PATTAYA HOTEL REVIEWS

King Rama VII built this palace located on the beach just north of central Hua Hin as a summer home for his Queen. Designed in a European-style with a Spanish flare it was completed in 1929 and is still used by the Royal Family as a residence. In addition to extremely attractive buildings and furnishings, there are carefully manicured gardens and a fascinating shell museum When the Palace isn’t being used, it is open to the public each day between 9.00 AM and 4.00 PM.

Located opposite Klai Kangwon Palace, Panee Butterfly farm is home to loads of butterflies and birds. There are also lots of orchids and local plants. This place is a good change of pace from the beach and educational experience for the kids. Open daily from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

There are two places in Hua Hin to watch Thai boxing, a sport that involves ‘punching’ with elbows, knees and feet as much as with the hands. Matches are held at the Grand Arena in front of the Grand Hotel on Thursday and Sunday nights and at Mr. Chop Rawee’s Thai Boxing Garden near the City Beach Hotel on Tuesday and Friday. The matches at both venues begin at 9.00 PM and finish up a little before midnight.

Located at the southern end of Hua Hin’s main beach, this 227m rocky hill provides striking views of Hua Hin and nearby Singto (lion) Island. There is a temple and restaurant on the hill, which can now be reached by a newly constructed road. There is a 20m golden Buddha and several excellent restaurants at the base of the hill. Beware of the larcenous monkeys at the shrine near the Buddha; they have been known to run off with people’s cameras.

This hill is found 1.5km to the west of Hua Hin. A trip up the steep road to the top provides a scenic view of the town, beach, Gulf of Thailand and the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course. There is a small park on the hilltop with trails leading to the various viewpoints.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Although it is 60km south of Hua Hin and 40km south of Pranburi, many visitors to the region spend time at this interesting national marine park. The name means three hundred mountain peaks, a reference to its numerous limestone peaks between which there are marshes and mangrove swamps. The mountains and wetlands contain an abundance of wildlife, including barking deer, crab eating macaque and serow, an Asian goat-antelope. The park is also home to more than 300 resident and migratory birds. One of the park’s most popular attractions is Tham Phraya Nakhon, a cave with a hole in its roof that allows a shaft of light to shine upon a Thai-style pavilion built for King Rama V.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin’s railway station and the adjacent Royal Waiting Room are attractive and brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design, but somehow manage to have a ‘Victorian’ feel. Even if you don’t arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look.

Like so much in Hua Hin this summer seaside palace was built in the early 1920’s during the reign of King Rama VI. It was designed by an Italian architect with lots of verandas, latticework and covered boardwalks using golden teak from the demolished Hat Chao Samran Palace. Open daily from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM, it is located 9km south of Cha-Am at the Camp Rama VI military compound.

With an area of 3000-sq-km, this is Thailand’s largest national park. Located primarily in the mountains adjacent to Myanmar, and only 40km from Hua Hin, it has lots of rain and an abundance of rainforests and some grassland areas. Animal life includes deer, tigers, gibbons, bears, hornbills, wild elephants and dusky langurs. One of the park’s most popular attractions is the eleven-tiered Pa-La-U Yai and Pa-La-U Noi waterfall. This park is difficult to access so the falls are best visited on an organized tour. Several companies is Hua Hin provide tours to the falls and other areas of the park.

If you’re an avid beachgoer who enjoy the classic beach elements of sun, sea, sand and warm, clear waters, Pranburi is not going to disappoint. Throw in a beautiful setting against the backdrop of verdant forests, a national park with mountains and an estuary, and you start getting the picture. On route to Pranburi from Hua Hin – about a 30-km drive – you will pass several quiet bays which are good for swimming. South of Pranburi is Khao Sam Roi Yot (‘three hundred peaks’) National Park with its rugged limestone hills, part of the Tenasserim Mountains, which line the coast. These are full of ravines and caverns, some of which can be reached by the park’s network of roads and trails.

Whether you’re looking for a completely isolated and quiet spot or a place that offers water sports, you’re likely to find a piece of beach heaven in Pranburi. On the main beach there are some vendors too who ensure that you won’t go hungry or thirsty, while most resorts have direct beach access with activity programs and facilities for guests. Pranburi’s beaches are never really crowded – even on weekends when there’s a big influx of visitors from Bangkok.

Facilities on Pranburi Beach
Public facilities like restrooms and showers do not exist at any of Pranburi’s beaches. However, if you’re on the main beach there are restrooms close by at restaurants in the town or of course at resorts – the latter intended for the exclusive use of guests.

Beach Vendors
A ‘quick fix’ to quench your thirst or fill that gap between meals is well taken care of by beach vendors found on popular beaches. Snack-type meals typically consist of fresh fruit (sliced up in bite-sized pieces), deep-fried squid and shrimp, as well as other small delicacies. There are also some vendors who sell handicrafts, and ones you can rent beach chairs and parasols from. The vendors are cheerful and friendly, and seldom cause an irritation.

What to Eat
Other than light snacks you can buy from beach vendors, your choices are limited to the restaurants of resorts and a few small Thai-style eateries that set up shop in some open areas along the beach. There are some fantastic seafood restaurants that can be found too, but these are not necessarily within walking distance from the beach. Heading to the village on foot from the beach is also not an option. Unless you plan to enjoy lunch at your hotel, a good idea might be to pop into the new supermarket in town to buy picnic eats and goodies.

Water Sports and Beach Activities
Pranburi’s beautiful and serene beaches are not only perfect for soaking in the sun and enjoying the scenery, but there’s also lots to do when you get bored – if not at the beach, certainly close by. Popular water sports and activities include canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, speed boats trips, jet skis, banana boats, beach volleyball and football.