Phraya Nakhon Cave

I really enjoyed visiting Phraya Nakhon Cave – it is definitely worth going. On the way there, I chose to hike over the first hill from the very beginning. It took about 25–35 minutes, with a short stop along the way because the views are absolutely beautiful. After descending the first hill, you reach a beach area with a few cafés where you can buy food, drinks, and ice cream and take a short break. From there, the second part of the journey leads to the main cave where the temple is located. This part requires more effort and energy, and you will definitely sweat more. There are many stairs going uphill, and at some points you climb up and then descend again in the middle of the hill. Make sure to bring water with you, as there is nowhere to buy it on this part of the trail. Halfway up the hill, there were two young boys providing what seemed to be medical assistance in case someone felt unwell while climbing, which was reassuring. The view inside the cave is beautiful and truly worth the effort. On the way back, once you reach the beach, you can take a boat back to the starting point. I personally chose to hike back the same way because I enjoyed the walk so much. But if you are too tired, taking a boat is a good option. Highly recommended! P.S. I was traveling with rent car, on January 2026, so the bridge was still on repair, so use wooden bridge, one hundred metre before the main bridge on the right side of the road.

Such an amazing experience! I wish we had come more prepared so here’s everything you need to know to enjoy even more than we did: Go there early, you want to leave Hua Hin around 8 or 8.30AM the latest as it is an hour drive. To enjoy the beautiful lighting it is best to get to the cave before 11AM Our driver park in the carpark, our mistake was to dress sporty and modestly and didn’t take our swimwear: pack your swimsuit, flipflops and towel! You can buy the ticket to the cave and make sure to keep it as it also gives you access to Bueng Bue wood boardwalk! Tickets are 200 baht per adult and the boat rental is 400 baht per boat. You can ask around if someone is willing to share but keep in mind you would need to come back together if so. We took the boat to get to Laem Sala beach which is gorgeous and to do so you need to cross the water by foot to get on the boat so get ready to get wet up to your thighs! Once at Laem Sala you then can hike up and down to the cave for which I recommend trainers as it is steep. If you’re fit you can do it in 20 min (10min up then down into the cave). If not it can take you a while. The cave is a beautiful sight and a nice hike, after you can be rewarded with a relaxing time on the beach and swim away that sweat!

We were there on Monday, around 10am and decided to take a boat to skip the first leg of hike as we have a 2nd hike after this. There's a carpark and you can pay the entrance fee there. Should you decide to take a boat, you can buy the tickets at the table near the area you pay for the entrance fees. After you pay for the boat ride, they will tell you which boat number assigned to you, this will also be the same boat number that you will take when you come back. Do take note that the boat does not come up all the way to the shore so u definitely have to step into the water to climb onto the boat, similarly you have to jump back into the water when you alight (water around knee height) The climb is quite rocky. I consider myself moderately fit as I strength train 2-3 times per week and walk 5 times a week. I have old injuries on one knee and another ankle. While it's not difficult for me to climb, it's challenging for me when I'm descending. The cave itself is quite mesmerizing, it's worth the climb, IMHO. Take your time and enjoy the hike. So far, I've done 3 hikes in Hua Hin. This is how I would rank them (1 being most difficult): 1. Khao Daeng View Point 2. Nakhon Caves 3. Khao Nang Panthurat Forest Park Hope this helps.