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Things You Can Do at the Bungalows of Baan Krachang
- Chill out at the floating bungalows of Baan Krachang
- Refresh and relax at the Pala U Waterfall
- Marvel at the elephants of the Kuiburi National Park
- Explore the Phraya Nakhon Cave
- Tour the ancient temples and historic palaces of Phetchaburi
- Try out the Thai street food and morning market at Hua Hin
- Learn how to cook like a local at Thai Cooking Course Hua Hin
- Marvel at the uniqueness of the Khao Luang Cave
- Slip and splash at the Black Mountain Water Park
Baan Krachang has one of the most beautiful and unique resorts in all of Thailand. Thanks to its floating bungalows, the Baan Maka Nature Lodge is a site that is truly worth a visit once you’re in the country.
Aside from enjoying the beauty and the uniqueness of this resort, there are a variety of other things you can do in and around the area. So let’s look at some of the things you can do in and around the floating bungalows of Baan Krachang!
Chill out at the floating bungalows of Baan Krachang
Address: Ban Song Pee Nong, Kaeng Krachan, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Contact details: +66 65 563 0672
Operating hours:
- Check-in time: 2:00 PM
- Check-out time: 12:00 NN
You might be wondering why it’s called the floating bungalows, right? Well, it’s because the bungalows here look like they’re floating thanks to some ingenious engineering applied to the site where pillars are used to elevate structures above the ground.
The resort is a lush green paradise designed to make you relax and feel at one with nature. Most of the bungalows also have their own balcony, perfect for when you and your loved ones are just one to sit back and enjoy the view surrounding the area.
If you book a bungalow at Baan Maka Nature Lounge, you’ll also get access to their delicious local breakfast which consists of some toast, hot drinks, and khao tom (rice soup).
You don’t need to worry about staying in your room and getting bored! You can stroll the five-hectare grounds of the resort, which leaves much for you to cover!
On your walk, keep an eye out for exotic birds and learn more about the different flora—you can learn more about these by reading some reference materials in the resort.
Lastly, you can walk around the forest trail of the resort where you’ll then be led to a lake. Here, you can make use of their kayaks to explore the lake at your leisure while you take in the calmness and beauty of its still waters.
Pro tip:
- Try out the bread and sausages at the restaurant! These are all freshly made by the hotel’s dining team, and its all-natural flavours are truly a delight.
They serve breakfast daily from 5:30 AM to 9:00 AM, lunch from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and dinner is served at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Refresh and relax at the Pala U Waterfall
Address: Huai Sat Yai, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Contact details: +66 32 646 294
Operating hours:
- N/A
Located inside Kaeng Krachan National Park, this magnificent waterfall is a top tourist thanks to the different activities you can do here. More importantly, though, this waterfall is perfect if you want to feel refreshed and interact with some fish.
The waterfall has 11 tiers or layers for you to marvel at and enjoy looking at. At the bottom of these waterfall layers, you can have a relaxing swim with your family– a hit among younger children especially if they want to escape the midday heat.
While swimming, you can also encounter some carp which you can actually touch or pet (depending on their mood, of course). Aside from these fishes, you may also spot some wildlife and exotic birds around the waterfalls so be sure to have your cameras ready.
You can also enjoy watching some butterflies here if you time your visit right. We recommend being on the lookout for these colourful creatures from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the morning and be sure to take photos or selfies with them.
Pro tip:
- From Hua Hin, you can take local transportation such as buses or Taxis to go to the waterfalls which are around 63 kilometres away. Adults would have to pay 300 THB for their admission fee while children are priced at 200 THB each.
Marvel at the elephants of the Kuiburi National Park
Address: Hat Kham, Kui Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77150, Thailand
Contact details: +66817762410
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Thailand is known for its ethical elephant parks so it’s no longer surprising to find one of the best ones near Hua Hin. It’s called Kuiburi National Park and it’s one of the best areas where you and your family can watch some wild elephants while roaming the countryside.
