Although the two coastal towns of Cha Am and Hua Hin are in the provinces of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan respectively, they are in fact only 20km apart.
Both have been popular weekend seaside destinations for Bangkokians since 1911, but they really came to fruition post 1923 when King Rama VI commissioned a summer palace between the two beach towns. The Mrigadayavan Palace, meaning ‘palace of love and hope’ took a mere 16 days to complete and remains open to visitors to this day. However, the current royal family spends a great deal of time at neighbouring Klai Klangwon Palace, which translates as ‘palace far from worries’, hence that residence is closed to the public.
The one-time fishing village of Cha Am is smaller and less developed than its southern neighbour; condominium blocks follow along the coastline and there are new property developments, ranging from bungalows to lavish villa complexes, continually springing up. Surprisingly − and fortunately − the development has not really impacted on the charm of the area.
Hua Hin’s infrastructure is the more established of the two in that it’s well stocked with restaurants and a broad variety of other tourist amenities, unselfishly aimed at all ages. There’s even an annual vintage car rally and a jazz festival!
Over the years a number of golf courses have opened up in the area, not only to satisfy an increasing local population of both Thai and expatriate golfers, but also to cater for visitors from around the world. The area has become so popular that many visitors consider it the golfing capital of Thailand!
Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, built on a former elephant corral, is well worth a visit. The terrain comprising mostly of loamy-sand and slate is favourable to grape cultivation and has resulted in the area’s first boutique vineyard. One rather unique feature here is the opportunity to explore the estate on elephant back!
Other local attractions include the Kaeng Krachan National Park, home to a vast array of wildlife from gibbons to gaurs (a type of ox), as well as a dwindling number of tigers. On the Gulf coastline, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park affords the chance of spotting dusky langurs (monkeys) and Irrawaddy dolphins and to explore the amazing Phraya Nakhon cave system.
