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Hua Hin attractions The Royal resort Town (Second article)
Hua Hin attractions , This is the second article in my series of articles about the lovely royal resort town of Hua Hin. If you have not read my first article about Hua Hin, I recommend that you read it first. Click here for the first article about Hua Hin.
Hua Hin is a very well kept and clean town with amazing beaches stretching over miles and miles of soft white sand and clean turquoise-blue waters. It is not without reason that the king of Thailand has built his summer palace in this town.
Hua Hin’s beaches stretch over many miles ahead, so that anyone can find a good place to enjoy the sun. There are more secluded beaches as well as beaches with beach chairs and parasols.
In addition, to sunbathing while enjoying a cold pineapple or water melon, Hua Hin’s beaches offer plenty of marine sports: jet ski, water ski, kiteboard, and all of that without any worry about the local organized crime as can sometimes be seen elsewhere. Hua Hin beaches offer restaurants, cafés, massages and even horseback riding.
Tourist Hua Hin attractions , adventures, markets and shopping malls, wild nature, etc. in the Hua Hin area
Tourist Hua Hin attractions:
Vana Nava Jungle Water Park – the newest water park in Thailand, (opened in the beginning of 2015).
Vana Nava Water Park offers games, Hua Hin attractions and adventures which have never been seen in Thailand before. It has the longest and tallest slides in Asia and makes even surfing is possible!
The park offers special areas for toddlers and young children as well as many games and adventures such as a water obstacle course, climbing walls, tide pool, etc. In addition, there are plenty of restaurants, cafés and food stalls. This is a great place to spend a day of family fun.
Click here for my article and video about Vana Nava Jungle Water Park
Santorini Water Fantasy is a new fantastic water park, (opened in 2014).
Hua Hin attractions : Santorini Water Fantasy offers plenty of unique games and adventures you won’t find anywhere else. It has special areas for all ages, including toddlers and young children. It is the perfect attraction for all the family.
Click here for my article and video about Santorini Water Fantasy
ATV’s (All Terrain Vehicles)
Hua Hin area stretches over miles and miles of beaches and bays to the east and wonderful high mountains covered by evergreen forests in the west, bordering with Myanmar.
This large area offers nature reserves, resort towns, fishermen villages, beaches, bays and islands as well as numerous tourist attractions and activities. This time I will tell you about real ATV’s.
Click here for my article and video about it (Hua Hin attractions ATV’s)
Easy & relaxing rafting on the Petchburi River
The royal resort town of Hua Hin is surrounded by Kaeng Krachan National Park. It is the biggest national park in Thailand and one of the most beautiful and impressive parks I have ever seen.
Some of the activities offered by the national park are great for families with children, for instance, Pala-U waterfalls and rafting on the Petchburi river which is one of the two rivers crossing the national park. This article is about the easy and relaxing rafting, zip-lines and water slides which takes you right into the river.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about easy and relaxing rafting
Fishing on a real fishing boat
Hua Hin area is known for its abundance of great beaches, bays and islands where there are many small fishermen villages.
One of the most unique and interesting adventures is fishing on a real fishing boat. You can go fishing during the day or at the evening and your chances of actually catching a fish are pretty high – as you can see in the video.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about fishing on a real fishing boat
Diving and Snorkeling
Ko Talu Island is a small wonderful island located a couple of hours drive from the famous resort town of Hua Hin. Ko Talu’s beaches have soft white sand and magnificent clear turquoise-blue waters, and there is an amazing rain forest inland. Ko Talu is the best diving and snorkeling place in this part of Thailand. The weather here, during the summer month is the best in Thailand as well – which makes Ko Talu a real heaven for diving and snorkeling lovers.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about diving and snorkeling
Marine Sports
Hua Hin offers a variety of marine sports – Jet Ski, Water Ski, Kayaking and one of the most popular sports – Kiteboarding. There are many schools for marine sports as well as plenty of marine sports international competitions.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about marine sports
It is important to note that as opposed to other beaches where local organized crime has taken control over marine sports and especially on jet ski and got many tourists into trouble of blackmail and violence – Hua Hin area is free of organized crime as it is the royal resort town.