The wild elephants in the area, in fact, roam such a wide area of the park that you’re guaranteed to spot at least one (or even a herd of them) any given day of the year. The best part though, is that you won’t just see or spot elephants here as the park is also teeming with other wildlife,
These include wild dogs, Malayan Tapirs, bantengs, leopards, wild boards, and porcupines, among others. Kuiburi National Park is also home to around 260 species of birds, making this spot ideal if you or a family member loves bird watching.
Pro tip:
- Look for an area located within the national park called Huai Luek Ranger Station. This is the only spot where you can look at or watch some elephants and other wildlife.
It’s around 16 kilometres away from the park’s headquarters so it’s best to ask park staff how to get to the wildlife-watching area so as not to get lost.
Explore the Phraya Nakhon Cave
Address: บ้านเขาแดง Khao Daeng, Kui Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77150, Thailand
Contact details: +66 32 821 568
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Considered to be one of Thailand’s most photographed and most beautiful caves, Phraya Nakhon Cave is definitely worth your visit. It’s located in one of the resorts in Hua Hin and is home to the smallest temple in the country, the Kuha Karuhas Pavilion.
The cave is composed mostly of limestone and is surely a sight to behold so we can’t blame you if you keep on taking photos of the area. You’ll also be amazed at how the trees inside it reach out to the rooftops of the cave as if begging the sun to warm them.
Each of these rooftop openings lends a mystical vibe to the cave as it lets in a tiny ray of sunshine into the cavern, dimly illuminating the inside of this natural structure.
Don’t forget to walk through the two different chambers of the cave to check out the different look and feel of each area. This is also the perfect opportunity for you to take photos but be sure to turn your camera’s flash on if you’re in the cave’s darker areas.
Pro tip:
- To get to the site, you need to be ready to go on a long and hot trek since the cave itself is located inside Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing!
Tour the ancient temples and historic palaces of Phetchaburi
Address: Phetchaburi
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Depends on the temple or place you will visit
You’re going to need more than one day to totally enjoy everything Petchaburi has to offer. This is because this area has some of the most beautiful temples and buildings in all of Thailand.
Some of these temples include Wat Kuti, Wat Khoi, Wat Yai Suwannaram, Wat Kamphaeng Laeng, and Wat Phra Phuttha Saiyat. While all of these temples are worth checking out, we recommend that you spend more time at Wat Mahathat Worawihan.
Here, you’ll see a truly unique temple carved with intricate designs and sculptures that can be traced all the way back to the Khmer era. Its size is also quite impressive measuring around 42 metres tall, making it visible from all angles within the district.
You can also check out two major palaces-turned-museums here– Mrigadayavan Palace and Phra Ram Ratchaniwet.
Both were once used as elegant palaces for Thai royalty but they’re now here for you to enjoy as museums where you can learn more about the area’s history and culture.
Pro tip:
- Wear temple-appropriate clothing. Avoid short shorts or short sleeves and keep your voices down as these temples have monks that conduct religious ceremonies.
Try out the Thai street food and morning market at Hua Hin
Address: 17 Soi Bintabaht, Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 MN
Hua Hin can also be your next food paradise if you check out its Street Food and Morning Market at Soi Bintabaht. It’s a gastronomical tour of Thailand’s delicacies and will allow you to eat like a local for an entire day.
You can start by checking out the different stalls selling fresh produce. From there, you can then move on to those vendors offering local dishes and snacks such as papaya salads, curries, mango sticky rice, and a variety of grilled meats.
Once you’ve tried these dishes out as is, experiment with your taste buds further by adding and combining different kinds of herbs and sauces. We guarantee that no two curry flavours or chilli sauces are identical!
After trying out the food items and the sauces of the food stalls, you can then walk around the market to check out the various other merchandise on sale. You can buy clothes and souvenirs here for cheap and ask the vendors for some discounts as well!
