Mrigadayavan Palace in Hua Hin: The "Palace of Love and Hope" by the Sea

Mrigadayavan Palace and Is It Worth Visiting

Mrigadayavan Palace was built in 1923 by order of King Rama VI (Vajiravudh) as a summer residence on the coast between Hua Hin and Cha-Am. The palace's name in Thai means "Deer Park" – these places were once home to many deer. It also has a second, romantic name – the "Palace of Love and Hope." The king commissioned it in the hope that his wife would bear an heir, but unfortunately, the monarch passed away before seeing his dream come true.

The palace is built entirely of golden teak wood – a material reused from the dismantled Hat Chao Samran Palace. The project was designed by Italian architect Ercole Manfredi, who combined European colonial style with the principles of tropical living. The building stands on stilts, which provides natural ventilation, while high ceilings, shutters, and open verandas make it comfortable even in the heat. In total, the complex has 16 buildings connected by covered wooden walkways.

In our opinion, this place is worth visiting if you're interested in history and architecture. It's not as grand as some royal palaces, but the atmosphere here is special: a quiet park, a sea view, and the feeling of stepping into another era. The grounds are large, with a park and a fountain, benches for relaxing, and access to the beach, where swimming is not allowed. You can go inside some of the ground-floor buildings, but you'll need to take off your shoes. The entire second floor is closed. In separate pavilions there's an exhibition of archaeological excavations and the technologies used in building and maintaining the palace – don't miss them, they're interesting. There's a free toilet. Overall, you can spend 30 minutes here, and if you take your time – a full hour.