Story

Although the tourist history of Hua Hin goes back hundreds of years, there are no piles of hotels and clubs here, as, for example, in Pattaya. The resort does not claim to be the best and most modern. He doesn’t need this, since his fame thundered long before the first tourists appeared in Pattaya, Phuket or Samui. Back in 1868, King Rama IV came here with his foreign guests to watch the solar eclipse. But the Europeans looked not at the sun, but at the magnificent landscapes that appeared before their eyes. They soon returned here with their families to spend time in this picturesque place. The popularity of Hua Hin in Thailand began to grow and soon the first houses built for tourists appeared here.

About 100 years ago, a railway was built here and the Hua Hin railway station was built in November 1911. It is still here and is active. A few years later, by order of Rama V, the residence of the King was established in the city. In 1921, Rama VI built another palace, which still exists today. It houses the residence of the current one.

With the opening of the railway station, rich aristocracy from all over the world flocked here, the resort began to develop rapidly - a railway hotel was built in 1924, and the next year a golf club appeared, one of the first in all of Thailand.

In the 70s of the last century, with the development of Pattaya, the popularity of Hua Hin decreased somewhat. But in the mid-80s, the resort received a rebirth; tourists who did not like the noisy and “crazy” Pattaya began to come here. A new round of construction began, modern hotels, restaurants and bars, supermarkets and banks appeared. But despite this, the resort has not lost its ancient charm; many buildings of the past constantly remind of this. Currently, this is one of the most popular places among Bangkok residents who come to Hua Hin for the weekend to escape the bustle of the capital and relax in a pleasant and calm atmosphere on the coast.

How to get there

Hua Hin is located not far from Bangkok - 2 - 2.5 hours away by land. From Russia, Ukraine and other countries, the easiest way is to fly to Suvarnabhumi Airport and then proceed from the time of arrival and financial capabilities.

Cheap flights to Bangkok

You can buy air tickets to Thailand as profitably as possible using special search engines that collect data from all airlines.

By far the most convenient way from Bangkok is by taxi. You can either arrange it at the taxi counter at the airport. You can also catch it right at the exit in the arrivals area.

A more budget-friendly option is public transport, which runs from, from or from Khao San Road. There is also a train running from several times a day.

There is direct bus service to Hua Hin from and. In addition, travel agencies throughout Thailand offer connecting flights.

Transport

You can get from Suvarnabhumi Airport by taxi and bus. Likewise, return there or to any other part of Bangkok. For travel from other parts of Thailand.

The main public transport in Hua Hin is the colorful songthaew. For individual travel over short distances we recommend using motorcycle taxis, for longer distances - tuk-tuk taxis; they are also good for a company and if you have luggage. A bus route runs through the city from Cha Am to Petburi, connecting all the main tourist spots.

Climate

Hua Hin is one of the most favorable resorts in terms of climate. Average annual daytime temperatures are in the range of 29-33 degrees. The coldest time of year by Thai standards is from November to February. The least rainfall is from December to April. In general, there is little rain here - one of the best places in Thailand for this indicator. The truth is worth taking into account during the rainy season - the sky will still be overcast.

general information

After the royal family left Bangpain, Thailand's oldest seaside resort became the summer residence of King Bhumibol. The most attractive thing about this quiet town is the 3 km long beach with fine white sand.

The heyday of Hua Hin is closely connected with the construction in 1910 of a railway line going to the south of Thailand. From that moment on, the inconspicuous town came to the attention of the Bang Kok nobility, and first of all Prince Naret, the son of King Chula Longkorn, who built the first summer residence of Sansamran here. Subsequent princes and princesses added new parks and bungalows. At the residence of Rama VII, both living quarters and a park are open to visitors, but the palace of King Bhumibol on the western exit of the city is closed to the public.

This is where King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit spend their summer vacation. You can see the king up close while sailing. He did not give up this hobby even in his old age. Of course, getting too close to the monarch is unacceptable, but is it not enough to say: “But the King of Thailand is sailing on that yacht”?

What to see

Fish market

In the morning, you should definitely visit the lively fish market in the northern part of the city. Thailand's second largest fishing fleet is based in Hua Hin. In the morning hours, many tons of fish are unloaded onto the shore and transferred for further processing.

