Phraya Nakhon Cave

Phraya Nakhon Cave, Hua Hin Overview

Situated in the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, the Phraya Nakhon Cave is one of the most mysterious caves in Thailand. The mystery of the place owes to the fact that the cave is a little hard to reach, and not a lot of visitors manage to reach the stunning site. A revered Royal golden meeting hall, built for Rama V is the main highlight once you reach the main area.

The Phraya Nakhon Cave has two chambers with open ceilings to allow sunlight to penetrate through, rendering the place a soothing calmness. Adventurists, nature lovers, and trekkers are sure to have a fun time visiting the Phraya Nakhon Cave.

Kuha Karuhas Pavilion, the Golden Temple

Kuha Karukas Pavillion at Phraya Nakhon Cave, Hua Hin — Source

Apart from the sun shining and raindrops enlightening the interiors of the cave, the most alluring thing about the Phraya Nakhon Cave is the Kuha Karuhas Pavilion. Recognized as a symbol of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, the pavilion was built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama the Fifth) around the year 1890 AD, who too fell for the beauty of the cave. Since then, the Kuha Karuhas Pavilion has been visited by some of the prominent leaders of Thailand, such as King Prajadhipok (King Rama the Seventh) as well as the present King, King Bhumibol (King Rama the Ninth).

During your visit to theKuha Karuhas Pavilion, you can clearly observe the initials of both King Chulalongkorn and King Prajadhipok on the walls of the structure. Combination of sunshine falling directly on the pavilion and the awe-inspiring architecture is what gives you a view everyone likes to capture.

Climb to the Phraya Nakhon Cave

During your visit to the Phraya Nakhon Cave, climbing to the top is something you need to put efforts into. Although it may appear tiresome in the beginning, we promise you the scenic view from the top of the cave will definitely make up for it, soaking away all your tiredness at once. Your journey to the mystic view of the Cave will begin at the village Bang Pu. Situated close to the Laem Sala Beach, you may either rent a boat to reach the cave or opt for a thirty minute trek also leading to the very same beach. At this point of the journey, you ought to decide between a comfortable ferry ride (costing 150 to 200 baht) through the waters or a trek across a 430 meters high hill.

While the trek will pass through dense and lush green forests, the ferry ride will be fun as well, especially with the waters flowing smoothly beneath the oars. Whatever option you choose to reach the Phraya Nakhon Cave, the view moving past your eyes will be awesome for sure! Once you reach the Laem Sala Beach, you can easily observe the rocky path leading up to the cave. We would like to advise you to be careful while moving up the steps since the path is uneven throughout.

How to reach Phraya Nakhon Cave

The Phraya Nakhon Cave is situated inside the boundaries of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. The Bang Pu village, from where your journey to the cave will begin, is situated at 45 minutes’ drive from Hua Hin. The most appropriate way to reach the Phraya Nakhon Cave is to travel via road to the Bang Pu village. For this, you may either hire a taxi or rent a vehicle. From the village, it is up to your choice whether to reach the cave by boat or on foot.

Tips

1. Understand the overall map of the cave displayed at the cave’s entrance
2. Carry as light luggage with you, since the climb up the cave will be tiresome
3. Carry sufficient water during your trip to the cave
4. Do not attempt to feed the monkeys present inside the cave
5. Be sure to depart from the cave by afternoon hours as it gets dark during early evening hours