A seaside province south of Bangkok, Prachuap
Khiri Khan is organizing a tourism festival from 21 February to 2 March 2014
for visitors to explore its places of interest, as well as local culture and
lifestyle.
The 10-day festival, “Travelling to Prachuap
Khiri Khan, the Wonderful City of Three Bays," takes place at a public
park in front of the Town Hall and at the seaside of Prachuap Khiri Khan Bay.
This event includes cultural performances, a
light and sound show on the city's history, a boat trip to appreciate the
beauty of Prachup Khiri Khan Bay, and sale of local products. The province
expects to welcome 250,000 visitors during the festival this year, an increase
from 230,000 last year.
Prachuap Khiri Khan is endowed with natural
beauty and rich in history. Dubbed “City of Three Bays,” the province boasts
many natural attractions. Its three bays include Ao Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ao
Manao, and Ao Noi. Ao Prachuap Khiri Khan is eight kilometers long. Ao Manao is
beautifully curved and situated near Ao Prachuap Khiri Khan. This scenic bay is
ringed by a clean white-sand beach. This area used to be a landing site of
Japanese forces during the Second World War. As for Ao Noi, it is popular for
cycling along the beach. There is also a road linking Ao Noi with Ao Prachuap
Khiri Khan.
Hua Hua, a popular beach resort, is a district
of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Inside the town are some markets and numerous
international restaurants and souvenir shops. There is a white, sandy beach,
which stretches over five kilometers. Since waves in this area are usually not
very strong, the beach is perfect for swimming.
King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) built Klai Kangwon
(Far from Worries) Palace in the style of Spanish architecture in 1929 as his
summer residence in Hua Hin. Today, Their Majesties the King and Queen are
staying at this palace. Hua Hin, with its pleasant and pristine beaches, was
the venue of some of His Majesty the King’s earliest work in the 1950s. It is
now receiving greater attention as a prime seaside resort in a classical
atmosphere, preserved for the present and the future.
Visible from almost anywhere in Prachuap Khiri
Khan is Khao Chong Krachok, or Mirror Tunnel Mountain. It features a small
pagoda and a troop of playful monkeys, with highlight on a panoramic view of
the coastline and seascape.
Another major tourist destination in this
province is Khao Sam Roi Yot, situated in Kui Buri district and recognized as
Thailand’s first marine national park. Literally meaning the “mountain of 300
peaks,” Khao Sam Roi Yot consists of high limestone mountains, a wide plain,
and several islands.
The national park is a favorite destination for
bird watchers, as many migratory fowl visit the freshwater lagoons and mangrove
swamps there each year, especially in August and September.
(thailand.prd.go.th)