Understand
Thailand's royal family and especially former kings were the first to set this location on the map as the original seashore destination in Thailand. The long white sandy beaches themselves are clean, spotless and pretty, much more so than Pattaya's, and the sea is relatively clean. Besides just sunbathing snorkeling and swimming, visitors can also enjoy golf, spas, caves, peaks, waterfalls, shops, seafood and nearby national parks. The town is warm and laid-back making it ideal for families and couples.
Prachuap Khiri Khan is in fact more of a holiday destination with the local Thais than foreigners with many floods of Bangkokians purchasing condominiums there. This guaranteeing a bit of a quite atmosphere if you are fed up with rowdy noisy foreign tourists at their favourite locations, such as Pattaya or Ko Samui.
History
Once known as Muang Bang Nong Rom, Prachuap Khiri Khan was left to decay after the sacking of Ayutthaya at the end of the 18th century. The town was rebuilt at the mouth of the Ron River during the 19th century and renamed Prachuap Khiri Khan.
It was also an old seaside resort of the country during the reign of King Rama V. From historical evidence, Prachuap Khiri Khan was a location of Mueang Na Rang during the Ayutthaya period. In the reign of King Rama II of Rattanakosin, a new city was established at the mouth of the I Rom Canal and was named Mueang Bang Nang Rom. Moreover, during the reign of King Rama IV, Mueang Bang Nang Rom, Mueang Kui, and Mueang Khlong Wan were combined into Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan which means a city of mountains. The city hall was situated at Mueang Kui until 1898, it was then it was moved to Ao Ko Lak or Ao Prachuap, the location of Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan nowadays.