BY INDER RAJ AHLUWALIA
( THE WRITER IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED , MULTIPLE AWARD – WINNING TRAVEL JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR)
NEW DELHI | 13 JULY 2025
Some will argue that things were better here in the olddays.
That It was a quiet, tranquil sort of place of the sort onewishes for trying to escape from urban chaos.
Well, the fact is that Hua Hin has grown beyondmeasure and certainly sports more activity than it didfifteen years back. But in no way does that prevent itfrom gripping one’s fancy.
Purists still claim it to be ‘Thailand’s original seasideresort’, a claim that has many takers. While there’splenty of action, one doesn’t necessarily notice it, andthat’s part of its innate charm.
The drive here from Bangkok was at a steady pace, andI had arrived to the welcome of a late morning coffee.
But along the way, we had stopped at one of theregion’s charming sites.
The air was cool and the atmosphere tranquil. The hill-perched Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park goes beyondbeing a valuable symbol of royalty, to be a populartourist stopover, providing a glimpse of royal living, andmagnificent views of the country around. A funicular ridetakes one up to the royal complex that comprisesstructures on the eastern, middle and western peaks.
The palace is open to the public and one can see themain hall, the king’s bedroom, the observatory, and the Theatre for Masked Dance Drama, among other areas.
Complementing the main palace building are pavilions,chedis and temples.
The stopover had been truly worthwhile, the hostcommittee was cordial, the muffins were delicious andthe coffee strong.
This grand ritual over, we set off for the town. The moodhad been set and it was time for some action. Thewestern coast of the Gulf of Thailand is remarkable forthe richness and variety of its sights and scenery, andHua Hin offers the classic ingredients for a holidayescape. Its magnificent beach runs from a rockyheadland that separates it from a tiny fishing port, andcurves gently for some three km to its southern pointwhere Buddhist temples cling to the cliffs, looking downon beachcombers below. The skies are mostly blue.
The wind had picked up, making the sea rough andchoppy, with large waves hitting against theembankment with ferocity. But a few hundred metresout, things were as calm as calm could be. Only ahandful of boats were in sight, bobbing up and down onthe water, and a few fishermen stood in ankle-highwater, showing the patience only fisher men can.
My local foray if you please, happened to start at thelocal night market, which though not too large, wasbustling with activity. There was a selection of clothes,souvenirs, art objects, jewellery and handicrafts. Theseafood market enables one to not only buy freshseafood, but also dine under the stars on delicious catchbrought in daily by local fishermen. As always, thebargaining was fun.
The town offers far more than one imagines. There is awealth of historical and cultural sites, including ateakwood palace built in the 1920s for King Rama VI,which he christened Klai Kangwon- “Far from Worry”.
This created a vogue among high society for Hua Hin tobecome the favourite retreat from Bangkok’s summerheat.
Don’t hurry! Set your own pace. Embark on a leisurelywalk to take in the sights. I did just that and waspleasantly surprised at the offerings at hand. My firststop was something of a surprise. Built in the reign ofKing Rama VI, the local railway station is a symbol oflocal pride, and a beautiful site to visit.
Moving on, I landed up at the Arts and Crafts Centrewhich has an old house with a collection and exhibitionof contemporary works of Thai artists, old paintings andperiod furniture.
This is golfers’ turf. Lush landscaping and manicuredgreens define the town’s magnificent golf courses, whichaccount for it being a major Asian golf destination. RoyalHua Hin Golf Course has the distinction of beingThailand’s first, and is highly rated.
A scenic drive from the town centre deposited me atSam Roi Yot National Park, some 63 kilometres south ofHua Hin. The park’s 98 square kilometres of undulatingranges of limestone mountains, mangrove swamps andbeaches, are home to local and migratory birds, and a‘fishing and prawns culture centre’, and a fishermen’svillage. Standing as a landmark for seamen and alsoproviding shelter for ships during a storm, is Khao SamRoi Yot (the mountain of 300 peaks).
Laid back and quiet, offering history and beauty, HuaHin is quite the perfect place to unwind and relax.
So don’t put off your visit for much longer…!
BOX ITEM
Pinki Arora, Representative, Tourism Authority of Thailand, rates Hua Hin as a top-drawer tourist destination that is constantly increasing in popularity among foreign visitors. It is firmly placed on Thailand’s tourist map. A notable feature of the town is its emergence as a major wedding destination, thanks to its infrastructure of quality hotels, restaurants, and abundant leisure activities, that makes it an ideal wedding venue.
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