The Royal Coast is the stretch of Gulf of Thailand shoreline running south from Bangkok toward the Isthmus of Kra — named for the Thai royal family's long association with the area, dating back to King Rama VI building a summer palace at Hua Hin in the 1920s. It's the easiest beach escape from the capital, reachable by car or train in a few hours, and correspondingly popular with Thai weekenders rather than the international backpacker circuit.
Cha-am and Hua Hin are the anchor towns, a long low-key beach stretching between them and past Pranburi to the south. Prachuap Khiri Khan is quieter still, backed by dramatic limestone hills, and Kui Buri National Park inland is one of the most reliable places in Thailand to see wild elephants.
Further south, the coast turns rural and increasingly overlooked — Bang Saphan and the offshore island of Koh Talu reward the extra travel time with empty beaches, before Chumphon marks the practical gateway to the Gulf islands further south.
