Hua Hin

By: Emily

After Bangkok, it was on to Hua Hin, a smaller town on the southern gulf coast of Thailand that is a popular weekend destination of the Bangkok Thais and several kings have built summer residences in the vicinity. From our hotel in Bangkok we took a short taxi ride to the train station where we ate lunch and had the good fortune to see both a photo shoot and movie filming taking place, though it was unclear if they were related. Apparently the actress in the movie is quite well-known and we got some very lackluster counter service while station employees looked on. Can't say I blame them!

Movie taping in the back corner on the left.

The Hua Lumphong train station is very clean and well-organized, which made finding our train very simple. And, unsurprisingly, there are an endless number of vendors hawking various food items and beverages as well as my personal favorite – fresh fruits peeled, cut and ready to eat. Each costs the equivalent of $1. Yes, it's amazing.

Waiting on the train platforms.

The train we took was only fan-cooled, which actually turned out to be quite pleasant after the fans were turned on and we were moving. Still a bit hot but much better than expected. And honestly, it only cost us about $5 each for the 4+ hour train ride. The other passengers were a mix of Thais and foreigners, as is quite common across the country.

The Thai country-side rolls by.

Our first impressions of Hua Hin were not all that positive. The walk to our guesthouse took us down a busy street to a less busy street, both of which were lined with chains (McDonald's, KFC, Burger King), tourist restaurants, souvenir shops, and massage spas. Essentially, no Thai charm. I knew we were going to a fairly large town, but since the guidebook described it as a favorite beach vacation spot and a place where many expats retire, I thought it would have a classier vibe. The disappointment continued after we were shown to our room at the guesthouse, which turned out to be tiny and a bit dilapidated. The sink was no longer attached to the wall and the inside of the armoire was falling apart. We are not that picky of travelers but for the price and what was advertised, we felt like it was a ripoff. At least it was clean!

Downtown Hua Hin.

We arrived in the late afternoon so after resting for a bit at the hotel, we set out to find a place to have dinner. In search of some recommended restaurants, we again ended up in the tourist ghetto which continued the unpleasantness of the evening. (Matt insisted that we describe the foreigners in Hua Hin as "Euro-trash.") We usually avoid places like that at all costs. After exploring a few options, we settled on a place called Hua Hin Brewing Company which, sadly, does not currently brew its own beer (though the sign claimed "it's back"). However, the night turned itself around after I got a foot massage and Matt got a Thai massage (which combines regular massage and yoga-like stretching.

Luckily, the next day was much more pleasant. We started out with a leisurely breakfast at a nice coffee shop with lots of time to catch up on news and Internet activities. After buying our bus/boat tickets to Ko Tao (the island where we currently are), we inconspicuously explored the grounds of the very fancy hotel across the street from where we were staying and went for a walk on the beach. For lunch we decided on a highly recommended Thai-Chinese restaurant that looked like any other regular corner restaurant. However, the food was AMAZING. I got perhaps the best Thai soup I have ever eaten called Tom Yum Goong. It's a coconut soup flavored with lots of lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, and other unidentifiable Thai spices. The result is bright, light and spicy.

The grounds of the five-star Centara Grand.

Our delicious Thai lunch, with that amazing soup!

In the evening we checked out the night market for some dinner and shopping. We feasted on some very delicious finds – fried mussels, grilled chicken, fresh pineapple, and mango with sticky rice. Can you tell we love Thai food?? But lest you think we do nothing but eat, we spent plenty of time walking around and exploring the stalls. We both ended up with interesting shirts and some bamboo fish made by a small boy sitting with his kind-faced grandmother. I probably would have gotten some anyway but after the grandmother told me "the baby made them [the fish]", my old-woman/small-child-loving heart had too much and I was pretty much forced by shear emotion to buy. Plus the money was going to pay school fees, so Matt gave it the stamp of approval as well.

The bustling night market. 

Buying those bamboo fish!

Signs above the bamboo creations stand.

One of the many food stalls.

Earlier this morning we boarded a bus in Hua Hin that brought us to the pier in Chumphon where we boarded a ferry to Ko Tao. Hua Hin turned out to be better than expected given our first impressions, but one full day was time enough for us to explore. We are now happily settled in our breezy, beautiful hotel which is quite a step up from the last place we stayed! Though we are far away from some of the main beach areas, we benefit from serene surroundings (if you don't consider the insects and frogs chirping as un-serene) absent the touristy vibe. So far we are loving it and got see the end of a very beautiful sunset at the restaurant that looks down over the Gulf of Thailand.

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