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4* Evason Bed & Breakfast Ad. from: £918 Ch. from: £734 4.5* Evason Hideaway Bed & Breakfast Ad. from: £1299 Ch. from: £721

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Multicentres

Hua Hin and the neighbouring town of Cha-am are best described as small sleepy seaside resort towns. They are to Bangkok what Brighton is to London or the Hamptons are to New York. Initially for the rich and famous, the area flourished with the expansion of the railways giving access to the masses. Being only 2 hours drive down the Gulf of Thailand, the towns offer a close retreat of sharp contrast to the hustle of Thailand's capital and as such their personalities change as the hordes arrive at weekends with many hotels being full. Hua Hin has the added credibility of being the favoured resort of the Thai royal family; indeed the current king spends much of his time in residence there.

Increasingly more sophisticated independent travellers are also seeing Hua Hin as an acceptable escape especially during the peak seasons of Christmas, Chinese New Year and Easter - to cater for this market international chains are opening up new top end quality resorts.

Activities

With over half a dozen golf courses dotted around the town, Hua Hin is a golfers' paradise and many just come to play day-in and day-out. All the courses are well maintained as one has come to expect in Thailand. The closest to the town is Royal Hua Hin Golf Course just behind the railway station in the town centre and was Thailand's first golf course. Others include the 27 hole Lakeview, which has its own hotel so addicts need not stray far, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Springfield Royal Country Club, Palm Hills, just 15 minutes from Hua Hin, Majestic Creek and Bangkok Milford. Green fees are a real bargain and the fairways are never busy although weekends are more crowded. Guests staying on the course usually enjoy significant discounts on playing fees.

Tours

Sam Roi Yot Park or the Park of 300 peaks lies 80 km south of Hua Hin. The 98 sq km National Park is a network of waterways and plains prone to flooding. The marshlands offer an abundance of flora and fauna and are reputed to be an excellent site for bird watching. The area provides a diverse ecosystem of beaches, islands, limestone caves and marshy wetlands. There is a park office, which provides information and guides, however many of the tour operators offer excursions to the park. One highlight of the park is Phraya Nakhon Cave.

About 70 kilometres west of Hua Hin are the Pala-U Falls. The 2 waterfalls of 11 tiers provide a small diversion from the beach and give visitors an opportunity to see local village life. Further a field tours to the River Kwai and its bridge of World War II fame are also available to visitors.

One popular tour is the Seaview Safari that includes an elephant trek, visit to local tribes and panoramic views of Hua Hin.

Enroute back to Bangkok north of Cha-am, the road passes close to Phetchaburi. The town is dominated by Khao Wang (Palace Mountain) whose temples and palaces are some of the most photographed in the region. If one has to prise oneself away from the beach an excursion is considered worthwhile.