Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park (Khao Wang)
อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์พระนครคีรี (เขาวัง)
Rama IV's summer palace on three hilltops in Phetchaburi, with a mix of Thai, Chinese and European buildings, a white stupa and an observatory. Take the cable car up for views of the old town and its monkeys.
Khao Wang, formally the Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park, lies in Phetchaburi city, about 60 kilometers north of Hua Hin. Rama IV (King Mongkut, the king from Anna and the King) built this summer palace on a hill about 92 meters high in 1859. It spreads across three peaks. The west peak holds the palace complex, including the neoclassical Phetphum Phairot Hall, now a museum displaying royal furniture, porcelain and King Mongkut's astronomical instruments. It also has the Chatchawan Wiangchai observatory tower, which can be climbed, and Chinese-style buildings. The middle peak is home to Phra That Chom Phet, a white Ceylon-style stupa 40 meters tall. The east peak has Wat Phra Kaeo Noi, a royal temple built by Rama IV. The hill is also home to many long-tailed macaques, which are another highlight. You can ride a cable car up (about 100 baht round trip) or walk the stone steps in 15 to 20 minutes. Admission to the museum and park is 150 baht for foreigners. Opening hours are 08:30 to 16:30, and the museum may be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so check before you go. Phetchaburi is also Thailand's sweets town, known for palm sugar and khanom mo kaeng, a Thai egg custard. The old town at the foot of the hill and Wat Mahathat Worawihan, the Five-Stupa Temple, are worth visiting, and you can also see the Buddha images in the nearby Khao Luang cave. Getting there: a minibus or train from Hua Hin takes about 1 hour. A round-trip charter costs about 1,500 to 2,000 baht and is often combined with Seven Caves into a day trip. Note: the monkeys will snatch food and plastic bags, so don't hold snacks in your hands. The summit has many steps and strong sun.
Opening hours
08:30–16:30
Nearby sights
- Wat Maha Samanaram
- Wat Mahathat Worawihan, Phetchaburi
- Wat Khao Bandai It
- Wat Yai Suwannaram
- Wat Kamphaeng Laeng
- Phra Ram Ratchaniwet (Ban Puen Palace)
- Tham Khao Luang
- Wat Ko Kaeo Suttharam