Pro tip:
- You can go on this Thai food trip on your own but we recommend joining a group tour such as the one offered by Feast Thailand.
They can bring you to some of the more unique food stalls plus help you out if ever there’s a language barrier. It’ll save you a lot of time and give you access to the lesser-known Thai dishes being offered at this market.
Learn how to cook like a local at Thai Cooking Course Hua Hin
Address: 19/95 Petchkasem Road Soi Hua Hin 19 Hua Hin, Hua Hin District, 77110, Thailand
Contact details: +66 81 572 3805
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
You don’t have to limit yourself to just tasting the local food when in Hua Hin! Enrolling in a Thai Cooking Course can help you learn the basics and recipes of how to cook a proper Thai dish.
Thai Cooking Course Hua Hin offers a one-day cooking course or if you’re pressed for time, you can also do a half-day express course. We recommend that you go for the one-day cooking lesson as it will benefit you more in terms of the learning experience.
Classes start at around 9:00 AM and you start off by shopping at the Hua Hin Morning Market for some fresh produce. You then head back to the cooking school where your instructor demonstrates how to properly prepare and cook the local dishes.
From here, you can try the recipes on your own and once you’re done, enjoy eating and feasting on the finished product! For us, this is the best part as nothing beats eating the food that you prepared.
After all your hard work, you get a Certificate of Completion. You can then proudly keep this certificate as a souvenir and cook some Thai dishes for your family and friends when you get back home.
Pro tip:
- Have a light breakfast or snack before proceeding to the cooking class. The school will give welcome treats such as tea, coffee, or water but the eating will come a bit later after you cook your dishes.
Marvel at the uniqueness of the Khao Luang Cave
Address: Thongchai, Mueang Phetchaburi District, Phetchaburi 76000, Thailand
Contact details: +66 32 706 639
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The Khao Luang Cave is a unique location that you should visit if you want to experience something mystical. Thanks to the different Buddha statues here and the way sunlight enters the crevices of the cave, the effect can be quite magical.
These Buddha statues have different poses and each has a different story to tell. Some are older than others and purportedly laid down by the previous Thai King, Rama, himself.
After enjoying the sights and vibe of these statues, you can then explore the two chambers or the cave to admire different natural structures. The rock formations here are simply jaw-dropping, reflecting the ancient character of the cave.
If you time your visit to the cave just right, you can get a stunning effect that you should take a photo of. Once the rays of the sun hit the Buddha statues inside the cavern, get your camera shooting as the beauty of the scene will absolutely blow you away.
Pro tip:
- The area is home to some macaque monkeys looking to get some food from tourists. Avoid giving these monkeys some (despite how cute they are) as it disrupts their natural feeding routine.
Also, be cautious as some of them could get aggressive and snatch anything that looks like food.
Slip and splash at the Black Mountain Water Park
Address: 1 หินเหล็กไฟ 2 Hin Lek Fai, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
Contact details: +66819441116
Operating hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
- Closed on Wednesday
Rates:
- Entrance fee of 600 THB for adults
- Entrance fee of 300 THB for children
After all that travelling and touring around Hua Hin, you can finally relax and cool down by taking a dip at the Black Mountain Water Park. This family-friendly water park has 9 slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool that will make your young ones extremely happy.
If you’re into watersports, you can also try out their wakeboard park and give yourself and your loved ones a bit of a challenge. There’s also a golf course nearby and if you’re into it, you can easily visit this nearby location with your golf buddies for a round or two.
After enjoying the pool and the activities of the park, you can then just chill and dine at the Clubhouse restaurant. You can easily invite anyone you want here as the choices are varied enough that it will please those who prefer either local or Western food.
Pro tip:
- Get a discount on entrance fees if you visit Black Mountain Water Park on a Saturday, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Adults will only be charged 300 THB while kids will only have to pay 150 THB each!
