Located on the north eastern Gulf of Thailand coast of Thailand in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Hua Hin was one of Thailand’s first beach resorts and is still every bit as popular today, both for tourists to the country and Thai visitors alike. Not only does Hua Hin offer beautifully long stretches of golden sands, but the resort also plays host to one of the best night markets in all of Thailand, as well as some stunning championship golf courses, and the spectacular Summer Palace of King Rama VII. And all this is just 120 miles south of Bangkok, via a direct highway.
It was back in 1928 that the Thai royal family “discovered” Hua Hin as the perfect place to escape the oppressive heat of Bangkok, and built their palatial holiday retreat, or Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries) Palace here, thus transforming this coastal town and peaceful fishing port into a popular beach resort, frequented in early days by Siam’s nobility. When a railway link from Bangkok was constructed, it meant that Hua Hin was ensured its place as a favourite with the Thai public.
In recent years, an ever increasing number of international hotels have sprung up here, and the resort is now one of the most popular in the whole of Thailand – mainly because the ease of access from Bangkok, but also because of the high standard of hotels and restaurants, and also the fact that it is still a favourite haunt of the Thai royal family – the palace is still an official residence and is open to the public when the royal family is not in residence.
The resort is still a firm favourite with the Bangkok rich and famous, many of whom own beachfront holiday homes along this part of the Gulf of Thailand coast. The fact that there are many domestic visitors to Hua Hin as well as international tourists gives the resort a different feel, and it effortlessly combines the facilities that you would expect of a world class resort with the charms and traditions of the fishing port that it started as – and indeed still is.
Over the years, Hua Hin has added to its tourist infrastructure with the construction of a number of first class golf courses, and the resort now has the highest density of world class courses anywhere in the country. It is a great place for a golfing holiday as despite the high standard of courses, the resort has not been properly discovered as a golfing destination, meaning that green fees and other costs are still amongst the lowest in the world, whilst the quality of the courses and related services are second to none.
But it is for the five mile stretch of golden sand beach that Hua Hin is best known, and this is the main draw for international visitors. Hua Hin enjoys an excellent climate year round, and the region does tend to be considerably drier than many of its southern resort counterparts
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Getting Around Hua Hin
The most popular way of getting around Hua Hin itself is on foot, as the resort is not huge and you can walk safely from most hotels to the beach and to the main shopping areas. If you can’t face walking though, there are plenty of other means of transport in the resort:
CAR HIRE
Car hire in Hua Hin and the surrounding area is not nearly so daunting a prospect as driving in other parts of Thailand, and a large number of visitors choose to hire a car to get from Hua Hin to the other neighbouring coastal resorts such as Cha Am, or even to make the journey from Bangkok. The route from the capital up to Hua Hin is relatively straightforward and is clearly marked with roadsigns in both Thai and English. It is an interesting route, passing through some interesting places, including the Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak, and the ancient city of Petchaburi. Cars are not needed whilst in Hua Hin itself.
ON FOOT
Hua Hin is a compact resort and the beaches, shops, hotels, restaurants and major tourist attractions are all in easy reach of each other. If you are staying further up the coast in Cha Am or Panburi, then these resorts are less easily negotiated on foot as some of the bigger hotels are located further away from the centre on private stretches of beach.
OTHER TRANSPORT
There are numerous ways of getting around if you don’t fancy walking – samlors, or three wheeled rickshaws, are often found at Hua Hin Railway Station and are used to ferrying visitors and their luggage around the resort; motorbike taxis are plentiful, and are the most common means of getting around Hua Hin – a journey on the back of one of these can be a bit hair- raising, but they are a great way of getting around the extensive complex of narrow lanes that is to be found around the beach front in Hua Hin. There are a few tuk tuks to be found in Hua Hin, and like the motorbike taxis are a great way of negotiating the narrow lanes of the beachfront area. Songthaews are probably the best way of travelling slightly longer distances – such as the route between Hua Hin and Cha Am, and they operate more of less like buses following certain routes. If you fancy getting around under your own steam, then why not hire a bike? There are numerous outlets hiring bikes out by the hour/day.
Getting To Hua Hin
The resort of Hua Hin does have its own airport, but most international visitors will arrive into Bangkok and transfer by road from there. If you are arriving from other parts of Thailand, then flights may be available – ask your travel agent for details. SGA Aero operates scheduled flights from Bangkok, a journey that offers some scenic views over the coast.
You can get to Hua Hin from Bangkok by train and there are several services a day that stop at Hua Hin on their journey further south. Trains depart from Hua Lanmphong Station in central Bangkok.
Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hua Hin
1. Beaches
The resort of Hua Hin boasts around 3 miles of beachfront, which stretches from the centre of the town up to a rocky headland at Khao Takiap. The beach is ideal for swimming as although there are large rock formations at certain points, the sea bed is sandy. There are plenty of beach activities to be found in Hua Hin, including watersports and horse riding, and there are numerous stalls selling drinks and fresh seafood. Further south from Hua Hin beach lies Suan Son beach, which is much quieter than the main beach. Hua Hin is a good place for windsurfing as the beach gets some strong north easterly winds at certain times. There are dive facilities, but generally the water is too shallow and therefore not really known for coral reefs.
