A GUIDE TO AUTHENTIC THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND HUA HIN

On the eastern coast of Thailand, a short distance from the hustle and bustle of it’s capital metropolis, Bangkok, lies the country’s original beach resort of Hua Hin. It’s a cool mix of cityscape and beaches, peppered with local markets, a cosmopolitan café culture, many traditional temples, a national park as well as great hotels, golf courses and a hip ambience.

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The Original Thai Beach Resort

Hua Hin became a beach resort town for the nobility of Bangkok in the mid 1920’s and even King Rama VI and VII had summer palaces here (more on that later)! It is still the choice weekend escape for Bangkok city dwellers and simultaneously is a great destination with seafood being in abundance and convenient public transport options from Bangkok city and Bangkok airport.

How To Get To Hua Hin

If you’re arriving into Bangkok airport, Hua Hin is easily accessible as it’s served by a variety of transport to suit all budgets. You can go by train (£5-8, takes 5 hours), bus (£8, takes 3 hours) minibus (£4, 3 hours) or take a private taxi (which is around £75 and takes 2.5 hours). Hua Hin and the surrounding area of Petchaburi are pretty easy to access from Bangkok, than the traditional palm-fringed islands of southern Thailand.

Where To Stay In Hua Hin

Hua Hin and it’s surroundings are packed full of great hotels, with private sea views, so whether you want to be in the heart of the city or in a small fishing town in the Pran Buri district 20 minutes away, the choice is yours. I stayed at the former Evason Six Senses Hotel, which has now been taken over by Blue Lotus Hua Hin and is a stunning luxury sustainable resort in quiet surroundings with a real local vibe.

Authentic Things To See & Do In Hua Hin

The area of Hua Hin and the Petchaburi region should be added to your must see Thailand bucket list with it’s picturesque fishing villages, street food and stretches of white beaches. But if this alone isn’t enough to pull you in, here are some unique things to see and do, which will leave you reeling for more. I’d recommend don’t just add Hua Hin as a weekend retreat but spend around 7-10 days in the area to get a real taste of the area.

Beaches

There are many beaches in and around Hua Hin that can get pretty crowded, especially at weekends and public holidays. This short round up of best beaches around Hua Hin, gives you a rundown of what to expect and may help you decide what you’re looking for in terms of beach time.

Be-lavie Tip: My personal favourite beaches around Hua Hin are Cha am Beach and Khao khalak Beach, both are beautiful, pretty quiet but you will need some form of transport to get to the latter as it’s located in Pran Buri. Also be very careful when swimming in the sea at Khao Khalak beach as it’s pretty rife with jelly fish!

Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

Khao Sam Roi Yod Park translates to ‘mountains of three hundred peaks’; and is an enormous area of limestone mountains, caves, beaches, islands and marshy wetlands, which calls itself home to much flora and fauna. Approximately 300 species of birds come here from all over the world to feed on the mudflats and rest before continuing their southerly journey. The National Park is classified as the largest wetlands in Thailand and as well as birds there are crab-eating macaque, barking deer, Malayan pangolin, dusky leaf monkey, fishing cats, wild elephants and guar. 

Be-lavie Tip: Dress Code: hiking clothing or shorts and T-shirt with hiking boots/good quality trainers. Also try and hike as early as possible in the day, humidity is very high around lunchtime!

• Time from Hua Hin: 1 hour drive. We opted for a private taxi booked at our resort as there is no public transport to the park.
• Address: Kui Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand
• Contact: +66 89 782 6002
• Website: Thai National Park
• Entrance Fees: 100 Baht/£2.36

Phraya Nakhon Cave

Sam Roi Yot National Park’s most popular feature is Phraya Nakhon Cave, arguably one of the most spectacular caves in all of Southeast Asia. Its spectacular chamber houses a stunning gold and green pavilion — a sight that few visitors to Thailand are lucky enough to see for themselves as it can only be seen at its majestic self between the hours of 10-11 am, when the light shines through it at an angle.

Please note that the hike is not for the feint hearted. A level of physical fitness is required as it is very steep and there are many loose rocks and stones. The path is well marked out but in high humidity and heat even for an avid hiker like myself, it was tough!

