About 3 hours south of Bangkok you fill find the small coastal city Hua Hin. This is a vacation spot for locals and the king of Thailand has a summer palace here. Over the years it has grown in popularity among international tourists and it is also one of the best spots for kiteboarding in Asia. If you are looking for something besides the 7 km long beach there to do, here are some of my suggestions on day trips.
Phraya Nakhon Cave day trip
Phraya Nakhon Cave is loacated in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park which is about a 45 minutes drive from Hua Hin.
There are group tours that goes there as well as private tours, but you can also rent a scooter and drive there yourself. Another option is going by tuktuk or taxi and pay them to take you there. Be aware that you will need them to wait for you as the entrance to the cave is remote with only a few shops in front of it.
The hike is ranked as moderate and will take you 30-40 minutes to complete. It will be a steep climb until you start descending into the cave and reach The Royal Pavillion that is located there. Before starting the climb to the cave you will have to either hike a short 430 meter hill or take the boat around it to the beach. If the wind is strong and the waves large, the boat will not be an option and you will have to do the hike before even starting the one for the cave which will take about 20 minutes or so.
Both of the hikes have very uneven steps making it more difficult to set a good rhythm. What surprised me when I reached the cave was there was a street dog walking around. It had probably followed a group of people at one point and decided to stay or walk back every day as well. There are also guards in the cave that will make sure you do not do anything illegal or step past the protective barrier to The Royal Pavillion.
Best tips before going: To bring water may seem basic, but once you pass the last resaturant before the cave entrance there will not be a chance to buy more. There is also public bathrooms you can use there if needed. Also, wear comfortable shoes as the field is very uneven.
Fitness level needed: As mentioned it is at a moderate level, but if you have not hiked in humidity before this might make the trip more difficult. When I went I saw families with kids of all ages, elderly and a woman using crutches. Though I do not recommend going there if you are using crutches, but props to the lady that did so.
Monkey Mountain is a must
7 kilometers south from Hua Hin city centre you will find a temple called Wat Khao Takiab Krom Luang Chumphon which has a large group of macaque monkeys, hence the name monkey mountain.
They are indeed very cute, friendly and curious monkeys. The first time I visited was in 2015 when the monkey population seemed to be even larger than now. They all gathered around me and my friend, while I shied a bit away my friend was circled by them. Until one jumped on me from the shed I was hiding under and I let out a small, surprised scream.
The monkeys did not scatter, but looked surprised. It made for a nice photo until the monkey decided it had gotten what it came from and jumped off. They are not aggressive, but can follow you around or grab your items. So be careful with your valuables, if they get ahold of it you might never get it back.
If you access the temple from the beach you will have to walk up quite a few steps, but you will then pass by a large golden Buddha that looks out over the ocean.
I also met this cute little dog down by the Buddha and he kept me company while it rained. As I started walking the stairs he decided to join me and ran ahead, but never further away from me than he could see. There was three Thai guys walking down while we walked up and it must have looked like it was my dog that was stopping every so often to look at me just a few steps ahead.
This will not take up your whole day so you can plan to do water activites by the beach before or after visiting the monkeys. If you start the rather late and it is the weekend you will have the opportunity to visit Cicada Market or Tamarind Market that is located close by to monkey mountain.
Bueng Bua Wood Boardwalk
It is loacated in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and if you are not doing a tour you can combine it with Phraya Nakhon cave as a day trip. Though they are quiete far from eachother as you can only enter Bueng Bua from the opposite side of where Phraya Nakhon cave is.
The wetland is the home to over 300 species of birds and an incredible amount of water lilies. Water lilies in Thailand often bloom all year round, but if you want to ensure you see them in their full glory I suggest coming early in the morning.
As you might see I missed out on the blooming time as I arrived rather late in the day. The boardwalk gives you an amazing view over the wetland but there is even set up an higher venture point if you want a better view. It is also possible to board a boat that will take you around the wetland if you wish to have a closer look. Personally, I was quite content with just walking around and as the sun was about to set, I would rather start the journey back to Hua Hin a bit earlier than have to start riding the first part in the dark.
Rover Saga 