Thailand Beach Resorts
Pattaya and Hua Hin, one either side, just over 2 hours from Bangkok
May 27, 2007
Thai Royal Family and High Society in Hua Hin.
Just off Hua Hin lie two gunships. Are we at war? Hasex-prime minister Taksim Shinawatra finally mounted the counter coup? Should we pack our bags and decamp? No, the King and Queen of Thailand are in residence and the naval vessels are just the outward display of their presence in the beachside Royal Palace at Hua Hin.
The fact that the Thai royals plus the elite of Bangkok society, the so-called “hiso”, choose to holiday here has transformed this former fishing village into a smart beach resort. Despite the loss of most of its traditional wooden housing, and the fact that the squid hung stands along the beach have been replaced by guesthouses, Hua Hin still manages to retain much of its Thai charm.
Hua Hin, Spa Capital of Thailand:
Nowadays it is known as the Spa capital of Thailand, each Spa taking their cue from the world famous Chiva Som Spa which was the first to offer holistic treatments in the area and offering a wide range of holistic activities including massages, exercise regimens, facials and body polishing, as well as medical programmes and stress management. One of the best is the Deverana Spa in the Dusit Thani Hotel, Hua Hin.
Golf and Elephant Trekking in Hua Hin, Thailand:
There are those who claim that playing golf on one of the six international style golf course around the town is stress management enough, and others who will recommend a day spent elephant trekking with the gentle giants who once worked in the jungles of northern Thailand.
Dining in Hua Hin, Thailand:
Off Naresdamri Road are many narrow sois lined with cafés, restaurants, bars, tailor shops and guesthouses. The multilingual menus displayed testify to the international clientele now attracted to the town. The “catch of the day” is available at all restaurants and at the night market on Dechanuchit Road where tiger prawns, crab, crayfish and pancakes can be sampled. This can be followed by home made ice-cream served from an old-fashioned freezer on wheels, ice-cream which, it is said, is delivered to the Palace once a week as it is a favourite with the royal family.
Pattaya, Thailand, night-life and other diversions.
Across the Gulf of Thailand lies the brasher Pattaya whose risqué diversions attract quite a different clientele. The neon-lit nightlife for which it is famous has totally transformed what was once a fishing village as quiet as HuaHin until it became an R. & R. resort for Americans during the Vietnam War. Nowadays, South Pattayais full of bars, beer gardens, pubs, discos and transvetite cabarets, many of which have earned the town a reputation for sleaze.
Dining in Pattaya and other entertainment:
But sleaze is only one side of Pattaya. The other side is a range of excellent restaurants offering some of the best food in Thailand and PADI licenced Dive operators offering the best water-sports facilities in the country. However, the main beach is noisy and crowded and the vendors who patrol the narrow stretch of sands can be persistent. The few who come here in search of a bit of peace and tranquillity usually head for nearby Jomtien Beach
Hua Hin or Pattaya - Thailand offers a choice.
Hua Hin is short on malls and top class shopping in shopping plazas as befits a quiet, tranquil resort but numerous side trips can be made to scenic areas and historical palaces. Pattaya offers parasailing, windsurfing, diving, offshore islands, an orchid farm, several theme parks, golf, tennis and archery.
To sum up, Hua Hin attracts an older, polyglot group of people whose main thought is to relax while still having fun, whereas Pattaya attracts a group who want to play hard and who eschew relaxation in favour of fast living.
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