Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, directly translating to “Mountain of 300 peaks”, was founded in 1966 and is Thailand‘s first coastal national park.
The park is a 98km squared in total area and features loads of amazing attractions that will blow your socks off and have you wondering why more people don’t visit here. Although you may be eager to head straight to the islands in the south, this park should not be missed!
Where to Stay in Khao Sam Roi Yot?
There are a few options for accommodation right within the park. Depending on your budget, you can stay in the nicer resorts, the bungalows along the coast, or to get the most bang for your baht (and get what I believe to be the best experience of the three ), you can rent a two-person tent and camp right on the beach for 200 baht a night!
If you’re wanting to book accommodation online before you travel, then you’ll need to search Sam Roi Yot on booking.com or other hotel search websites.
Pranburi is the nearest town to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and where you’ll arrive via bus or train if you’re travelling from Bangkok or elsewhere. Many travellers spend a night here before heading into the park to explore. Our favourite place to stay in Pranburi is Chill Chill Resort. A great value for money accommodation with clean rooms, strong wifi and friendly staff.
Things to do in Khao Sam Roi Yot
Explore Caves!
Perhaps the most unique feature of Khao Sam Roi Yot is the Sai and Kaeo stalagmite/stalactite caves. You’ll need a head torch or a flashlight to venture into these massively haunting caves. Once you climb down past the entrance, it becomes almost pitch black. For those of you who don’t bring your own headtorch, you can rent a flashlight for 40 THB at the entrance.
Camp At Laem Sala Beach:
If I had to choose my favourite thing to do in the national park, it would be this. After a few too many days of partying on Khao San Road, I found this calm, beautiful beach to be exactly what was needed. You can rent a two-person tent there for 100 Thai Baht per person, and there’s a small restaurant right on the beach.
However, the best part of camping here is being able to truly escape the hustle and bustle of the backpacker trail in Thailand. There are rarely ever any other people staying overnight on Laem Sala Beach, and when there are, they usually stay in the bungalows, essentially allowing you to have your own private beach for the night!
Camping at beautiful Laem Sala Beach – an awesome experience!
Phraya Nakhon Cave (Pictured)
Phraya Nakhon Cave (which is actually two connected sinkholes) hosts quite possibly the most incredible sight I’ve seen in Thailand. That is not an exaggeration.
After a 30 minute hike from Laem Sala Beach, you’ll come across the stunning Kuha Karuhas Pavilion, created in the 19th century for the visit of King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V). Because the roofs of the caves are wide open, rain and sun have allowed towering trees to exist inside the chambers and the sight is a wonder to behold.
If you can get to there earlier in the morning, you’ll be able to see the sun cascading down directly on the pavilion and perhaps more importantly, you’ll be able to beat the hoards of tourists who arrive with the first waves of boats to the path’s entrance (this is the most popular place to visit in the park).
Caves abound in Sam Roi Yot National Park
Khao Daeng Viewpoint:
If you’re up for a short – but steep – hike, make sure to also check out the Khao Daeng Viewpoint. From the top, you can see the breathtaking limestone mountains to the west and the coastline to the east.
Visit The Monkeys In The Mangroves:
Just a bit further down the road from Khao Daeng Viewpoint, you’ll find The Mangrove Forest Nature Trail. Admittedly, the mangroves aren’t what they used to be, and the boardwalk is in pretty bad shape. But despite the less-than-stellar condition of the area, you can rent kayaks for about 150 Thai baht per person and make your way through the remaining mangroves (which are still quite beautiful).
The best part of the trail, however, are the monkeys that will curiously follow you through the trees. Being able to get so close to of one of the dwindling macaque monkeys in the area, which still lives in the wild here, is worth the trip.
Eat Local! Try Squid!
There are tons of places to eat around the park, and since the park is so close to the water, seafood is served fresh daily. When camping on Laem Sala Beach, you’ll be able to see almost a dozen squid boats in the distance every night. So when you’re there, try some squid; you probably saw exactly where it came from!
Read more on the Thai National Parks website here.
How to Get to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
From Bangkok: Take a bus from the southern bus terminal to the nearest town of Pranburi. Then, you can take a songthaew to Bang Pu, a small village centrally located in the park.
However, I highly recommend that you rent a motorbike near Pranburi and drive yourself to the park. Since the park is rather large, it’s much better for you to have your own wheels (which should cost you 200 Thai baht per day). If you’re new to hiring a motorbike in Thailand, read this guide.
Where to head next?
Heading North: About 40km north of the park, you’ll come across the coastal city of Hua Hin. The city has a wonderful night market and it’s the best place to catch a bus back north to Bangkok.
Heading South: Grab a minibus (from Pranburi) to Chumpon where you can catch a ferry to Koh Tao, one of the best scuba diving destinations for backpackers! If diving isn’t your cup of tea, you can continue south to the party island of Koh Phangan, or even further to Malaysia and beyond.
Written by: Hey! My name is Mike! I’m 22 years young and after graduating college, I decided to hold off on finding a career in order to backpack Southeast Asia.
One of my favorite places 🙂