To the


beach


Airport expansion, high-speed rail and exciting hotel openings are giving Thailand’s Hua Hin a new lease of life, says Tamara Hinson


DESTINATIONS THAILAND | WINTER SUN


t


Hua Hin beach, Thailand PICTURE: Shutterstock/Kaban-Sila


travelweekly.co.uk 12 OCTOBER 2023 41


hailand’s historic coastal resort city Hua Hin is going through something of a renaissance. Reasons to visit include a flurry of new hotels and a new second railway line, which is due to be completed next year and will slash journey times between Hua Hin and Bangkok to just two hours. And with a mix of quirky bars, nature spots and golden sands, there are plenty of reasons to linger in Hua Hin, too.


CULTURAL HERITAGE Arrive by train on a spectacular journey from Bangkok and you’ll pull into Thailand’s grandest train station, built during the reign of King Rama VI. Its highlight is the temple-like Royal Waiting Room, a pavilion that was relocated from Nakhon Pathom’s Sanam Chan Palace and installed to accommodate the Thai royals who started flocking to Hua Hin in the 1920s. Another highlight is the steam train (a 305 Unit Baldwin steam locomotive, to be precise) proudly displayed next to the station. Hua Hin’s temples include the one on Khao Takiap (often


referred to as Monkey Mountain). At the base of the hill is a 20-metre-tall golden Buddha, which surveys the southern end of Hua Hin beach. Clamber the steep flight of stone steps to the


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