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 Prachuap
Khiri Khan
(including Hua Hin)
The provincial capital is a fishing port with a superb location
beside beautiful curving bays and amongst steep mountain outcrops.
About 100 kilometres to the north of Prachuap Khiri Khan is Hua
Hin, Thailand's first beach resort which is renowned for golf and
spa. Between Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan are Pran Buri with
many boutique resorts and Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with soaring
peaks, numerous caves and exotic bird life.
Hua Hin
281 kilometers south of Bangkok, Hua Hin, which literally means
stone head in Thai, is the oldest beach resort of the country and
is still very popular. Clean white sand, crystal clear water and
a tranquil atmosphere has continued to attract tourists in search
of peaceful and relaxing holidays.
 The
town was originally known as Ban Samoe Rieng, or Ban Laem Hin (Stony
Point Village). The construction of a railway station in the city
as part of the Southern Railroad in the reign of King Rama VI resulted
in making Hua Hin stand out from many quite fishing villages. In
addition, the construction of a Summer Palace of King Rama VII totally
transformed the village into a high-society resort town for royalty.
Even today, the Royal Family continues to reside at the Palace for
part of the year.
Hua Hin's consequence came with the opening of the Railway Hotel
(known today as the Sofitel Central Hotel), an elegant Victorian-style
resort hotel, and also the countrys first standard golf course.
A cluster of royal and high-society residences gradually became
more visible resulting in the transformation of the whole village
into the first seaside resort of the country, where visitors could
enjoy swimming, fishing, and golfing in the country's first standard
golf course.
Today, Hua Hin is a well-established beach destination with word-class
facilities coupled with a true sense of Thai hospitality. Despite
its expansive growth and development as a luxurious destination,
the splendor of Hua Hin remains intact. Remaining content in itself,
Thailand's oldest seaside resort has never sought international
recognition. It has continued to provide a peaceful and relaxed
sanctuary in a picturesque environment that comes with a true sense
of historical identity.
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