Be-lavie Tip: Dress Code: hiking clothing or shorts and T-shirt with hiking boots/good quality trainers. Take a swimsuit and towel if you fancy a dip in the sea at the beach.

• Time from Hua Hin: 1 hour drive. We opted for a private taxi booked at our resort as there is no public transport to the park.
• Address: Kui Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand
• Contact: +66 89 782 6002
• Website: Thai National Park
• Entrance Fees: 100 Baht/£2.36

Kui Buri National Park

One of the best ways to see Thailands wildlife in it’s natural habitat is to visit Kui Buri National Park. If you’re a fan of elephants, you may be in luck as there are a couple of families living here however as they’re in the wild, there is no guarantee of a sighting. But if you do, this will be an unforgettable experience. It is truly eco-tourism at its best and a not to be missed experience.

• Time from Hua Hin: 55 minutes drive. We opted for a private taxi booked at our resort as there is no public transport to the park.
• Address: Moo 9, Baan Yan Sue Had Kham, Kui Buri 77150 Thailand.
• Contact: +66 87 909 4770
• Website: Thai National Parks
• Entrance Fees: 200 Baht adults & 100 Baht children/£4.73 or £2.30

Blue Lotus Plant-Based Cookery School

For those wishing to learn more about a plant based lifestyle and learning to cook, the Blue Lotus Cookery School is for you. It’s located on the site of the Blue Lotus Hua Hin resort and cooking courses/classes come in a range of levels and can also be residential. The choice of classes and workshops are phenomenal and whether you follow a vegan diet or not, you will be sure to walk away with some delicious recipe ideas, which will for sure make you think about a plant-based lifestyle.

Be-lavie Tip: If you’re serious about cooking, stay at the hotel as you’ll get to see the gardens and eat at the restaurants. The cookery school has created some of the dishes on the menu. It also makes for a more relaxed experience.

• Time from Hua Hin: 25 minute drive.
• Transfers: If arriving from Bangkok airport, transfers can be arranged by Blue Lotus.
• Address: Pak Nam Pran, Pran Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77220. Thailand
• Contact: +66 89 782 6002
• Website: Blue Lotus Hua Hin
• Email: info@bluelotushuahin.com to discuss course options

Monsoon Valley Vineyard

Tell me, would you associate Thailand with producing wine? Well my answer would’ve been no, until we spent an afternoon wine tasting at Monsoon Valley Vineyard.

Monsoon Valley vineyard is built on a former elephant corral, where Asian elephants were domesticated. The terrain is mostly loamy sand and slate and is perfect for growing grapes for wines.

You can wonder the stunning vineyard and surrounding scenic landscape independently as we did, or you can take one of the organised tours. These are packages where wine pairings with tapas follow a tour, or jeep tour of the vineyard. Elephant rides can also be take.

Responsible Tourism: I do not advocate elephant rides, it is cruel and inhumane and elephants backs are not made for riding. Please refrain from partaking in this activity. Help reduce and eradicate the demand of activities like this and source wildlife experiences responsibly. If in doubt don’t take part!

Feel free to call ahead and book a traditional wine pairing menu or you can take a seat at the bar and taste one of the wine packages. We thought we would go for the three wine tasting options as it was early afternoon when we arrived.

Be-lavie Tip: The vineyard can get very busy during lunch and high season, so I’d recommend booking ahead to guarantee a table with a view or instead have lunch elsewhere and visit mid-afternoon to enjoy a flight of wines at the bar. The bar staff will guide you through the tasting experience and feels very personal and relaxed.

• Time from Hua Hin: Time from Hua Hin: 55 minute’s drive. We hired a private taxi from our resort for the day (there are shuttle services available. Round trips are offered twice per day for 300 Baht / approx. USD $9.79. Shuttles depart from the Villa Market in downtown. (Shuttle times: 10.30am-2pm and 3pm-6pm)
• Address: 1 Moo 9, Baan Khork Chang Patana, Nong Pulp, Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand, Hua Hin 77110
• Contact: 081-701-0222 / 081-701-0444 / 081-904-0555
• Website: Monsoon Valley
• Tour Fees: Tour prices: 1400 Baht / approx. USD $45.70 per person for Wine & Tapas (2 hours); 1700 Baht / approx. USD $55.50 per person including transfer

Hua Hin Railway Station

Originally built in 1910 and then rebuilt in 1926, in it’s original Victorian-style architecture, Hua Hin Railway Station is considered to be the most stunning in Thailand.

