A new promotional campaign highlights some of the ‘must visit’ places in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The Hidden WOW tourism campaign in Prachuap Khiri Khan is a promotional initiative aimed at promoting some of the lesser-known attractions and destinations in the province.
The campaign focuses on showcasing the unique and authentic experiences that the area has to offer, such as stunning natural landscapes, local cultural activities, and important religious sites.
The goal of the campaign is to attract tourists to all eight districts of the province, boosting the local economy and preserving the cultural heritage of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The campaign is a collaborative effort between the Tourism Authority of Thailand Prachuap Khiri Khan Office, the Office of Tourism and Sports, the provincial administration, tourism organizations, and private businesses, and is designed to highlight the best that Prachuap Khiri Khan has to offer.
“The main goal is to reduce the concentration of tourists in any area and distribute them across all eight districts of Prachuap”, Mr. Achawan Kongkanan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Prachuap Office told Hua Hin Today in an interview.
“The campaign promotes hidden tourist attractions that people are either unaware of or that they have been informed about but have perhaps never visited,” Mr. Achawan added.
Mr. Achawan explained that while many people may have already visited or at least heard about places such as the Phraya Nakhon Cave at Sam Roi Yot, they might not be aware that December and January are the best times to visit.
This is when the sun shines through the top of the cave, cascading down on to the ornate Khu ha Kharuehat Pavilion below.
“It’s a spectacular sight, that can take your breath away,” Mr. Achawan said.
As well as helping to tell people something new about already well known attractions in the province, the Hidden WOW campaign showcases other places that many people probably don’t know anything about.
Mr. Achawan highlighted Fang Daeng Beach in the Bang Saphan Noi District as one such example.
The beach is described as a significant natural attraction which features an unusual cliff face and red coloured sand formed following years of erosion. Today, the beach is a strikingly beautiful and unique landscape that is unlike any other beach, not only in the province but elsewhere in Thailand.
Mr. Achawan said people may have heard of other attractions such as Mahathat Chedi Phakdi Prakas but have never visited and may be prompted to visit by the Hidden WOW campaign.
He also referenced Bo Thong Lang Bay, which is also a Hidden WOW and which was recently found to be the most searched beach in 2022 by users of Google Maps, according to data recently released by Google.
Mr. Achawan said that while Hua Hin is an important tourism magnet in Prachuap, the province’s tourism resources are rich and diverse throughout all of its eight districts.
Mr. Achawan said that this was the message he hoped Hidden WOW would help to communicate to the tourists who are the targets of the campaign, such as Gen Y Millennials, active seniors, and families, in order to encourage them to come and travel to the province.
The Hidden WOW campaign will also see a collaboration with Chumphon province, which in turn will help to spur travel to the southern-most districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Mr. Achawan explained that the campaign will help to inform people about the Grand Sand Dune in Chumphon.
The sand dunes, which are located in the Pathiu district of Chumphon were created as part of a pilot project to divert tourists to less crowded destinations in Thailand. The dunes are said to be similar to the popular dunes in Vietnam, and are approximately 12 kilometers in length and have a height of 30 metres.
The dunes are also located close to Prachuap’s southern districts of Thap Sakae, Bang Saphan, and Bang Saphan Noi. This means that people wishing to travel to any of those districts can fly into Chumphon Airport in order to explore the south of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
The Hidden WOW campaign is scheduled to run until September 2023, Mr. Achawan explained.
Following that, there will be an evaluation period to determine whether Phase 2 of the campaign will be launched.
Mr. Achawan said there are actually many places in the province that have a wow factor, so launching the campaign to highlight even more places of interest is a possibility.
With the Prachuap Khiri Khan province having so much to offer tourists, Mr. Achawan encouraged people to go out and explore everything the province has to offer.
“Finally, in addition to visiting Hua Hin, I encourage you to visit and stay in other districts in Prachuap Khiri Khan”, Mr. Achawan said.
Hidden WOW in the 8 districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan
- Hua Hin District: Khao Tao and Khao Tao Reservoir
- Pranburi District: Khung Sai Beach and Khao Kalok Beach
- Sam Roi Yod District: Phraya Nakhon Cave and Koh Nom Sao
- Kui Buri District: Khao Daeng Canal and Kuiburi Safari National Park
- Muang District: including 3 bays (3 Ao) (Ao Prachuap, Ao Manao, Ao Noi) and Khlong Bueng Reservoir
- Thap Sakae District: Koh Chan and Koh Taisee, Ban Thung Pradu Tourism Community and Khao Lan Waterfall
- Bang Saphan District: Phra Mahathat Chedi Phakdi Prakak, Bo Thong Lang Bay and Ron Thong Cultural Plaza (gold panning culture)
- Bang Saphan Noi District: Pha Fang Daeng and Khao Pho
