Khao Takiab.

The name is also tied to the folk tale of Ta Mong Lai, told all along the Gulf coast. Ta Mong Lai was a drunkard with a wife, Nang Ramphueng, and a beautiful daughter, Nang Yom Doi. Chao Lai, son of a lord in the Phetchaburi area, disguised himself as a fisherman to court Nang Yom Doi and won her mother's approval, while Ta Mong Lai favoured Chao Krung Chin, a Chinese junk trader. Both sides sent suitors on the same day, and husband and wife fought so bitterly that they hurled their belongings at each other.

In the legend, the objects that fell into the Gulf became islands and hills: the hat became Khao Lom Muak at Prachuap Bay, the farmer's hat Laem Ngop and the basket Ko Krabung in Trat. Nang Ramphueng died of grief and became Khao Mae Ramphueng at Bang Saphan; Ta Mong Lai blamed his daughter and tore her in two, becoming the Ko Nom Sao islands at Sam Roi Yot and Chanthaburi; Chao Lai became Khao Chao Lai at Cha-am; and Ta Mong Lai himself became Khao Ta Mong Lai at Prachuap. Hua Hin locals add that Khao Takiab came from chopsticks thrown in the same fight. Scholars see these names scattered around the Gulf as a trace of people linked by sea trade and migration, with the Chinese trader reflecting the old junk trade with China.

A 2022 study by Apilak Kasemphonkul on how the Ta Mong Lai legend travelled found it had split into 16 different stories across coastal and island communities in western, eastern and southern Thailand, in four ways: keeping the plot but changing details, turning episodes into new tales, adding sub-plots, and merging with other stories. Adapting the legend to each area's hills and islands reflects the sea-trade networks between port towns — which explains why Hua Hin has its own version linking Khao Takiab to the tale.

There is no clear record of when Wat Khao Takiab was founded; tourism sources estimate it dates from around the 1850s and call it an old seaside community temple. Locals say the hilltop temple was once surrounded by sea, until villagers built up a causeway and a road to reach it.

Just west of Khao Takiab is Wat Khao Krailat, built in 1931 by the people of Ban Khao Takiab. A Dhammayut temple under the patronage of Wat Ratchabophit in Bangkok, it enshrines "Luang Pho Krailat" and has a reclining Buddha, a large standing Buddha and a viewpoint over Hua Hin — evidence that the Khao Takiab community had grown enough to build its own temple by the early reign of King Prajadhipok.

As Hua Hin became a resort after the southern railway arrived in 1911, and King Prajadhipok built Klai Kangwon Palace in the late 1920s, Khao Takiab became a place royals visited: Queen Rambai Barni came to the temple often, and a visit is recorded in 1934.

Steps up to Wat Khao Takiab, restored after the temple was once abandoned · Photo: Joachim Lutz

Wat Khao Takiab later fell into disuse for lack of resident monks — abandoned around 1966, according to one source — until villagers and the monastic community restored it and re-established it as an active temple in 1985. New buildings and Buddha images followed, creating the temple seen today.

Administratively, Hua Hin's sanitary district and later municipality extended over Nong Kae subdistrict from 1937. From 1987 the municipality organised 31 neighbourhood communities, among them the Takiab community, classed as still rural in character. In 1995 the Ban Takiab municipal school had 12 teachers and 294 pupils, and the municipality covered 86.36 km², before Hua Hin was later upgraded to a city municipality.

Its best-known feature is the golden standing Buddha at the seaward foot of the hill, about 16 m tall (some sources say about 20 m), facing out to sea. Locals call it the "sea-calming" Buddha and believe it protects the community from natural disasters and storms.

From the car park, 128 steps climb to the chedi and shrine on the summit, which the temple says houses a Buddha footprint and relics. Bells on the terrace are rung for luck, and a monk sometimes sprinkles visitors with holy water. The viewpoint takes in the long curve of Hua Hin beach to the town, Khao Takiab beach and the fishing village below.

Khao Takiab also reflects Hua Hin's Chinese culture: a thousand-armed Guanyin by the sea is a favourite for prayers and photos, there is a Chinese-style pavilion, and a statue of the Laughing Buddha into whose belly people toss coins for luck.

Macaques on Khao Takiab · Photo: Joachim Lutz

The other reason for its nickname "Monkey Mountain" is the macaques living on the hill and in the surrounding community. Together with Khao Hin Lek Fai there were more than 3,000 in 2021 and the population was growing fast, causing problems for residents and visitors. The municipality has sterilized thousands since 2017, and in July 2021 planned 600 more with the Department of National Parks to curb numbers and the risk of disease passing from animals to people.

Today Khao Takiab is the last stop of the green songthaews from Hua Hin town and a place for seafood from the fishing community, with fish, prawns, shellfish and crab straight off the boats. The temple is open daily with free entry; visitors can help by dressing modestly, not feeding the monkeys and taking their rubbish with them.