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace was built in the style of European country residences. King Prachatipok (Rama VII) named it "Klaik-langwan" ("Away from worries"). The palace, built in 1910, is surrounded by a magnificent park stretching all the way to the sea. At the southern end of the sandy beach rises the head-like cliff that gives the town its name.

Wat Khau Lat

Wat Khau Lat stands on a cliff nearby, offering beautiful views of the sea, mountains to the east and the village of Khautakiap. True, to do this you need to overcome a steep climb up many steps. From Hua Hin here every 20 minutes. there are buses.

Night market

It is worth checking out the daily Night Market on Dechanuchit Road, where in addition to shopping stalls there are many open-air cafes and eateries.

Railway station

At the small Hua Hin railway station there is a restored steam locomotive. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) used steam locomotives until 1975. Then it switched to diesel locomotives, and now some sections are electrified. The house that serves as a waiting room for the royal family is very elegant.

Neighborhoods of Hua Hin

Caves

In the surrounding limestone mountains (which are worth devoting half a day to) there are many caves you can visit, including the Dau Cave Temple, the Mailaple Grotto, as well as Kaylon and Kaifa with beautiful, but not very interesting artistically, Buddha statues.

Khautakiap Bay

Khautakiap Bay, 6 km south of Hua Hin, has particularly fine sand and excellent fish restaurants. The snow-white Buddha statue on the mountain looks impressive. In the temple behind it lives a large flock of wild monkeys.

Khausamroyot National Park

On the way to the city of Pranburi, located 25 km from Hua Hin, the traveler first passes several quiet bays convenient for swimming. South of Pranburi, a powerful limestone massif rises along the coast, nicknamed Samroyot (Range of 300 Peaks) for its numerous sharp teeth. These mountains are the central part of the national park with an area of ​​130 square meters. km. They abound in caves and gorges, representing part of a mountain range stretching from northern Thailand to the Malay Peninsula. The most spectacular geological formations are the intricately shaped limestone towers over 600 m high, rising among the wide plain.

While traveling through this part of the national park is easy and pleasant, further to the west its territory, covered with dense and lush vegetation, is not very hospitable. There are no marked walking routes here, so self-guided tours are not recommended. But to the west of Pranburi there is a road through the park, and there are also several trails laid by foresters. Sometimes you can see a variety of birds here. The national park is not decorated with numerous shrimp farms on the plain, established in the 1980s. This is visible evidence of the defeat of environmentalists in the fight against businessmen.

How to get there

• By car:
  from Bangkok via National Highway No. 4 or No. 35 via Samut Songkh Temple.
• By bus:
  from Bangkok South Bus Station. Travel time is about 3 hours.
• By train:
  station on the main line Bangkok - Malacca Peninsula (229 km from Bangkok). Travel time is about 6 hours.
• By plane:
  Daily from Bangkok and Koh Samui.

Our reader Sergey Malinin talks about Hua Hin, one of his favorite cities in Thailand. Europeans love this resort very much, but Russian tourists pay much less attention to it than to Pattaya or Phuket. And in vain!

Hua Hin is a city on the Gulf of Thailand three hours' drive south of Bangkok. Like many cities in Thailand located on the sea coast, Hua Hin is a tourist center with thousands of tourists. But it is noticeably different from other beach resorts in the country: Thais consider it almost the most bohemian vacation spot in the kingdom.

About Hua Hin and the Thais' love for everything European

I came to Hua Hin from Koh Samui (more information about this island and its beaches is on my website Turpotok.com). And the first thing I noticed the difference between the resorts was Unusual traffic order for Thailand: traffic lights are installed at intersections, traffic flows in an orderly manner, without chaotic lane changes, and on some streets there are even traffic controllers. This is atypical for a country where people drive not according to traffic rules, but according to unwritten laws. And it’s quite surprising that There are practically no muck shops on the city streets(mobile carts on which street food is prepared and sold). Usually the roadsides in Thailand are filled with these carts, but in Hua Hin they are very rare.

Hua Hin is the most civilized resort in Thailand. This catches your eye as soon as you enter this city.

