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| Freshwater marshland |
Sam Roi Yot is a grandiose marine park located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand between Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
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| Sam Roi Yot Natl. Park |
It is made of mountains and swamps with stunning landscapes. In fact, its Thai name means 'the mountains' [khao] with three hundred [sam roi] peaks'.
Some of the coastal areas have used some of the swamps for commercial purpose to develop the shrimp industry. The park authorities have often complained about this activity but it seems that no preventive measures have been taken at this stage.
A very scenic road crosses the park from North to South. But unfortunately, it is not possible to stop either to take a picture or to watch the wildlife, as it is a country road with no safe parking sites against the ongoing traffic. Perhaps, this ought to be an option to be developed by the park authorities in the future.
The park headquarters stand at the southern entrance. They provide a map and the rangers are
available to give any useful information on the park. There is also a display explaining the flora and the local wildlife. There used to be Asian rhinos here but they have now become extinct. The park provides a halt for all the migrating birds, some seasons are better than others to watch birds that are usually not seen in the park.
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| In the mangrove |
→ A full day entrance costs 150THB/per adult.
The mangrove boardwalk at the headquarters is a nice introduction to the area. If you are silent enough with a bit of patience, you can watch some very colorful birds there.
At about 1.5km north of the HQ, a few boat operators offer tours on the Khao Daeng Canal. Just near the canal landing, there is a vast open area between the hills with temples and shrines.
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| On Laem Sala Beach |
A bit further away, a small road leads to the coast at Laem Sala Beach. This is a quaint and scenic bay with a sand beach but unfortunately not too pleasant for a swim as it is very muddy underneath the feet. The beach is lined with casuarinas and a few coconut trees. The facilities include a local restaurant also providing drinks.
This park is also famous for its caves and for a unique attraction called Phraya Nakhon Cave, where you can see a royal pavilion inside one of the two huge sinkholes. I had gone there previously, so I did not go back this time particularly because the sky was partly overcast. Th idea is to get to the cave at a time when the sunlight illuminates the pavilion commemorating the historic visit of King Monghuk (King Rama IV of Siam) with a team of French scientists, who came to watch a total eclipse in the 19thcentury. It is not easy to get there. First, you must hire a boat at a beach to get to another secluded beach, where you must comply with the park rangers before pursuing on foot to the cave. The trail is steep and about almost half a kilometre long uphill at about 130m above the sea level.
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| Lizard |
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| Swamp view |
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| Thung Sam Roi Yot boardwalk |
One of the greatest attraction of the park remains the Thung Sam Roi Yot Freshwater Marsh. But since it is located inland on the other side of the mountain range, you must drive a long way to get there. However, this is worth the effort. This is the largest freshwater marsh in the country. There are millions of giant lotus and the view over the mountains is dramatic. You may read that the existing boardwalk is now closed but in reality, a good portion of it is still walkable, and this is pure enchantment!
Christian Sorand
Useful websites:
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Freshwater marsh: boardwalk view 
Lotus
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