Cha am & Petchaburi Province

Cha Am is a coastal resort area south of Bangkok on the South West Coast of the Gulf of Siam in Petchaburi Province. Cha Am is the principal resort for Petchburi but a visit here should include the Province which is located some 160 kilometers south west from Bangkok. Here the sun rises to face the beach and settles in the west behind it, unlike in Pattaya and the South East Coast and the Andaman Sea coast (Phuket). This is a beach resort location with the longest beach in Thailand and numerous accomadation facilities to stay.
The significant tourist site is the Summer Palace of King Rama VI built in 1923 called Phra Marukhathayawan. This place is nine kilometers south of Cha Am and is open to the public 9 am to 4.30 pm daily. The buliding is made of Teak as ia Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok and consiste of one or two floor rooms linked by covered walkways, all on stilts with excellent views to the immediate beach front.

The geography of the region comprises the Tanasri Mountain range to the west and which is the natural border with Mynamar. Here the region is tropical rain forest with mountainous denses jungles. Inland here also is the famous Thailand National Park,Kaeng Krachen National Park. On the sea coast the area has a significant history dating back to the Dvaravati Kingdom period and Mon people sttlements and before that history of links with the period of Indianisation in South East Thailand.
Later the Khmer Empire streched into the region and some Khmer monuments are still there to see (Wat Kamphaeng Laeng). The area was a Wiang or fortified centre during both the Sukhothai and the Ayutthaya kingdoms. There are many fine ancient temples to be scene here. The principal one are Khao Wang (Phra Nakhon Khiri) and Wat Phra Kaeo.
Three Kings of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (Kings Rama IV, V and VI) built Summer palaces here as retreats and these are Phra Nakhon Khiri, Phra Ramrajanivet and Phra Rajnives Marugadayawan.