Thailand

Cha Am

Cha-am and Hua Hin are both closely associated with Thai royalty, and located on the sunrise side of the Thai Gulf, some 3 hours southwest of Bangkok, are essentially quiet and relaxing seaside resorts ideal for family vacations.

Although merely some 25 kilometres apart, the resorts are each in neighbouring provinces, Cha-am in Phetchaburi, and Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Both enjoy a wealth of satellite attractions, prominent among them national parks and historic cities.

Cha-am (160 kilometres southwest of Bangkok)

Immediate & Related Attractions

Cha-am Beach The extensive and popular beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful on the western side of the Thai Gulf.

Phra Ratchaniwet Marukkhathaiyawan

This beachside wooden palace was formerly used as a royal summer residence by King Rama VI during the 1920s. The palace is contained within the Border Patrol Police Headquarters south of Cha-am on the road to Hua Hin. Kaeng Krachan National Park Thailand's largest National Park is located some 50 kilometres northwest of Cha-am. The park extends towards the Burmese border to the west, is characterised by a topography of forested hills and mountains, and waterways, and has as a major focal point the Kaeng Krachan Dam, a 58- metre-high and 760-metre-long structure that dominates a scenic reservoir.

Chao Samran Beach

This scenic beach, 51 kilometres north of Cha-am, is one of several popular beaches to the east of Phetchaburi provincial capital. Khao Wang This 92-metre hillock on the northern approach to Phetchaburi provincial capital (some 36 kilometres north of Cha-am), supports the Phra Nakhon Khiri palace constructed in 1860 by King Rama IV (King Mongkut). Phetchaburi residents refer to it as Khao Wang, literally Palace Hill. The area is now known as Phra Nakhon Khiri National Museum and is open to the public every day from 9.00 AM until 4.00 PM. Admission is 10 baht per person. Visitors may walk to the hillttop complex, or ascend by cable car. Khao Luang Cave This picturesque cave, some 5 kilometres from Khao Wang, contains a Buddha image cast by the royal command of King Chulalongkorn to honour his father, King Mongkut.

Special Event

Phra Nakhon Khiri Fair

Each February, the hilltop Phra Nakhon Khiri palace in Phetchaburi becomes the focal point of a popular fair which features light & sound presentations, bazaars, folk entertainment and other special activities.

Shopping

Hua Hin is best known for its cotton products, which come in a wide range of prints and colours, and its dried seafood products which enjoy enduring appeal among those who favour Thai and Chinese cuisine. A nightly street market in Hua Hin is the favourite venue for shoppers. Phetchaburi has long been renowned for the excellence of its Thai-style sweets which include subtle custards and e g g - b a s e d confectionery. Several s p e c i a l t y sweet shops are located at the foot of Khao Wang on the northern outskirts of the provincial capital.

How To Get There

By Bus

Airconditioned coaches and nonairconditioned buses leave Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal every day for the approximately 3-hour trip to Cha-am and Hua Hin. For further details, please contact Bangkok 434-5558 (non-air) or 414- 4978-9 (air).

By Rail

Several trains leave Bangkok's Hualampong Railway Station daily for Hua Hin. The trip takes approximately 4 hours depending on the type of train (Sprinter, express, rapid, etc.) Please contact Bangkok