Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [470]
Prachuap Khiri Khan is a melange of pastel colours – a soft yellow corniche (beachfront walkway) that follows a deep swoop of mellow sand, silky blue water that gently bobs vibrant fishing boats – saddled between steep limestone cliffs and islands. Blur your eyes just a bit (well, maybe a bit more), and you could almost be in the south of France. This sleepy seaside town is actually the provincial capital, but the ambience is nicely small-town relaxed. Attractions, with a small ‘a’, include climbing to a hill-top wát while being shadowed by a troop of curious monkeys, taking a leisurely motorbike ride to the excellent beaches north and south of town, or just enjoying some of Thailand’s freshest (and cheapest) seafood.
Several street names around town commemorate the skirmish that ensued after Japanese troops landed on 8 December 1941: Phithak Chat (Defend Country), Salachip (Sacrifice Life) and Suseuk (Fight Battle).
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Information
Bangkok Bank (cnr Th Maitri Ngam & Th Sarachip)
Police station (Th Kong Kiat) Just west of Th Sarachip.
Post office (cnr Th Maitri Ngam & Th Suseuk) By the telephone office.
Prachuap Video (Th Sarachip; per hr 30B; 9am-9pm) For internet access; near Th Maitri Ngam.
Thai Farmers Bank (Th Phitak Chat) Just north of Th Maitri Ngam.
Tourist office (0 3261 1491; Th Chai Thaleh; 8.30am-4.30pm) At the northern end of town. The staff speak English.
Sights & Activities
Visible from almost anywhere in Prachuap Khiri Khan is Khao Chong Krajok (Mirror Tunnel Mountain – named after the hole in the mountain that appears to reflect the sky). At the top of a long flight of stairs up the small mountain is Wat Thammikaram, established by Rama VI. From here there are perfect views of the town and the bay – even the border with Myanmar, just 11km away. Along the way you’ll be entertained by hordes of monkeys. At the base of the mountain, the more fastidious monkeys bathe in a small pool.
Continue 4km north along the beach road and you’ll come to the small village of Ao Bang Nang Lom, where wooden fishing vessels are still made using traditional Thai methods. The industrious folk here also catch a fish called lah ching chang, which they dry and store for Sri Lankan traders. A couple of kilometres north of Ao Bang Nang Lom is another bay, Ao Noi, with a small fishing village and the comfortable Aow Noi Sea View hotel (Click here).
Six kilometres south of the city is island-dotted Ao Manao, a scenic bay ringed by a clean white-sand beach. A Thai air-force base guards access to the bay and every week the beach is given a military-grade clean up. There are several sh·lah here, along with a hotel and restaurant. You can rent chairs, umbrellas and inner tubes, and buy food and drink, while Thailand’s Top Guns relax on a golf course and driving range. The beach itself is around 3km past the base entrance, where you may need to show your passport. The beach closes at 8pm.
Around 9km south of Ao Manao, Hat Wa Kaw is a pleasant casuarina-lined beach that’s even quieter and cleaner than Ao Manao. Here you’ll find the King Mongkut Memorial Park of Science & Technology (0 3266 1098; admission free; 8.30am-4.30pm), which commemorates the 1868 solar eclipse that the king and his 15-year-old son Prince Chulalongkorn came south to witness. Unfortunately, not much is translated into English, but there is a good aquarium.
Sleeping
Development is coming slowly to Prachuap, and a few recent guesthouse openings have improved the level of accommodation. Bump up from budget to midrange and you should score yourself sea views and bright rooms. Head north and south for a few interesting places to stay on quieter beaches.
Yuttichai Hotel (0 3261 1055; 115 Th Kong Kiat; r 150-200B) A simple budget option, with cold-water showers, close to the train station. The cheapest rooms share baths, and there’s one air-con room for 400B. The cafe downstairs has decent coffee and smells like incense.
Hadthong Hotel (0 3260 1050; www.hadthong.com; 21 Th Suseuk; r 700-1100B; ) Some rooms at this multistorey