Located away 250 kilometers from Bangkok, Hua Hin has been become famous tourist destination. Not only having the long beaches, but it also carries countless other interesting things.
Mentioning to Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand, most people only think about 5 km of sandy beach, equestrian games, Hua Hin Railway Station, floating markets and parks without knowing that here hides endless green forests, wild nature giving you many exciting experiences.
Waterfall Pa La-u and natural forests in Hua Hin are suitable for visitors to enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of wild nature. If you are lucky, you can meet wild elephants and taste fruit specialties such as durian, rambutan, mangosteen grown in this area.
Pa La-u Waterfall, Kaeng Krachan National Park
Nestled in a tropical rain forest with an area of 437 km² and far away from center of city Hua Hin 70 km, Waterfall Pa La-u is divided into two parts: Pa La-u Yai and Pa La-u Noi, under the management of the Kaeng Krachan National Park.
You can skirt the nature trails around Pa La-u to admire the majestic beauty of the waterfalls and discover the colors in diversity of plant.
This place has two campsites and eight wooden houses, cost for a night about 33-35 USD. All the experience of fishing, hunting and many activities destroying nature are completely banned here.
The green forests here are the home of large species hornbills, . The stream has a lot of carp, crabs; and in the forest, there are countless butterflies, crows, including rare species. The best time for watching the colors of flying butterfly filling the air is in the morning from April to July each year.
Ban Pa La-u village, Huay Sat Yai town
Located 69 km to the west of downtown Hua Hin, far away 159 km from the center of city Prachuap Khiri Khan and about 18 km to the east of Myanmar, Ban Pa La-u is a small village of Huay Sat Yai town with 250 families of Thai and Karen.
This is a valley surrounded by mountains Tanao Sri with evergreen tropical rainforest. The attractive destinations in Huay Sat Yai are: Karen villages, towers to watch elephants, the dairy farm, cotton textile center and durian orchards. Huay Sat Yai is also a gateway leading to the Karen village in Pa Deng.
Locals have very simple life and maintain the traditional features. Karen people still wear traditional costumes in many occasions. Visitors who want to experience the lifestyle of Karen people can stay in an old-fashioned carrying style homestay at Ban Fa Prathan (Moo 2) and La-u Home Stay or can watch cultural and artistic performances in Moo 3 village.
One of these houses belongs to Panyaharn Sakda, the son of the first village's head and spiritual leader Kha. The house has wood floors, bamboo walls and thatched roofs; it does not use screws. The highest area of the house is place where women are prohibited, except girls.
Karen people worship Rice Goddess - who provides food and protects them; they believe that the spiritual leader of the village will be sick and die if women come into it.
This area has about 70 tropical fruit gardens, but not all of them are open for tourists. In particular, the durian orchards are the most popular for tourists, not only do they learn about the way of the local cultivation, types of durian, but the guests also themselves choose the fragrant ripe durians to enjoy, with prices ranges from 3 to 4 USD.
See the purebred herd
If tourists want to see the elephants, they must to ask for permission and have guidance from the National Park here or can choose the tours for watching wild elephant and experiencing the life of tribes belonging to TAT Office, Tourism authority of Thailand.
Pa La-u has five towers served to see elephants and built by the local people. The 10 km route leads to Pa La-u runs through a part of the Kaeng Krachan National park; it means that visitors will have the opportunity to see wild elephants walking in the woods.
Elephants often approach the tower located near the edge of the national park to lick salt and bath in a nearby reservoir. The best time to see the elephants is at dusk or at night.
According to Bai Thong Charoenwong, head of the Thai elephant conservation project in Kaeng Krachan National park said that the total elephant population at forest is about 250 individuals, in which, there are 150 individuals in Pa La- u and 50 ones live near to Pa Deng, the rest ones is in several other areas.
After the period of time for visiting and exploring green nature here, visitors can rest at the La-u Homestay - consisting of six houses, which can accommodate 30 people to enjoy the rice dishes, stir-fried vegetables , fried fish, soup, coffee and fresh milk or can stay overnight here prior to departure, prepared for a new journey of discovery. Price for staying in here is around 6 USD / person / night and eating is around 3 VND / person / meal.