Click here for a short video I took of one of Hua Hin’s beaches
Black Mountain Water Park
Black Mountain water park is older than its counterpart, Santorini Water Fantasy and closer to the center of Hua Hin. It is a relatively new water park, (3 years), with plenty of water slides, and ever cable ski but with less of a variety in comparison to Santorini Water Fantasy.
** Meanwhile another water park, (the third one), has been opened in Hua Hin – Vana Nava Jungle Water Park, which is the best of the three.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about Black Mountain Water Park
Wild Nature tourist attractions:
Kaeng Krachan National Park
Kaeng Krachan National Park is the biggest national park in Thailand and many say the most beautiful and impressing as well. It surrounds Hua Hin from the west.
On the 3,000 square kilometers of this huge national park, bordering with Myanmar, you can find many wild animals, (Elephants, monkeys, tigers, etc.), as well as waterfalls, rivers, lakes, stalagmite and stalactite caves, etc. – this is a great place for wild nature and trek lovers and for families with children who wish to enjoy some of the adventures of the national park such as Pala-U waterfalls and an easy and relaxing rafting on the Petchburi river.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article about Kaeng Krachan National Park
Sam Roy Yot National Park
Sam Roy Yot National Park, (“the 300 mountain tops national park”) is a special and diverse one with beaches, mountains, rivers and many species of animals and birds. It is located approx. 40 minute drive south of Hua Hin. This is where you will find Phraya Nakhon Cave, Khao Daeng Canal, The Monkeys Island and Dolphine’s Bay which is a very pretty and peaceful holiday spot.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about Sam Roy Yot National Park
Pala-U Waterfalls
For many people Hua Hin is the royal resort town with its many great beaches, clean sea waters and lots of fun. But not too many people know that very close to Hua Hin there are magnificent national parks with very pretty wild nature attractions such as the Pala-U waterfalls, one of the biggest waterfalls in Thailand. Located 60 Km. west of Hua Hin in an amazing wild nature area with evergreen forests and plenty of wild animals, birds and butterflies. Even the way to the waterfalls is amazingly pretty.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about the Pala-U Waterfalls
The tropical island of Ko Talu
Ko Talu is a small tropical island located a couple of driving hours from Hua Hin. This is where you’ll find beaches with soft white sand, clear turquoise-blue waters, pretty green forests and a calm relaxing atmosphere.
This is a private island offering a holiday deal that includes full board, free kayaking, snorkeling, night fishing, etc. As the best weather in Thailand during the summer month is found in the Hua Hin area – Ko Talu island is a great alternative for the rainy southern islands.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about Ko Talu
Hua Hin Hills Vineyard and The Sala Restaurant
Approx 20 minute drive south of Hua Hin, you will find Hua Hin Hills Vineyard and The Sala restaurant.
The restaurant is found on top of a hill in the middle of a very pretty valley surrounded by mountains. The many vines growing in the valley are a part of the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard. The view from the restaurant is absolutely spectacular and there is a good breeze in the afternoon. Visiting there is very pleasant.
The restaurant’s design is quite modern and spacious. There is a rich menu offering many of Thai and western dishes and of course plenty of wines made by the vineyard.
Click here for my article and video about Hua Hin Hills Vineyard &The Sala Restaurant
Ao Manao Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in Thailand. This amazingly pretty natural jewel hides many more tourist attractions on top of those usually offered to every tourist visiting Thailand. At the tip of the inland there is a mountain called Lom Muak mountain. At the feet of this mountain there is a unique and amazing specie of monkeys called the Langur monkeys. In addition there is a path going up the mountain which you can climb and enjoy the breathtaking view of Ao Manao Bay at the top.
The bay offers a great wide beach with clear waters, beach chairs and parasols and across the road from the beach there are plenty of good restaurants, tourist attractions such as kayaking, ATV’s, range shooting, small safari, etc.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about Ao Manao Bay
This is a large complex recently opened which intends to be a shopping, entertainment and fun center for all the family – it has many shops, restaurants, cafés and game areas for children of all ages. The complex resembles the town of Venice in Italy with its canals, bridges and gondolas. You can enjoy a tour of the place riding on a little train or take a horse and carriage tour. The complex is partly under a roof which is certainly an advantage on rainy days.
