Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park
You'll pass rice fields, sugar palms, pineapple plantations, and crab farms as you make your way to this park south of Hua Hin, the gloriously named "300 Peaks." It has two main trails and is a great place to spot wildlife, especially monitor lizards and barking deer. With a little luck you might even see the adorable dusky langur in a treetop, a monkey known for the white circles around its eyes. About a kilometer (½ mile) from the park's headquarters is Khao Daeng Hill, which is worth a hike up to the viewpoint, especially at sunrise. Another 16 km (10 miles) from the headquarters is Haad Laem Sala, a white-sand beach. A steep 20-minute hike from the beach is Phraya Nakhon Cave, visited by three Thai kings for its tiny, gold-blue pavilion that features a pink curtain. Enveloped in a contemplative hush, the mystical cave with inscriptions from two kings has an opening in its roof, where sunlight shines through for a beautiful effect. Visit between 10:30 and 11 am, when sun rays fall on the evergreen trees that frame the pavilion. If you don't have a car or scooter, you'll have to take the bus to Pranburi, a 30-kilometer journey from Hua Hin. From here you take a songthaew to the park.
