Park entry #

I will start with the bad news… It is not cheap to visit! There is a 100 baht entry fee (fairly normal and I still think is great value). But in addition to this, there is also a mandatory 500 baht fee (per person) to take a Songthaew from the car park to the incredible sights. Don’t get me wrong, my driver was fantastic, and was always looking to assist, but this is an extremely high cost for the couple of kilometres they take you (on roads which are in great condition).

With that out of the way, let’s venture onwards!

First stop: Buddha shrine #

As your Songthaew meanders up the mountain, the first stop is a large golden statue of Buddha in front of a large rock wall. You’ll have the opportunity to hop out, look, prey and explore this area.

Second Stop: Three whale rock (Sam Him Wan) #

You’ll continue on up the mountain, until you reach a small clearing with two lookouts. The first path heads through a small welcome gate and takes you out to three whale rock.

You’ll walk on the curved rock and have the opportunity to look out and take in the view of the area, as well as see the second whale next to you. These are uniquely shaped rocks, with signs explaining how the curving and then erosion on these massive pieces created what we see today.

The two main rocks run parallel to each other, and if you are visiting in a group, I would suggest splitting up, so you can take photos of each other on the rocks, rather than just of the view.

Third Stop: Elephant rock #

The next stop is a small clearing where you can come face to face with another rock formation. If you squint your eyes hard enough, and use a bit of imagination, it does look like an elephant head, with a long trunk.

As you can see in the photos, with the sun setting behind the rock formation, it becomes difficult to view this in the late afternoon… This is definitely one better to visit early in the morning.

Fourth stop: Hour glass view point #

I don’t actually recall the name of this formation, but it features two curved rock faces facing each other, leading to an hourglass negative space to look through.

Being able to stand between these provided a unique sense of scale, as the curvy cliff faces rise endlessly above you.

Fifth stop: The rock pools. #

This was more of a lookout point, but from a swiss-cheese looking surface. The unique formation of this cliff face, made for an outstanding foreground to any picture. The morning rain also ensured they were filled with water and reflecting perfectly in the late afternoon sun.

Thoughts #

Being on the attraction is very different from seeing the attraction. While I enjoyed the experience, I wish there was a view point of the whale rocks, rather than standing on them and looking out.

The ‘rock pools’ were a surprise and, understanding the geology of the area, made the visit all the more interesting.

I am glad I visited, but would need to consider if I would bring a larger group of friends and family here. The cost of entry was fair, but the additional mandatory cost of the Songthaew would add up quickly for a group. There were ‘drone packages’ available for sale at the entry gate, which would have provided a better view of the three whale rocks (with you atop of them).