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article and video about The Venezia, Hua Hin
Wat Huay Mongkol Temple
Not far from The Sala restaurant, you will find one of the most interesting temples of the Hua Hin area. It is the home of the biggest monk statue in the world – the statue of the famous monk, Luang Phor Tuad. Luang Phor Tuad is one of the most admired monks in Thailand. He is famous for performing miracles and the Thai people believe his image holds protective powers.
You can read more about it on this website
Click here for my Hua Hin attractions article about Wat Huay Mongkol temple
Khao Takiab
Khao Takiab is the name of a very famous cliff located at the south of Hua Hin. It means The Chopsticks Cliff in the Thai language. At the foot of the cliff there is a small town which used to be a fishermen village in the past. This town is fast becoming a tourist destination by itself.
At the foot of the cliff there is a huge golden Buddha statue and at the top of the cliff there is a temple and a great view of the Hua Hin area. The cliff and the temple are well known for the large number of monkeys living there.
Click here for my article about Khao Takiab
Hun Hin Royal Railway Station
Almost all the web sites about Hua Hin mention its royal railway station as one of the must see places. Personally I don’t think the station is magnificent or a must see place but it is nice and worth spending a couple of minutes at, especially since it is located in the center of Hua Hin. By the way the pretty garden behind the station is the first royal golf course in Thailand.
Click here for additional information about Hua Hin Royal Railway Station and here for a short video about it
Markets, bazars and shopping (Hua Hin attractions):
Cicada Market
Cicada market is an unusual wonderful market which you won’t find anywhere else in Thailand. Located in a park with many stalls selling special and interesting hand craft and food, all organized in a very neat and clean order.
The market is open on weekends, (Friday – Sunday) from the afternoon till 23:00.
You will find many families, young Thai people and tourist at the market.
Click here for my article and video about Cicada Market
Hua Hin Night Bazaar
Hua Hin Night Bazaar is one of the oldest and well known night bazaars in Thailand. It is open daily and is actually one of Hua Hin’s (the royal resort town), tourist attractions.
Most of the shoppers are local Thai people, especially on weekends, so that the market is not so commercialized and has a pleasant and more authentic ambience.
On the market you can find plenty of shops as well as a lot of restaurants and food stalls. It is open daily on 18:00 – 23:00 and I certainly recommend a visit there.
Click here for my article and video about Hua Hin’s Night Bazaar
The Village Market Shopping Center
There are many shops in Hua Hin but the biggest shopping center, opened only a few years ago, is The Village Market.
It is not too big and very pleasant. Apart from the many shops you can also find lots of restaurants, a bowling alley, game areas for children and a movie theatre. The shopping center is located on Hua Hin’s main street.
In addition to this shopping center there are plenty of shops, outlets and markets in Hua Hin.
PlearnWan Market
This is an open ground shopping mall built from wood in a vintage style creating a nostalgic ambience of the town of Hua Hin in the 50’s. It gives you an illusion as if you got into a “time machine” – the shops, cafés, drinks and food simply take you back in time.
The market also offers a drive-in cinema showing classic movies. In addition there are many shows and a small amusement park with a ferris wheel and old-time style stalls. The market is open on weekdays from the morning till 22:00 and on weekends till 24:00. The market begins to be crowded during the evenings and on weekends it is very crowded with local folks. Here is a video from YouTube about PlearWan Market and a short presentation I prepared for you.
Sam Phan Floating Market
There are two floating markets in Hua Hin. One of them is older, (and smaller), and the other market, about which I will elaborate here is new and big.
This is not an authentic floating market, such as the Amphawa floating market or Bang Nampeung of Bangkok, however this market is worth a visit if you happened to be in the area anyway.
Additional information about the two markets can be read on this web site and on this web site.
Click here for a short presentation I prepared for you on the market
Summary: I am happy to bring you a brief of the many tourist attractions found in the Hua Hin area. In addition to these attractions you can also find other things to do in Hua Hin such as a visit an elephant farm, artist village, bicycle tours, etc.
No doubt Hua Hin is a great place to enjoy your holiday. I intend to publish another article about Hua Hin’s night life and entertainment possibilities which have greatly improved during the past few years.
Click here to read another article about hotels and resorts in Hua Hin
As always here is a video I prepared for you about Hua Hin and its surrounding area – Enjoy!!
Yours,
Dr. David
Thailand-Expert : Thailand Travel Guide
“TipTop Travel” : Thailand Private Family Adventure Tours
