Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park was Thailand’s first coastal park, established in 1996 and covers an area of almost 100 square kilometers. The landscape is made up from tall limestone mountains, islands, marshes, swamps, beaches, mangroves and forests and it is full with animals and flowers.
The name translates into ‘Mountain with 300 Peaks’ after the stunning grey peaks that rise from the sea and stand at 605 meters. The mountains are covered in woodland and the freshwater marshes offer the perfect area for breeding birds. The park is split into ten distinct habitats and range from the deciduous forest to the dry limestone mountains. Bamboo swamps the foothills of the peaks and also takes pride of place in the deep valleys.
Thung Sam Roi Yot is the freshwater swamp that takes up a large area of the national park and is the largest in Thailand. It provides a vital habitat for many birds, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles and the area has been recognized by the World Conservation Union. The most captivating mountains are Khao Tham Prathun and Khao Yai due to their height and structure and thanks to the natural erosion of the limestone there are a mass of caves, abyss’ and caverns to explore.
Getting There & Away
The park is easily accessible by car from Hua Hin on a drive that will take about an hour. Hua Hin is 40 miles from the park and offers minivan tours and taxis to the area. The small airport in Hua Hin welcomes four flights a week to and from Bangkok with a flight time of 45 minutes and Bangkok hosts the nearest international airport which is the main entry point into the country.