HUAHIN HOTEL REVIEWS

In addition to celebrating all of Thailand’s national festivals and holidays, like Loy Krathong and Songkran, the Hua Hin/Cha am region has festivals of its own worth noting.

Thailand International Kite Festival
During March, April and May, steady southerly breezes blow throughout much of Thailand. The Thai’s, never one’s to miss a chance for a good time, have responded to this natural phenomenon by developing a tradition of flying kites. When the winds arrive, arrays of beautiful kites appear to strut their stuff and engage opponents in combat. No where is this more apparent than in the open spaces around Cha-am and at the Thailand International Kite Festival.

Now in its tenth year, the festival, which is scheduled in early March, features kites in all their colourful glory. There are stunt kites, big kites, little kites, high tech kites, traditional Thai kites, and displays of international kites. There are a variety of contests, games, and activities -all involving kites. But the festival is more than an event surrounding kites. Cha-am and its neighbours gussy up for the event and welcome visitors with a variety of opportunities for shopping, sightseeing, and simply having a good time.

King Rama VII built this palace located on the beach just north of central Hua Hin as a summer home for his Queen. Designed in a European-style with a Spanish flare it was completed in 1929 and is still used by the Royal Family as a residence. In addition to extremely attractive buildings and furnishings, there are carefully manicured gardens and a fascinating shell museum When the Palace isn’t being used, it is open to the public each day between 9.00 AM and 4.00 PM.

Located opposite Klai Kangwon Palace, Panee Butterfly farm is home to loads of butterflies and birds. There are also lots of orchids and local plants. This place is a good change of pace from the beach and educational experience for the kids. Open daily from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

There are two places in Hua Hin to watch Thai boxing, a sport that involves ‘punching’ with elbows, knees and feet as much as with the hands. Matches are held at the Grand Arena in front of the Grand Hotel on Thursday and Sunday nights and at Mr. Chop Rawee’s Thai Boxing Garden near the City Beach Hotel on Tuesday and Friday. The matches at both venues begin at 9.00 PM and finish up a little before midnight.

Located at the southern end of Hua Hin’s main beach, this 227m rocky hill provides striking views of Hua Hin and nearby Singto (lion) Island. There is a temple and restaurant on the hill, which can now be reached by a newly constructed road. There is a 20m golden Buddha and several excellent restaurants at the base of the hill. Beware of the larcenous monkeys at the shrine near the Buddha; they have been known to run off with people’s cameras.

This hill is found 1.5km to the west of Hua Hin. A trip up the steep road to the top provides a scenic view of the town, beach, Gulf of Thailand and the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course. There is a small park on the hilltop with trails leading to the various viewpoints.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Although it is 60km south of Hua Hin and 40km south of Pranburi, many visitors to the region spend time at this interesting national marine park. The name means three hundred mountain peaks, a reference to its numerous limestone peaks between which there are marshes and mangrove swamps. The mountains and wetlands contain an abundance of wildlife, including barking deer, crab eating macaque and serow, an Asian goat-antelope. The park is also home to more than 300 resident and migratory birds. One of the park’s most popular attractions is Tham Phraya Nakhon, a cave with a hole in its roof that allows a shaft of light to shine upon a Thai-style pavilion built for King Rama V.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Like so much in Hua Hin this summer seaside palace was built in the early 1920’s during the reign of King Rama VI. It was designed by an Italian architect with lots of verandas, latticework and covered boardwalks using golden teak from the demolished Hat Chao Samran Palace. Open daily from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM, it is located 9km south of Cha-Am at the Camp Rama VI military compound.

With an area of 3000-sq-km, this is Thailand’s largest national park. Located primarily in the mountains adjacent to Myanmar, and only 40km from Hua Hin, it has lots of rain and an abundance of rainforests and some grassland areas. Animal life includes deer, tigers, gibbons, bears, hornbills, wild elephants and dusky langurs. One of the park’s most popular attractions is the eleven-tiered Pa-La-U Yai and Pa-La-U Noi waterfall. This park is difficult to access so the falls are best visited on an organized tour. Several companies is Hua Hin provide tours to the falls and other areas of the park.