The oldest beach resort in the country, Hua Hin is one of the seven districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, and is located on the western coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Located about 90 km from the provincial capital and about 250 kilometers south of the capital city - Bangkok, Hua Hin is within a thin strip of land alongside the Thai peninsula, bordering Chumphon on the southern side and Phetchaburi on the northern side.
Once a typical sleepy fishing village, Hua Hin has now been evolved into an excellent resort town of elites. However, Hua Hin is not a destination for those looking for vibrant city life and intoxicating nightlife. With its beautiful sandy beaches, sparkling clear water, and serene atmosphere, Hua Hin is an excellent destination for those travelers, who love walking along the quaint streets, enjoying the picturesque views of the surroundings, and savoring sumptuous sea food specialties.
Formerly known as Ban Samoe Rieng, Hua Hin's history of transformation into a world class beach resort dates back to 1920s, when a railway station was built here as a part of the Southern Railroad during the reign of King Rama VI. Later, the King Rama VII built a summer palace, which in turn attracted many royals from the capital city.
Apart from these, a series of royal residences were constructed here, all of which led to the transformation of Hua Hin to the country's first beachside resort. Al though, it has now become one of the most sophisticate beach resorts of the country, the destination retains its charm and tranquility.
Attractions in Hua Hin range from gorgeous beaches and ancient shrines to incredible palaces and parks. Some of the most popular beaches in the area are Cha-am Beach, which is a serene area with facilities for activities like Thai massage, horse riding, and jet skiing.
Hua Hin Beach, stretching about seven kilometers from the town area to Khan Takiab; Suan Son Beach that is fringed with numerous pine trees; and Khao Takiab, whose area is much famed for a temple complex with a statue of the Lord Buddha. All of these beaches provide opportunities for a variety of recreational as well as adventure water sports activities.
When comes to sights and attractions, Hua Hin boasts of a multitude of interesting destinations. Of which most popular are:
Klai Kangwon Palace : Built in 1927 by King Rama VII for his Queen Rampai Phanee, this is a European style palace which still serves as the summer residence of royal family.
Maruekhathaiyawan Palace : A seaside summer palace built during the early 1920s by King Rama VI, Maruekhathaiyawan is truly an architectural splendor, with a great number of verandas and enclosed boardwalks built with golden teak taken from the demolished Hat Chao Samran Palace.
Panee Butterfly Farm : Nearby Klai Kangwon Palace is Panee Butterfly farm, with a large variety of butterflies, birds, and orchid plantations. This is a great place for kids.
Hua Hin Railway Station: Even if you have come via some other means to this resort town, don't forget to take a tour to Hua Hin Railway Station, the first of its kind in the country.
Kaeng Krachan National Park : Sprawling over an area of about 3000 square kilometers, this is the country's largest national park. Among the specialties found here are bears, deer, dusky langurs, gibbons, tigers, and wild elephants.
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park: This amazing marine park is home to a plenty of wildlife such as Asian antelopes and barking deer, apart from a great number of resident as well as migratory birds.
Other not to miss destinations in Hua Hin are Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park and Khan Luang Cave, which is a stupendous place that is much famed for its Buddha image enshrined within the cave.
With these scores of attractions and aplenty of options to enjoy a range of activities, Hua Hin Phuket draws vacationers from every nook and corner of the world. Hence, Hua Hin has accommodation choices to suit every budget and taste.
For those who can spend extravagantly for their vacation, some excellent options are available in the form of hotels and resorts coupled with high-end facilities and amenities. For those looking for privacy, one of the best options would be to go for accommodation choices such as rental villas inclusive of superb accommodation, transportation facilities, dining options, and maid servants.
Hua hin is the biggest of the three towns and easily accessible at only three hours drive south of Bangkok. The town itself is laid back but by no means boring; good swimming beaches, water sports, golf courses, historical sites, national parks and shopping are all available to keep your days filled. There's also some nightlife but not quite as over the top as Pattaya, making Hua Hin suitable for families and travelers in general. And it's ideal for those who don't want to make the long (and expensive) journey to Phukey or Koh Samui.
