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Hua Hin Thailand Travel Guide
 If you are in Bangkok and you only have a short time for a seaside break and Pattaya does not appeal then Hua Hin, only 196km from Bangkok, is a very pleasant alternative. They name literally means 'Head Rock' and refers to the principal feature marking the start of the 5km beach. It was, and still is, a fishing village. Discovered by King Rama VII as an ideal seaside refuge from the fetid heat of Bangkok in the 1920s, Hua Hin embarked on a relationship with Thai royalty that continues to this day. The King built a palace there and, taking advantage of Hua Hin's excellent climate, the Royal Family still use it today.
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The royal connection certainly gives Hua Hin a certain kind of dignity not so readily seen in some of the country's other more brash resorts. Unlike Patong or Pattaya the architecture in the older part of Hua Hin is not dominated by concrete and traffic. It still retains the charm of a traditional fishing village with wooden, weather boarded houses supported by stilts sunk into the sea. The winding streets are pedestrianized giving it an intimate and relaxed feel. Filled with small cafes and boutiques there is really very little need to ever have to take a bike or a taxi.
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The main beach is in front of the town itself. It is not like the white sand, tropical getaways of Koh Samet or Samui. In fact it resembles nothing less than a sort of seaside funfair where you are as likely to get run over by a horse as snooze to the soothing sound of the lapping waves of the ocean. It is still enjoyable to hire a deckchair under an umbrella and watch the beach cowboys hiring out their steeds to visiting children or the games of hoopla or beach volleyball going on around you. South of the town center are the beaches of Khao Takiab (Chopsticks Hill) and Takiab Bay (Chopsticks Bay). They are equally busy although the water is calmer and cleaner.
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The chief sites in Hua Hin are related to its royal past. The palace called Klai Kangwon or 'Far from Worries' is a seafront summer villa built according to traditional style in teak.
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 The other building worth looking at is actually a hotel. One of the most elegant in Thailand it was built in 1923 by the State Railway Authority. As with the waiting room at the railway station itself they had more on their minds than simple practicalities. They had style. The Railway hotel is an elegant, airy colonial style building fronted by the beach and backed by well kept gardens. It is now The Hua Hin Sofitel but it remains one of the most atmospheric hotels in Thailand recalling a colonial era that Thailand never actually experienced. The airy open reception area and the painted shutters of the windows evoke an atmosphere that harks back to pre war Indo China. It was no accident that Roland Joffe used it as a stand in for the French Embassy in Phnom Penh when filming the Oscar winning film, 'The Killing Fields', in the early eighties. It is expensive, but a drink on the terrasse is a very pleasant experience.
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Another legacy of Hua Hin's popularity among Thailand's elite is the golf course. It was the first public golf course in the country. It's a pleasant place for a round in the shadow of an exquisite temple built on a nearby limestone hill.
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If you are a fan of sea food Hua Hin will suit you. On the sea front there are many restaurants built on little wooden piers out to sea serving some of the best crab, lobster and fish in Thailand. The town is famous for it. For humbler Thai fare head to the night market. Since Hua Hin is now a thriving international package tour destination there is also no shortage of European or American restaurants all within easy walking distance of the town center.
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Although Hua Hin remains a sedate place, there are an increasing number of nightlife options springing up. Around Selakam Road not far from the beach are a series of open air bars offering the usual combination of beer, pool and hostesses. Some of the big hotels put on evening performances of traditional Thai dance.
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Hua Hin offers someting different. A relaxed, compact town near Bangkok with its own interesting history and an atmosphere ideally suited to those who want a quiet holiday with family or children.
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About The Author
Alex Smith maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website at http://www.cheapthaitravel.com - All of the materials on this site are the sole property and responsibility of Cheapthaitravel.com. This material may not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.
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