From Bangkok to Hua Hin

From Bangkok to Hua Hin 

Let me confess: I am a Bangkokian who is a big fan of Hua Hin beach. Since I learned how to swim, my parents always took us to Hua Hin. School break? – Hua Hin. Even when my mum and dad were looking for a second home – it was Hua Hin again! This made me feel as though I knew Hua Hin pretty well – just like every Bangkok Thai does. If you are living in Bangkok, you will find that we can meet friends walking in Hua Hin Market more often than meeting them strolling around in Bangkok. Hua Hin Market has been popular among visitors because it is so full of life. Here, you can find contemporary art and hand-made stuffs – fresh seafood, and bars. Another favorite stop that I have to go every morning when visit Hua Hin is an old fishing port, here you can find fresh seafood caught from the sea or even ask the fish wives to grill them for you. This old fishing port reminds me of my father who loved to do a night’s fishing in a boat. I thought it was really cool and something to boast to my friends about when I was a child. Recently, I just found another weekend market call CICADA market. This is a new place for us Bangkokians to hang out on Saturdays from 5pm onwards.  Here you will find handicrafts, food, and lots of art Items.  Plearnwarn is another neat ‘man-made’ market that imitates Hua Hin Market with a remarkable 1950’s period atmosphere – highly recommended!Hua Hin has been a renowned ‘Palace on the Beach’, royal retreat since the 1920's. So, there are several historical places to visit, most of them featuring remarkable architecture of the town in the old days. The Maruekatayawan Palace is one of the oldest and most charming palaces in Thailand, constructed by His Majesty King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1923. The architectural design of the raised-floor wooden palace, with its three sections facing the sea is a very romantic concept. Hua Hin Train Station is also another ‘must see’ attraction, built since the reign of King Rama the 5th, and turning Hua Hin into the first cluster of a royal, high-society residences in the Kingdom.
My knowledge was enhanced when I starting working in Hua Hin a couple months ago and found that there are lots of unseen places that I never heard of – such as Khao Luang Cave – one hour’s from Hua Hin downtown. This cave had been a royal picnic site since the King Rama IV period and features the Dressing Buddha Image that King Rama V graciously built in memory of King Rama III. There are some interesting items to be seen in this monastery such as an old pavilion, and beautiful wood carved door panels of the main shrine hall which was designed and constructed by the Lord Abbot, a famous artisan. Just a few minutes from here is another place built since King Rama IV (known to the world from the ‘King & I’ tales) Khao Wang Heritage Park – a beautifully maintained and built in 1860, situated atop a 92-meter-high hill. It comprises royal halls, palaces, temples, and groups of buildings. The complex which was constructed mostly of harmonious Western neoclassic and Chinese architecture tops the three large hills. This is another ‘must see’ place for me.As an armature diver, I found Talu Island located in Bangsaphan, (Prachuapkhirikhan) two hours from Hua Hin – a real heaven. Shallow diving makes this island one of the most beautiful in the area, featuring a rich variety of marine life. 
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