The second thing that distinguishes Hua Hin from most cities is the atmosphere: the famous Thai disobedience and indifference are less common here, in tourist areas there is much less unbridledness. In Hua Hin, morals are somehow stricter and in general the atmosphere is more cultural, I would say.

Third, there is a noticeable imitation of European style in the city, especially in the design of facades and decoration of shopping centers. This is also quite unusual for Thailand. As a rule, urban architecture in the kingdom is monotonous and nondescript, and the buildings look neglected.

But this is Thailand after all. Therefore, along with order on the roads here, bikers without helmets and advertising of strong alcohol coexist.

All these features have a logical explanation: Hua Hin is the summer residence of the King of Thailand. Hence the order in the city and attempts to decorate it according to their privileged status. The king once chose this city because of the climate: the heat is easier to bear in Hua Hin. Following the king, his close associates and nobles began to come here to rest. The city turned into a resort for wealthy gentlemen. This aristocracy is still felt today.

Imitation of the European style arose in Thailand even earlier: about 150 years ago, the then king studied in Europe, from where he came with the appropriate manners and tastes. At first, he forcibly implanted a new culture in his native country, and subsequently everything European began to be perceived as a certain standard of style and beauty. Something similar was observed in Russia during the time of Pushkin, when “French” was synonymous with “beautiful”. It is difficult for me to judge whether modern Thais have the same reverence for European style as their ancestors, but they do not hide their curiosity and sympathy: many times I have seen them enthusiastically take pictures with a Christmas tree or, for example, against the background of buildings in Greek style.

Hua Hin has become so “European” that a small “branch” of the famous one was built in the vicinity of the city.

In the second half of the last century, reviews of Hua Hin as the most “Europeanized” resort in Thailand reached Europe. Tourists from the Old World flocked here in droves: some for vacation, some for the winter, and for many Hua Hin became a new home. Residents of Northern Europe especially loved this city, and the suburb of Hua Hin Cha Am is considered a branch of Scandinavia. It is not surprising that renting and selling housing (both condos and private houses) in Hua Hin and Cha Am is considered a very profitable job, which everyone here is trying to do.

Summary: my reviews about Hua Hin and general impressions of the city

Hua Hin is truly an unusual resort by Thai standards: unusually civilized and culturally developed. The beaches there, of course, cannot be compared with those on the island, but on the other hand, they are much better than. But the city has something to compensate for the insufficiently picturesque coastline: there are enough natural and man-made attractions for two weeks of eventful and varied recreation. So I would recommend the city to those who do not like to lie on the beach all day, but prefer educational excursions, trips to picturesque places, nature walks, hikes to waterfalls and caves.

I will tell you in more detail about the beaches and attractions of Hua Hin

Denis

Hua Hin is the safest resort in Thailand!

- the most expensive and safest city in Thailand. The reason for this security is the strengthened protection of order by the police, thanks to the residence of the King located within the borders of this city. Due to its relaxed atmosphere, Hua Hin is home to many retirees from other countries. By the way, the authorities pay special attention to older people and do not impose too stringent requirements on them.

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Hua Hin on the map of Thailand

Hua Hin map details

Hua Hin Tourist Map

Hua Hin Map

Hua Hin is considered one of the favorite resorts of the ruler of Thailand. This island is located in Maroe Bay, 175 km from Tahiti and 200 km from Bangkok. The map of Hua Hin includes the territory of two small islands connected by a bridge, which make up this resort - Hakin Nui and Joaquin Iti.

Among the main streets of the resort that can be seen on the map of Hua Hin are the Petchkasem highway, which runs along the sea coast, and the central Damnoenkasem street. To the north of it are most of the local restaurants and shops, a list of which can be found in the Arrivo guide.

Local airline flights from Hua Hin can get you to the islands of Tahiti, Bora Bora, Raiatea and Moorea, which only takes about half an hour, and a train or bus trip to the capital will last about 3-4 hours. 25 km from Hua Hin there is another resort - Cha Am.

A map of Hua Hin with attractions, the most significant of which is the Klai Wan Wong Palace, will help you plan your trip to this region of Thailand.