Back in Bangkok and itching for a little last minute adventure, I take off for the Upper Southern Gulf of Thailand, an area which I had sped past some time ago on a bus heading north, but which I had never explored beyond that. I was intrigued by a description that I had read of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, and I was hoping to do a bit more hiking. From Bangkok, I took the first train in the morning to Hua Hin, a resort town and the closest train stop to the park. I had remembered driving through Hua Hin previously, and I was not anxious to return there. The town is filled with high rise hotels and it feels about as thai as Palm Beach, FL. So, after departing my train, I walked half a block into town, rented the first motorbike I found, and hit the road for the national park. The ride was quite beautiful, passing rice patties on the way south and then shrimp farms as I headed toward the coast. I was practically the only visitor in the park; I think I saw, maybe, a total of 6 people all day. As is normal in Thailand, there was little in the way of hiking. However, there were two short, very steep walks to lookout points that were incredibly beautiful. Actually, I don't think I've sweated more in my entire trip to Thailand; it was a combination of the heat and the fact that I was carrying an overstuffed backpack, that felt like I had a mid-sized child on my back as I scrambled up the mountain. As you can see in the photographs, the park is defined by large limestone cliffs which rise out of totally flat planes near the ocean. The park is quite spread out, and can only be accessed via a car or motorcycle. I had read that I could take a sawngthaew bus into the park, but I saw no evidence that this sort of service existed, and it would have greatly limited my ability to get around the park. Over a steep, rocky trail, I found a secluded stretch of beach, with sand so white that it seemed to glow. I think this place is what they are talking about when they refer to "deserted island." The loudest sound by far was the waves lapping against the shore. From this beach, I was able to access a famous cave complex within a mountain. This cave was discovered by a previous king of Thailand, Rama IV, who soon after visiting the place, died of malaria from a mosquito bite. I guess the mosquitoes can be quite pesky there, but I never saw one. The cave complex is different than ones I had seen previously--it was partially open at the top, and this allowed for some trees and plants to grow in the cave. It was a great experience to cap off a beautiful, remote day.