left our hotel in Hua Hin about 7:30 a.m., which turned out to be about perfect. Getting to the park by car was an easy one hour trip. The cost for entry for foreign visitors is 200 baht; for locals it's 40 baht. From the ticket booth area, visitors can opt for a short boat ride around the point to Laem Sala Beach, or walk a scenic trail up over a hill and down the other side to arrive at the beach. The day we visited, there didn't seem to be any boats operating, but we would have chosen to hike in any case. The hike to the beach is a couple of kilometers and takes 30 to 40 minutes. There are some very nice views out over Laem Sala Beach and the Gulf of Thailand along the path. Arriving at the beach, the path is perfectly flat for several hundred meters. From the start of the trail heading up to Phraya Nakhon Cave, to the cave itself is 625 meters but the first 200 meters or so are again flat. From then on, the remaining 425 meters are quite steep, but not as difficult as many make it sound. Anyone who is reasonable fit will not have difficulty with the climb, and there are spots to rest along the way. Some of the steps can be slippery if wet. I'm 66 years old and had no problem making the climb. My wife, who is a bit less fit, struggled somewhat, but also made it in fine shape in the end. Arriving at the cave itself, visitors walk down into a series of caverns, two of which have collapsed roofs, allowing sunlight to penetrate. The famous spot that all visitors aim for, is the final large cavern, with the pavilion strategically positioned to catch the rays of the sun penetrating the skylight from about 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. It is truly a breath-taking scene and worthy of the kazillions of photos that visitors have taken. Beyond the magic of the light shining in on the pavilion, the size of the caverns is also impressive. In two places, entire mini forests are growing within the cave, with trees over 40 meters tall not even reaching half way to the skylight opening of the cave. When you get back down to the beach from the cave, the restaurant is a nice place for smoothies and other drinks before trekking back over the hill and back to the parking area.