While the beaches of Phuket and Sam

While the beaches of Phuket and Samui were discovered only recently and have since undergone rapid and sometimes destructive development, Hua Hin has already been the favourite Thai resort for over 70 years.
The resort was discovered in the early 1920s by King Rama VII as an ideal getaway from the sultry metropolis of Bangkok. The tranquil fishing village was turned into the Royal resort and consequently became popular among Siam's nobility and upper-class.

The construction of a railway line from Bangkok ensured its accessibility and popularity with a wider part of the the Thai public.

But it was the resort's royal endorsement which has given Hua Hin a special character of its very own.

In 1928, King Rama VII built Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries) Palace which remains until this today an official royal residence. It is still frequently used by members of the royal family and is open to the public for visits.

Hua Hin continued to develop in its own leisurely way, both as an aristocratic resort with the added attraction of an 18-hole golf course, and as a fishing port. The Railway Hotel, today's Sofitel Central Hua Hin, was built by the State Railways of Thailand in 1923 in the architectural style of old Siam. Many of Bangkok's rich and famous built their own beachfront summer homes to the north and south along the curving sandy bay, enjoying leisurely family weekends in a resort which has maintained its unique identity.

Attractions

Today's visitor to Hua Hin will still sense this special atmosphere and old world charm.
Besides sun-filled days on the mile-long beach there are leisure activities for the whole family from watersports to golf. The area around the town let's you discover fabulous parks and peaks, caves and waterfalls.

In the evening the winding roads with a great variety of shops make a great stroll. And the restaurants built on stilts into the sea offer superb seafood in the legendary and unsurpassed preparation of the Thai cuisine.