city: Thailand

Kui Buri National Park and Wild Elephants from Pranburi

Thailand's ‘wild west' beckons on this tour. You'll venture to a traditional fishing village, the Nine-Headed Dragon Temple, visit Prachuap Khiri Khan city and head deep into Kui Buri National Park in search of wild elephants on a 4x4 safari. Somchai, a local guide, explains “you'll cover a lot of ground on this tour, taking in the ornate temples along the east coast, but it's the elephants that have my heart. It's always a thrill as we head west into the national park to look for them.” Our first port of call will be Wat An Noi, a temple guarded by two nine headed dragons, sculpted to wrap around the entire temple. After this, you'll stop at a small village that makes its living from sea fishing and oyster farming. Then, you'll head to the coast and the provincial capital of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Here, you can climb the 369 steps (worth it, we promise) to the hilltop Buddhist temple of Khao Chong Krachok. It's known locally as ‘Monkey Mountain' because a large troop of macaques have made it their home. But, if you give them space, they're willing to share the impressive views of the city with you.After a typical Thai lunch at Ao Manao beach, you'll hop onto a 4x4 and head into Kui Buri National Park. There are around 300 wild Asian elephants roaming the forests here and your guide knows all their favourite hangouts. Somchai adds “the Elephants at Kui Buri National Park are wild and free, and while they don't always follow our schedule, this is one of the best places in Thailand to spot them – they may even come over for a close-up.”