2. Golf
Hua Hin is fast becoming known for its excellent golf courses – in fact the Royal Hua Golf Club is the oldest in Thailand. Less well known outside of Asia than within, Hua Hin is currently popular with Japanese and Chinese golfers. Green fees and other costs are low in comparison with those in the West and elsewhere in Asia, making it doubly attractive to the visitor. There are currently five world class golf courses in and around Hua Hin, though this number is sure to increase once word gets out! The main courses are as follows: Royal Hua Hin Golf Course: as above, this is the oldest public golf course in Thailand, first opened in 1924 and still a landmark course. The course has the added advantage of being just a five minute journey from the beach, and boasts some stunning views; Palm Hills Golf Resort and Country Club is about 6 miles to the north of Hua Hin and was opened in 1991, and is perfect for beginners as well as more experienced golfers. There are also numerous other sports and fitness facilities on offer at the country club; the Springfield Royal Country Club boasts a Jack Nicklaus designed course, and is reputed to be one of the best resorts in Thailand, boasting excellent facilities, extremely high standards and a resident PGA Pro.
3. Shopping and Markets
Hua Hin boasts some excellent shopping, including at the famous night market. All around the beach area are informal stalls selling all manner of tourist souvenirs and other local goods as well as “nearly real” accessories etc – haggling is the order of the day here. Head to the Naresdamri area for tailor-made clothing at very reasonable prices – be sure to shop around though and check the quality of the material before you part with your holiday money.
4. Eating Out
As with any other Thai beach resort, the wealth of food on offer in Hua Hin is mind boggling! Most of the bigger hotels will have their own restaurants serving a wide variety of cuisines, but something more authentically local, head to one of the street-side food stalls which can be found all over the town, though there are most close to the beach. There are also plenty of Thai restaurants, often specialising in seafood, for which Hua Hin is rightfully famous all over Thailand. For some of the best seafood, go to the All Seasons Restaurant, where you can feast on locally caught crab, squid and kingfish. To get a glimpse of where the locals buy their food, head to the Chatchai market.
5. Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park
Easily accessible as a day trip from Hua Hin, the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, or “300 mountain peaks” comprises some stunning beaches, as well as some great walking and hiking trails boasting some wonderful views over the stunning limestone and savannah land scenery of the area. The park is also a great place for animal spotting and several rare species make their home here – head for the coastal part of the park and you may be rewarded with a sighting of the rare Irrawady dolphin. There are also several caves within the park that are worth a visit, including the Tham Phraya Nakhon, a cave which has a hole in its roof that lets the sunshine flood in and shine upon Thai-style pavilion that was build for King Rama V.
6. Kaeng Krachan National Park
Just 25 miles from Hua Hin, this is the largest national park in all of Thailand, covering around 2915sqkm and taking up around half of the Petburi province, adjacent to the border with Myanmar. Thanks to the very heavy monsoon rains that fall each year, the rainforest is lush and home to a number of species not seen elsewhere in Thailand. But the park is not just tropical rainforest, there are great swathes of grassland, mountains, caves, sheer cliff faces, waterfalls and rivers, where visitors can go rafting. One of the most popular attractions in the park is the stunning eleven tiered Pa La-U Yai and Noi waterfalls, where you will be able to spot several species of butterflies and rare birds. Take a tour of the park and you may get to see many animals, including elephants, tigers, bears and gibbons. Hiking and camping are popular activities in the park, and there is some accommodation on the La-U Reservoir.
7. Events in Hua Hin
Hua Hin plays host to a number of national and international events throughout the year - here are some of the most popular: the Thailand International Kite Festival takes place when the steady southerly breezes blow between March and May each year. The festival takes place close to Cha Am, and is a colourful extravaganza, with a massive variety of kites, including traditional Thai ones and some high tech international versions too! There are numerous competitions, activities and games, and the festival atmosphere is great fun! The The Hua Hin Jazz Festival takes place around June and attracts jazz musicians from all over the world who perform nightly on the beach. Finally the Hua Hin Vintage Car Rally takes place in December each year, and is a procession of vintage and classic cars which make the 140 mile route from the centre of Bangkok to the centre of Hua Hin, with cars, drivers and passengers all decked out in typical 1920s attire.
8. Klai Kangwon Palace
It is thanks to the construction of this palace that Hua Hin ever developed as a tourist resort, so if the palace is not in use during your stay here, it is well worth a visit. Built in the 1920s as a summer retreat by the then monarch, King Rama VII for his wife and family, the palace is located on the beach just to the north of the centre of Hua Hin, and is very European in its architectural style. When the royal family are not in residence, visitors can tour the palace daily between 9am and 4pm – it is not just the palace itself, but there are also some beautiful gardens and an interesting shell museum which are worth visiting.
9. Thai Boxing
As anywhere else in Thailand, Thai boxing is popular in Hua Hin, and it is a great night out to go and watch a bout. There are matches held each Thursday and Sunday in the Grand Arena, in front of the Grand Hotel, or alternatively at Mr Chop Rawee’s Thai Boxing Garden near the City Beach Hotel on a Tuesday or Friday. Matches start at 9pm and go on til around midnight.
10. Spas
Spas are popular all over Thailand, and nowhere less so than in Hua Hin, where there is an ever increasing number of spas offering a range of treatments, including massage, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy, and reflexology amongst others. Many of the high class hotels have spas attached, or there are some health resorts with a variety of specialisms. Some worth mentioning include the Chiva Som International Health Resort, which has previously been voted the Best Destination Spa in the World by readers of Conde Nast. Hotels with spa facilities include the Anantara Resort and Spa, the Hua Hin Marriott, the Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort and the Evason Hua Hin and Six Senses Spa.
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