T.I.C.D.: Prachuap Khiri Khan coast & islands (Part I: Hua Hin, Pranburi, Sam Roi Yot & Kuiburi)
Part one of the islands and coastal shores of Prachuap province, condensed.
Welcome back to the Thai Island & Coastal Directory, a book-in-progress that promises to be the most complete guide to coastal Thailand ever written in English, covering more than 800 islands and all 24 coastal provinces.
For info on how to use the T.I.C.D. and a working Table of Contents, paddle here.
T.I.C.D. ticker: So far, we’ve covered 363 islands and 127 notable mainland areas in 28 sections, including this one.
Entering Prachuap Khiri Khan province…
Prachuap Khiri Khan coast, islands & inland reaches
Reaching for some 260 km on the W side of the Upper Gulf, ‘Prachuap’ has the longest seacoast of any Thai province. Its tall-and-skinny, hourglass-shaped terrain lies between the Gulf to the E and the Tanao Sri Mountains that form the Myanmar border in the W. At one point, in Dan Singkhorn, a mere 12 km separates sea and border at one of the two narrowest points in Thailand.
Beaches comprise most of this 6,367 sq.-km province’s coastline; another one always seems to wait beyond the next headland. Monkey-filled temples, shrines and caves top many of the rocky hills that separate the sands. Only a few of Prachuap’s beaches make my ‘great’ category, let alone ‘brilliant,’ but their sheer length and abundance is enough to attract millions of travelers each year.
Many are drawn to the hip and bustling beach city of Hua Hin along with a host of quieter beaches further S, such as Hat Pranburi, Hat Sam Roi Yot, Ao Manao, Hat Ban Krut and Ao Bang Saphan Yai. Between these you’ll find dozens of minimally developed beaches whose names are not easy to recall, even if my memories of some are indelible. Seaside picnics in solitude come to mind.
Prachuap also has at least 23 islands, though most are slight rocky isles and only one, Ko Thalu, is (barely) open for overnight stays. Many of Prachuap’s islands are part of three relatively small coastal NPs: Khao Sam Roi Yot, Hat Wanakhon, and Ao Siam. These are all worth a look, as are a few inland NPs: Kaeng Krachan (S part only unless crossing into Phetchaburi), Nam Tok Huai Yang, and Kui Buri, which is the best place in Thailand to watch wild elephants and gaur.
Coconut groves abound as well, particularly in Prachuap’s S districts.
No Thai province beats Prachuap for coastal road trips in my opinion (though Chanthaburi and Chumphon come close). The train also stops in all of Prachuap’s district centers, making it conducive to a “hop on hop off” type of trip that might cover, for example, Hua Hin and Mueang Prachuap along with some of the NPs and quieter beach towns. Ban Krut is a notably pleasant one.
For a bit of trivia, Prachuap’s urban areas are unusual in a couple of ways. First, Mueang Prachuap is one of only a few Thai provincial capitals with a beach set within the downtown area. And second, the fact that Hua Hin has a larger population than Mueang Prachuap makes Prachuap Khiri Khan one of only a few Thai provinces in which the largest city is not also the provincial capital. The only others, I believe, are Songkhla (Hat Yai), Tak (Mae Sot) and Prachinburi (Kabinburi).
Coastal areas and islands below are arranged from N to S.