Thailand HUA HIN AND CHA AM
Recent developments Aleenta Hua Hin-Pranburi This award-winning boutique resort has launched a series of health initiatives. It has opened an organic farm to provide its kitchens with the best fresh ingredients and now offers individual dining programmes whereby guests can consult with the chef about what meal they would like prepared. All rooms are individually decorated and have iPods with docking stations plus free wi-fi. Five new suites in 2010.
www.aleenta.com
V Villas Hua Hin This luxury resort has 13 villas each with a private pool, large terrace and garden and 24-hour butler service. It has recently introduced a tailor-made VIP boat trip with lunch to the island of Koh Talu, a snorkel hotspot with a shallow reef.
www.v-villashuahin.com
Away from it all
Famously the retreat of the Thai royal family, these twin resorts on the Gulf of Thailand are much quieter and less frequented than Phuket, Samui and Pattaya, making them the perfect location for a more relaxing holiday
Hua Hin and Cha Am are at their unspoilt best midweek as many Thais do tend to decamp here from Bangkok on the weekends. The ease of reaching the resorts from
the capital, by road transfer rather than internal flight, coupled with their midweek peace, can make them an attractive proposition for families with young children or retired couples. Hua Hin and Cha Am are also an option for tourists who want to grab a few days on a sunlounger or perhaps a game of golf on one of the nearby courses on a stopover on their way Down Under. The beaches aren’t among Thailand’s
best but some are scenically backed by pine trees and the water is shallow.
26 Thailand Travel Guide 2012
Relaxing can also be enjoyed in the excellent spas here, the most famous of which is award-winning Chiva-Som. Hua Hin’s night market is one of the
best in Thailand and sells good food as well as souvenirs. For those visiting in the summer, Hua Hin’s international jazz festival is a draw.
Things to do • Have an expert massage at one of the excellent hotel spas, or take a full wellness retreat at Chiva Som
• Go horse riding on the beach • Eat great fresh seafood, particularly in Cha Am or the night market
• Enjoy a game of golf on one of the nearby courses
• Take a trip to The Bridge over the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi
• Visit the floating market in the village of Damnoen Saduak
• Visit the historic town of Phetchaburi to see temples and a royal palace
• Visit Khao Luang caves (5km north of Phetchaburi) which contain 170 Buddha statues atmospherically lit by shafts of sunlight
• Catch the well-regarded Hua Hin Jazz Festival in summer
• Watch out for the Bangkok-to-Hua Hin vintage car rally which usually takes place in December
• Visit a royal summer palace and see the royal waiting room at Hua Hin’s heritage railway station.
Coming soon Amari Residences Hua Hin Now scheduled for opening in the first quarter of 2012, this Amari will offer 223 contemporary style rooms and suites. Family-friendly facilities will include family suites, a kids’ club and kids’ pool. Conference amenities are also planned.
www.amari.com/huahin
Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin This 118-room development is slated to open in the third quarter of 2012. 24 of the rooms will have direct pool and beachfront access, another 94 will have private Jacuzzis or plunge pools. Additional facilities will include a beachfront restaurant and bar.
www.carlson.com
TOP TIP Looking for an upmarket hotel in Hua
Hin? See
www.itsinhuahin.com - the website of a consortium of ten such properties in the area..
Clockwise from left: Prachuap Beach; Hilton beach bar; Hotel Sandlawn
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