Khao Sam Roi Yot Marine National Park

Khao Sam Roi National Park is located 63 miles south of Hua Hin on the South west Coast of Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand. It is in Kui Buri and King Sam Roi Yot of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.
Khao Sam Roi ecosystems include, Mangrove Forest, aquatic ecosystems and Limestone Forest.
Khao Sam Roi is 98 square kilometers in size and includes therein limestone karsk mountains, fresh water marsh lands, coastal beaches, open seas, offshore islands and mangrove swamps. This is a good tourist site for its beaches, caves, wildlife and karsk mountain scenery. It is home to over 316 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals. Many of the birds are migatory and the best time to sea more of them is November to Februaury inclusive.
The highest elevation of the limestone peaks is 605 meters above sea level and there are hundreds of peaks throughout the Park. The major peaks are Khao Tham Prathun, Khao Yai, Khao Hup Chan, Khao Khan Bundai and Khao Daeng.

The major tourist places to see at Sam Roi Yot are;

Khao Daeng Canal. This Canal can be cruised from Khao Daeng Temple and offers a way to explore the mangrove forests and also watch birds.
Kaeo Cave [ Tham Kaeo ]. This cave has numerous stalacites and stalagmites. It can be found 15 kilometers north of the Park entrance office some 24 kilometers from Pran Buri.
Sai Cave [ Tham Sai ]. This cave is 9 kilometers north of the Park office.
Sam Phraya Beach [ Hat Sam Phraya ] is a beatiful beach with accommodation facilities which is just 3.5 kilometers north of the Park office and is 1 kilometr long.
Laem Sala Beach [ Hat Laem Sala ]. This beach is located 16 kilometers north of the Park office. A map of the Park is available. To reach the beach one needs to go by boat or cross from Bang Pu Village. Here also is the Cave Phraya Nakhon.
Khao Daeng Mountain [ Khao Daeng ] which is 425 meters from the Park office. This is 157 meters above sea level and a good viewpoint.
Ban Khao Daeng, the village and canal from where one can take boats for an hour or more to go bird watching.
Phraya Nakhon Cave. Phraya Nakhon Cave is 430 meters from Sala Beach and contains three huge chambers, two of which have open chimneys to allow light, rain and height for vegetation to grow tall therein. Here also is the much photgraphed Royal Pavilion of King Rama V of 1890.
Thung Sam Roi Yot. This is a vast fresh water marsh ecosystem which is home to a large number of birds. The birds are either Thailand based birds or migrating birds.

The Northeast Monsoon

The Northeast Monsoon comes from the Western Pacific Ocean and brings heavy rain from November to April through out. Accordingly the Gulf of Thailand then receives heavy rain and winds.
During this period the sea in the Gulf of Thailand has strong currents and poor under water visibility. This is not a good time to go scuba diving in the Gulf of Thailand.
However during this same period on the other side of the Peninsula on the Andaman Coast the water is clear and not turbulant. Then visibility is 30 meters and the sea calm.

Originally publish by http://www.thailandworld.com