Small towns, Hua Hin and Cha Am are situated on
the picturesque east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike other
resort areas in the country, Thai nationals more regularly frequent
them, than foreign tourists. Cha Am is close enough to be considered
part of Hua Hin and therefore the following deals mainly with this
latter resort town.
The five km long sand beach at Hua Hin is studded
with huge boulders and the surf is safe enough for year-round
swimming. A favoured holiday spot with members of the Thai royal
family, this once sleepy fishing village, is rapidly following the
development styles of areas such as Phuket and Pattaya. The fishing
fleet has been relocated and the town’s infamous squid-drying piers
have been replaced by resorts and shop houses.
In spite of moving with the times to
offer all modern amenities, Hua Hin has retained its own
enduring Thai identity. The main attraction of this
resort town is lazing on the beach soaking up the
tropical sunshine, complemented by the fun of a variety
of water - sports and the excellent seafood.
Hua Hin one of Thailand's oldest seaside holiday
towns has never sought an international image and has always been a
bit of a sleepy hollow. A stroll near the fishing port gives
refreshing insight on the traditional life of a Thai coastal
settlement.
In addition to the attraction of the sun, sea and
sand, Hua Hin provides options for leisure times away from the
beach. The night market is a fun place for shopping and pursuing
that most delightful of Thai past times, 'pai teeo' - leisurely
wandering about to see and be seen. Best buys for the dedicated
shopper are, locally produced high quality silk and cotton as well
as the region's famous dried seafood and various kinds of 'kanom' -
Thai sweets.
The coastline in this region is well worth
exploring. South from Hua Hin, through Pran Buri and down to
Prachuap Khiri Khan, there are numerous quiet coves and tiny fishing
villages, ideal destinations for day excursions.
The royal family's connection to the area is
decades old. It was here that King Rama VI constructed his seafront
summer palace in 1926. Designed by the royal architect MJ
Ithithespan Kreudakon the entire construction was built of golden
teak. Another historical royal happening occurred when, while
playing golf at the Hua Hin golf course, King Rama VII was informed
of Thailand’s first coup de tat in 1932.
In 1922 the state railway was extended to include
Hua Hin, allowing easier access to the summer palace and in 1923 the
first hotel was built in the area. This graceful colonial - style
building, despite being in need of renovation, still caters to
visitors. It has more atmosphere than many other 'older' hotels in
Thailand and was used as a set in the Hollywood film, 'The Killing
Fields'.
The main swimming beach with its thatched
umbrellas and beach chairs is a popular spot. Here one can laze
around while vendors serve steam crab, mussels and other delicacies
from nearby food stalls. There are pony rides along the beach for
children and water sports for the more active.
