DESTINATIONS THAILAND | WINTER SUN
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Prachuap Khiri Khan-Hua Hin Night Market; Buddhist pavilion in cave, Sam Roi Yot; Hua Hin Hills Vineyard PICTURES:Shutterstock/phaechin,Stepane Bidouze
exper expert ASK THE Erica Moore, product manager
(Far East), Inspiring Travel “Hua Hin is the perfect
place to escape the heat of the Bangkok. With miles
of unspoiled beaches, five golf resorts and a wide
variety of restaurants and night markets, Hua Hin is a beautiful destination that’s ideal for those seeking a beach resort with a relaxed vibe. It’s got some exquisite accommodation and plenty of things to see and do, including snorkelling, night fishing boat trips and trips to historic landmarks.”
top of Khao Takiap and you’ll find Wat Khao Takiap – a cluster of temples that is home to a troupe of curious monkeys. The site itself is slightly ramshackle, but the views of the coastline make the exertion worthwhile.
HIT THE BEACH There’s only really one option in Hua Hin itself – the five-mile Hua Hin Beach. The vast majority of hotels line this wide strip of golden sand, which is just a short walk from central Hua Hin. There’s no shortage of space to lay out your sun towel and there’s a wide range of watersports available. Beachfront vendors rent items such as kayaks and several offer kiteboarding lessons. To escape the crowds, consider heading to the Pran Buri Forest Park, a 20-minute drive from Hua Hin. Most people come here to walk along the raised boardwalk that twists through the park’s mangroves (more on those later), but there’s also a pretty beach that runs
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There are more than 100 bird species in the park, as well as macaques and monitor lizards
parallel to the park. If you’re lucky, you might spot some crabs or turtles – the beach is a turtle nesting site.
NATURE SPOTS Pran Buri Forest Park is a 20-minute taxi ride from the centre of Hua Hin. This tiny 1.2sq mile national park was established in 1982 as a reforestation project. A serpentine boardwalk twists through thick swathes of mangroves and during the rainy season (May to November), when water levels are higher, visitors can hop on a small passenger ferry. There are more than 100 bird species in
the park, including four types of kingfisher, as well as macaques and monitor lizards.
Clients should also consider heading to the Monsoon Valley Vineyard to explore this 110-hectare site (on foot or on one of the rentable bikes). Keep an eye out for the old wine barrels suspended from trees and repurposed as hornbill nesting sites. Visitors can sign up for wine-tasting sessions, guided tours and wine bottle-painting classes before restoring energy levels at the Sala Wine Bar & Bistro, where much of the food comes from the on-site vegetable garden. The vineyard, 28 miles west of Hua Hin, runs a twice-daily shuttle for visitors staying in the city.
NOSTALGIA FIX
Hua Hin has some brilliant cafes, including the fantastic Airspace, which you’ll find near the southern tip of Petchkasem Road – the road that runs parallel to Hua Hin Beach. This huge cafe, tucked inside an airy building, which
fast act ast fact
Hua Hin’s airport is undergoing an
²
upgrade, including a runway expansion, in a bid to attract more international flights
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