Right royal resort

One of Thailand’s most charming and peaceful destinations is ripe for enjoyment – Caroline Gladstone lists her favourite Hua Hin activities.

Hua Hin, the summer resort of Thailand’s royal family, lies on what’s poetically called the sunrise side of the Gulf of Thailand, 200km south of Bangkok. It is Thailand’s most authentic resort, favoured for more than 70 years by high society and loved by locals and tourists seeking a relaxed beach holiday.

While its seven kilometre stretch of beachfront is edged with stylish resorts and busy seafood restaurants, the town is a world away from the frenetic pace of Phuket or Koh Samui.

Hua Hin, which means ‘stone head’ due to the rocky outcrop separating the beach from the tiny fishing port, was chosen by King Rama VII as his retreat from the sultry heat of the metropolis.

In 1926 he built the Klai Kangwon or ‘Far from Worries’ palace, which is still used frequently by the royal family. A navy frigate can be seen on guard in the Gulf whenever the King and Queen are in residence.

Here are some tips for first-time visitors.

Klai Kangwon is open to the public when not occupied by the royals. Built in the style of a Spanish villa and set in ornamental gardens, it is just north of the city.

The Sofitel Centara Grand is considered Thailand’s first resort. Designed by Prince Purachatra, who was also responsible for the country’s rail network, it opened in 1923 as the Railway Hotel with just 14 rooms.

Wealthy Thais and tourists arriving by the new train service from Bangkok would stay in its lavish quarters. Today there are 200 rooms and 42 villas set in 13 hectares of tropical gardens. Its history is preserved in the Museum Coffee and Tea Corner, an ocean view cafe located in the original 1920s lobby.

The red gingerbread style railway station (above) is one of the oldest in Thailand and Hua Hin’s showpiece. Its most striking feature is the unique Royal Waiting Room, built in the reign of King Rama VI in order to welcome the royal entourage to town.

The main beachfront is a bustling affair of restaurants, traders, deck chair renters and horseriding Thais keen to take tourists on beach canters. But wander a few hundred metres along the strip and there are quiet stretches of sand.

Hua Hin’s famous night bazaar stretches along the main street and sells everything from clothes and handicrafts to cheap eats from 6pm to 11pm daily. The Chat Chai day market bustles with fresh produce from 4am until 7pm, while the Weekend Grand Hotel market runs from Thursdays through to Sundays.

Hua Hin was a fishing port long before it was a resort and continues to offer some of the best seafood in the country. Try the over-water, open-air Saeng Thai Seafood restaurant for huge plates of succulent crab and local fresh fish.

Khao Sam Roi Yod national park, 63km south of the city, is an ideal day excursion. The name means ‘mountain with 300 peaks’, referring to the sheer limestone hills that rise dramatically from the Gulf of Thailand. The trip includes a boat ride from a colourful fishing village to a pristine, secluded beach for lunch. Energetic types can hike up the mountainside to the Tham Phraya Nakhon cave, a massive collapsed cavern more than 65 metres deep. The cave houses a blue and gold Thai pavilion, said to be the smallest in the country, which commemorates the visit of King Rama V and his trekking party in 1896.

The city is home to Thailand’s oldest golf course, the Royal Hua Hin which was designed by Scottish engineer, O. J. Robins, for the royal family. It is one of seven golf courses in the region, all of which offer diverse golfing packages.

After a busy Thai holiday, one of the most luxurious places to relax, unwind and re-energise is the acclaimed Chiva-Som health retreat. This wellness centre is designed for serious pampering, offering more than 150 treatments and exercise classes. Accommodation includes Thai pavilion rooms grouped around a garden lake and ocean view suites.

Visit: www.thailand.net.au and www.hua-hin.com