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Welcome to the Thai Riviera on the Gulf of Siam
Sam Roi Yot National Park
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park is about 60 kms south of Hua Hin and boasts magnificent grey limestone mountains rising dramatically from the Gulf of Thailand and some picturesque islands. From these features, the park's name of "300 Peaks" derives. Wildlife includes deer, serow, macaques, dolphins, slow loris, porcupine, mongoose, linsang and langur. Khao Sam Roy Jot National Park includes Thailand's largest fresh water marsh which is a favorite among bird watchers.
More than 300 species of migratory birds break in the fresh water lagoons and mangrove swamps, especially during August and September. The park is one of only 2 sites in Thailand that support a nesting colony of purple herons. Other recorded birds include pond herons, great and small egrets, Malaysian plovers, stilts, painted storks, and eagles, including the white-bellied eagle, spotted eagle, and the imperial. Khao Saam Roy Yot also offers quiet white-sand beaches and three notable caves in the limestone hills. Tham Kaew, Tham Sai, and Tham Phraya Nakhon, the latter being the largest one, made up of 2 caverns and a pavilion, which was built in 1896 for a visit of King Rama V. Viewed in the early morning when the first light breaks through the openings in the roof of the cave, this pavilion is a spectacular and often photographed sight.
The view from the top of Khao Daeng close to the park's headquarters, offers a beautiful panorama of the park, and possible sightings of the rare serow in the surrounding cliffs. It also reveals the environmental problems of Kao Samroi Yot National Park, like encroachment of shrimp ponds into the park that have severely endangered the habitat of native and migratory wildlife. The visitor’s center at the headquarters gives some additional information. Most travel offices in Hua Hin arrange guided tours into the park for nature trekking, bird watching, visiting the caves, canal boat rides, fresh water marsh canoeing, and other great activities.
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