You don't need to travel all the way to the south of Thailand to find wonderful tropical beaches and resort-style accommodations. With a short distance from Bangkok, the beachside town of Hua Hin, Chaam and Pranburi on the northwest coast of Thailand make an ideal short escape from Bangkok or are equally suited as longer tropical of holiday destinations. Cool weather year round makes Hua Hin, Cha-am and Pranburi more enjoyable than Bangkok. Now we're in the middle of summer and while the temperatures in Bangkok and the North are near boiling the beaches here still average a pleasant 30 degrees Celsius during the daytime.
Once a sleepy fishing village, Hua Hin started to become better known in the 1920s when it was linked to Bangkok by rail. It developed into a popular retreat for the Royal family and, nowadays, the King himself resides at the summer palace there. (Due to its proximity to Bangkok and popularity with the Monarchy, many wealthier Bangkok Thais now have condominiums along this stretch of coast.)
Hua Hin literally means ?rock head? but don't let the name fool you a few smooth boulders are scattered along the beach but the seabed itself is all sand and safe for swimming. The town is developed but still compact making it easy to walk around, and it has retained its casual beachside feel. You'll find all major amenities including accommodation to suit every budget, from cheapies in town to big name resort operations on the beach.
The famous Hua Hua hin Railway Hotel was built near the beach here in 1923. The magnificent two-storey colonial building has been beautifully restored and is now operated by Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort. To the north, the Hilton Hotel was the first high rise hotel in town, while Marriot Resort and Spa is located along the southern beach.
Down on the beach in front of the Hilton, deck chairs and umbrellas provide a place to relax and vendors sell all kinds of things from snacks to grilled prawn. Along the beach you can get a Thai massage or even ride a horse.
If you love seafood then you'll love Hua Hin. There still fishermen operating from fishing Pier who land the catch of the day which is cooked to order and served fresh to your table at any of the waterfront seafood restaurants. You'll never find seafood this fresh and at these low prices elsewhere. As well as seafood, plenty of international restaurants line the streets, some with live entertainment. There are also a few beer bars but the atmosphere here is pretty relaxed.
While the township can easily be explored on foot some of the other attractions will require transportation. A car is always handy, but those without have a choices of day excursions which take in all the major sights, including natural attractions like Khao Sam Roi Yot (Three Hundred Peaks) National Park with its magnificent views of the Gulf of Thailand and caves to explore. Just to the south of Hua Hin, Khao Takiab Temple is located on a rocky hill with good views of Ao Takiab (Chopsticks Bay) where more beaches and resorts are located. You can also visit other beaches along this coastiline. Waterfalls and the kids will enjoy Hua Hin Zoo.
The other two beaches are renowned; Pranburi is rather new to the scene. Located 30 kilometers south of Hua Hin, this stretch of sand used to be visited just as a day trip, but now has a number of boutique-style resort operations of its own. It's much quieter than its northern neighbors, but still easily accessible to Hua Hin for those after a bit of action many of the resorts offer free transportation services to Hua Hin for this purpose.
How To Get To HuaHin:
From Suvanabhumi international Airport in Bangkok, You can take minivans and taxis to take you to Hua Hin, be careful for too expensive price. For those in a hurry, there are fights ran by SGA Airlines 3 times a day everyday. Minivans also operate from near Victory Monument BTS Station in Bangkok (Taxi fare to get to Victory Monument could be 250 baht), or air-conditioned buses leaves nearly every hour from the New Southern Bus Terminal to Cha-am, Hua Hin and Pranburi town.
When you get Hua Hin city you can get around easily by feet. However, many of the attractions outside of town will need some kind of transportation. There would be tuk tuks, motorcycle taxis, songthaews and taxis; you usually have to negotiate the rate before you get in, try to lower your fare as much as possible, driver always overcharge a tourists. Better plan your trip before you go out, otherwise you won't make it on time due to Hua Hin has many attractions to visit.
Both Wolfgang Jaegel & Eirik Comm are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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