Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
business of raising swiftlets for the profitable edible bird's nest industry; the punishment
for stealing nests or eggs is severe (five years' imprisonment and 500,000B).
A craggy limestone mountain (Khao Khan Kradai) shelters the temple from the coast
and contains a locally famous cave temple, known as Tham Phra Nawn (Sleeping
Buddha Cave). The cave is accessible via a concrete trail that leads up and around the
side of the hill providing scenic views of Ao Khan Kradai and the foothills beyond. It is
blissfully quiet and the forested hill is dotted with blooming cactus clinging to the craggy
rocks. Inside the cave is a small cavern leading to a larger one that contains the eponym-
ous reclining Buddha. If you have a torch (flashlight) you can proceed to a larger second
chamber also containing Buddha images.
Ao Manao
On weekends, locals head to Ao Manao, 4km south of town, an island-dotted bay ringed
by a clean sandy beach. It is within Wing 5 of a Thai air-force base and each and every
week the beach is given a military-grade clean up.
There are the usual beach amenities: a restaurant and beach chairs, umbrellas and inner
tubes for hire. En route to the beach you'll pass Thailand's Top Guns relaxing on a
nearby golf course and driving range. You enter the base through a checkpoint on Th
Suseuk from town; you may need to show your passport. The beach closes at 8pm.
SWIMMING
WORTH A TRIP
DAN SINGKHON BORDER MARKET
A mere 12km southwest of Prachuap Khiri Khan is the Myanmar border town of Dan Singkhon. Once a stra-
tegic military point, Dan Singkhon now hosts a lively border market beloved by locals for its many bargains.
Beginning at dawn on Saturday mornings, locals from Myanmar appear from a bend in the road just beyond
the checkpoint, pushing handcarts piled high with the usual trinkets, market goods and plants. Short-term tour-
ists might be befuddled as to what will fit in a suitcase, but locals and expats make frequent buying trips here for
orchids, the market's speciality, and hardwood furniture. Even if you come to window-shop, the market has a
festive vibe, with music blaring, colourful umbrellas lining the road and thatched 'sales booths' hidden under
palms. You'll need to arrive well before noon to enjoy it, as the market closes at midday.
To get to Dan Singkhon from Prachuap Khiri Khan with your own vehicle, head south on Hwy 4. After sever-
al kilometres you'll see a sign for Dan Singkhon; from there head west about 15km to reach the border.
Sleeping
There are a number of oceanfront options, ranging from guesthouses to hotels. It's rare
that you can't find a cosy spot to lay your head.
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