Hua Hin and the Royal Coast: Palaces, Beaches and the Cave Pavilion TRIP BLOG Photo: KOSIN SUKHUM · CC BY-SA 4.0
Thailand · Hua Hin

Hua Hin and the Royal Coast: Palaces, Beaches and the Cave Pavilion

3 DAYS 4 places by WaTrips

Rama VI's teak seaside palace, Hua Hin's royal railway station and beach, and the sunlit pavilion in Phraya Nakhon Cave.

Thailand's kings have holidayed on this coast for a century, and it's still a relaxed escape from Bangkok. See Mrigadayavan, King Rama VI's golden-teak palace on stilts by the sea, then Hua Hin's red-and-white royal railway station and its long beach. On the last day climb up to Phraya Nakhon Cave in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, where a royal pavilion sits in a shaft of sunlight. Go late morning for the best light. The coast is driest from December to May.

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STOP 1 OF 4

Mrigadayavan Palace

Mrigadayavan Palace is a royal summer residence on the coast at Cha-am, built in 1923 by King Vajiravudh. It is made of golden teak and consists of sixteen buildings raised on stilts and linked by long covered walkways, letting the sea breeze flow through. A walkway leads straight to the beach. The palace has been restored and is open to visitors.

Best weather: Nov – Mar Heavy rain: Oct
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STOP 2 OF 4

Hua Hin Railway Station

Hua Hin Railway Station is one of the oldest and most beautiful stations in Thailand. The red and cream wooden building dates from the 1910s and 1920s, when the railway made Hua Hin a royal seaside resort. Beside it stands the Royal Waiting Room, a pavilion built for King Vajiravudh. The station is still in use, though trains now also use a newer station nearby.

Best weather: Nov – Mar Heavy rain: Oct
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STOP 3 OF 4

Hua Hin Beach

Hua Hin Beach stretches for several kilometres along the Gulf of Thailand in Thailand's oldest beach resort. King Prajadhipok built his summer palace, Klai Kangwon, here in the 1920s. The beach is lined with hotels, and at its south end a hill crowned by a temple, Khao Takiab, rises from the shore. Horse rides on the sand are a long Hua Hin tradition.

Best weather: Nov – Mar Heavy rain: Oct
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STOP 4 OF 4 · LAST STOP

Phraya Nakhon Cave

Phraya Nakhon Cave is in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, the first marine national park in Thailand. After a climb over a steep headland, the path enters a huge cave whose roof has partly collapsed. Sunlight pours through the opening onto the Kuha Karuehat Pavilion, a small Thai pavilion built for King Chulalongkorn's visit in 1890. The light is best in the late morning.

Best weather: Nov – Mar Heavy rain: Oct

Seasons from 20 years of NASA POWER climate data.

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