The station has a Royal waiting room, where the King and his court would wait when they visited Hua Hin during the summer months.

The station runs as a completely function railway stop with trains arriving throughout the day from Bangkok

Be-lavie Tip: Just outside the station there is a hidden library, which has been made from two old train carriages and is a tranquil space to sit and read. The books here are free for the locals and therefore the majority are in Thai.

• Address: Phra Pokklao Road, Hua Hin Subdistrict, Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan
• Getting there: Pro Pokklao Road – at the end of Damnoen Kasem Road. We opted to hire a private taxi for the day.
• Contact :+66 32 511 073
• Price: Free

Mrigadayavan Palace

Summer Palace in Hua Hin. This is also known as the Mrigadayavan Palace (palace of love and hope) designed by King Rama VI and completed in 1924. It’s a stunning teak wooden building with coastal views and is being restored to its former glory. Note the separate bathing pavilions down a long corridor, which have beautiful views out to sea.

Be-lavie Tip: The dress code is modest, ensure knees and shoulders are covered. Sarongs are provided with a donation of 20 THB/50p

• Time from Hua Hin: 20 mins drive (we used a private taxi)
• Address: 1281 Thanon Phet Kasem, Cha-am, Cha-am District, Phetchaburi 76120, Thailand
• Contact :+66 32 508 444
• Website: Mrigadayavan Palace
• Entrance Fees: 30 THB/70p Adults/Children under 9 Free
• Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday (Closed on Wednesday) 08.30 – 16.00

Coffee Culture

Hua Hin has a great café and coffee culture. You will find many lining beach front spots in Hua Hin, from traditional to quirky to themed however one of my absolute favourites was in Pranburi, right next to the Blue Lotus cookery school, called, Cha Bar Coffee.

It’s essentially an old fishing house, with mismatched decor, serving all the coffees, teas and fraps in a variety of flavours that one could ever want! They also do some pretty delicious cakes. But if like me you need a coffee fix at any point during the day this hippie, chilled stop is perfect!

Be-lavie Tip: I’d totally recommend a latte, or the lovely range of teas. Oh and the rose and pistachio cake is delicious.

• Time from Hua Hin: 20 mins drive
• Address: Beach Front Marine Parade, Pak Nam Pran, Pranburi Thailand 77220 Thailand.

Markets

Thailand is well known for it’s market scene, from food, the art and crafts to clothing and Hua Hin is no exception. Some notable markets to add to your list to get a better insight into the area are Cicada Night Market (great cultural arts and crafts), Tamarind Market (located next to Cicada market and known for the regions foodie scene), Hua Hin Night Bazaar (many local and handmade arts and goods) and the Hua Hin Night Market (which boasts one of the largest line ups of seafood restaurants and street food in Hua Hin).

Book A Hua Hin Food Tours

Be-lavie Tip: Aside from this selection of markets, a complete favourite of mine, is the night street market that is outside the Blue Lotus Hua Hin Hotel. It’s authentic with local fishermen families selling their fresh catch from the day as well as traditional fruits and Thai specialities. The locals from the small neighbouring villages will grab some food and sit along the promenade.

Useful Resources

• UK Citizens can visit Thailand without a Visa for upto 30 days. But do check entry requirements for further advice.
• Additional advice for visiting Thailand can be obtained from the Thai Embassy.
• Easily convert the local Thai Baht at Google Currency Converter
• Vaccination and medication information at Fit for Travel

Travel to Thailand opens up on 1st July 2021, please refer to the latest Covid 19 Travel advice.

Related Reading

• The Evason Six Senses Spa: A Review (Now Blue Lotus Hua Hin)
• Evason Hue Hin/Blue Lotus: Sustainability & Social Responsibility
• Blue Lotus: A Plant Based Cookery School
• Top 12 Things to do in Hua Hin

This is a sponsored article as part of the #throwbackthailand and #amazingthailand campaign, with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). All opinions and views are my own including photography and therefore remain a copyright of be-lavie.

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