Bangkok, home to over 10 million people, has a constant ebb and flow as they go about their daily lives. Crawling with taxis, motorbikes and tuk-tuks, a nonstop buzz of big city life, in a hot and humid climate that at times feels stifling. And there is much beauty, with glistening temples, excellent shopping centers, open-air markets and pockets of green space. However, sometimes you need to escape to a less frantic place, breathe cleaner air, chill out and ‘recharge your batteries.’

In a series of articles, we will explore great destinations that Bangkok residents or would be Bangkokians can get away to, for a weekend or longer, from the frantic excitement that is “The City of Angels”. Our focus for this article is Hua Hin.

Thailand’s First Royal Resort
Hua Hin, a sleepy fishing village, was ‘discovered’ a century ago thanks to the construction of a new train line that would ultimately connect Bangkok to Singapore. News of the clean ocean, fresh sea air, beaches, and verdant hinterland, as an ideal tonic to steamy Bangkok, soon got back to the Thai Royal family.

King Rama VI built Maruekathaiyawan (or Palace of Love and Hope) on Hua Hin’s northern outskirts in 1924. Palace courtiers and the capital’s high society quickly followed. In 1933, King Rama VII built Klai Kang Won Palace closer to central Hua Hin. Klai Kang Won, meaning ‘far from worries’, was also the summer palace for HM King Rama IX. And so Thailand’s first Royal beach resort town was born.

Getting ThereIt is approximately 200km south of Bangkok, and thanks to the motorways, an easy 3-hour drive or a little longer by bus, it is a relatively easy transit. Alternatively, take a train and alight at the historic Hua Hin Train station, complete with Royal Waiting Room. Current train travel is slow, with trips taking up to 6 hours. Though fast forward to 2023 and thanks to the pending completion of a new dual-track rail line and new rolling stock, a Bangkok to Hua Hin commute could be shorter than a car trip.

Reasons to Visit
There is no shortage of things to see and do, places to explore, and food for visitors to eat. Hua Hin’s fishing village roots remain with seafood restaurants perched beachside or on Hua Hin’s famous old town finger wharves. All favorite spots for feasting on freshly caught fish, crabs, shrimp, squid and mollusks.

Open nightly, Hua Hin Night Market is famous too for live cooking stations of mouthwatering seafood. Speaking of markets, both Cicada and Tamarind Markets in Khao Takiab open on weekend evenings and have fantastic street foods, arts and crafts and entertainment.

At the popular Cha-am, Hua Hin and Suan Son Pradiphat beaches, you can chill on a sun lounge, order lunch from a local restaurant, take a massage, maybe ride a horse or learn how to kiteboard. Recreational options don’t stop at the beach. Families can enjoy the two adrenalin-fueled water parks. Golfers have eight international standard courses to choose from, while True Arena sporting complex offers tennis, badminton, squash, a top-notch gym, and a rooftop 25-meter pool. Cycling has increased in popularity with relatively flat bike lanes from Hua Hin some 50 km south to Sam Roi Yot. If that’s a bit tame, try mountain bike riding around Khao Hin Lek Fai.

Hua Hin has many temples. Of particular note is Wat Khao Takiap, at the southern end of Hua Hin beach. Take the path from the beach, past the 20m gleaming golden standing Buddha, all the way to the top. Closeby is Wat Khao Krailart, with a recently constructed mangrove walkway leading to the temples. Both afford striking coastal views of Hua Hin.

Three renowned national parks are within a 1 to 1.5 hours drive of Hua Hin. Head south to Sam Roi Yot N.P. to visit the astonishing Phraya Nakhon Cave. Get there mid-morning and see the enormous cavern and centrally positioned Royal Pavilion bathed in sunlight streaming through a vast chasm in the cave’s roof. This national park is also home to Thailand’s most significant remaining freshwater wetlands. An essential habitat for approximately 355 species of birds, many of them migratory. Also south of Hua Hin is Kui Buri N.P., the best park in Thailand to see elephants roaming free in their natural habitat. Head north-west of Hua Hin for Kaeng Krachan, Thailand’s largest national park with vast birdlife and wild animal diversity.

Where to Stay
From Cha-am to Hua Hin, a broad range of accommodation options suit any budget and taste, from family-run hotels and guest houses to luxury resorts like Hyatt, InterContinental, Centara, So Sofitel Anantara, and Sheraton. Rental condos are another option for those looking for the comforts of a home away from home.

Property
For many people, Hua Hin is an ideal location for a weekender or second home. Purchasing a condo or villa in a gated community makes the weekend getaways or beach holidays a whole lot easier. Owning a holiday home in Hua Hin can be an excellent investment, especially when placing it in the rental pool of the development when you or your family are not using it.

Additionally, this pandemic has changed the way many people work. Working from home, Zoom meetings, helping the kids with online schooling are now all part of the ‘new norm’. This change has seen families opting to move to locations like Hua Hin to enjoy a healthier lifestyle while still participating in the new digital post-pandemic working world.

Hua Hin – a Great Bangkok Getaway
The Hua Hin area is an excellent option for weekend breaks, extended getaways, or perhaps a second home. With excellent infrastructures like international schools and hospitals, plenty of recreation facilities, two shopping centers and fresh food markets you can get whatever you need. And the pace is more laid back with way less traffic, just what is required to re-energize before returning to the big city. So next time you are looking for that getaway, pack your beach gear and head to Hua Hin.