Hua hin and pranburi, the hidden jewel of thailand

Hua Hin has long been a desirable destination for both Thais and foreigners seeking a relaxing, quiet beach town within relative proximity to Bangkok.

Most people are familiar with Hua Hin as the official residence of the King of Thailand, and he really does live here. I saw him driving in his VW Eurovan with a motorcade of about 50 cars last month, passing less than 3 meters away from us (our big brush with royalty)!

Hua Hin was put on the map in 1921 when the then prince constructed the first resort in the area, the Railway Hotel, now, the present day Centara Hotel. It really is beautiful and well worth a visit, especially for the afternoon high tea every weekend. The king Rama VII liked the area so much that he built his summer palace here. Today, Hua Hin is a quieter beach alternative to Phuket or Pattaya. And because of its relative proximity to Bangkok, Hua Hin has quickly become a weekend hotspot for Bangkokians to escape the traffic, enjoy the beautiful, quiet beaches and relax in the unpretentious atmosphere.

Perhaps due largely to the royal connection, Hua Hin’s local officials appear to have far less tolerance for overtly illegal businesses or unruly behavior than in other areas of Thailand (read: no Russian thugs or rampant prostitution here, at least not out in the open). Hua Hin and the surrounding areas appeal to a wide range of tourists of all ages, nationalities and economic backgrounds. The sheer number of young families moving here attests to the wholesome nature of the town.

Pranburi, a small town even smaller than Hua Hin! When we tell people where we live, we always say Hua Hin, since most people, especially those familiar with Thailand, know of Hua Hin, but this is technically not quite true. One of our favorite areas–where we decided to settle down and build our dream house, actually–is a small town (even smaller than Hua Hin!) about 20 km south of Hua Hin center called Pranburi. Pranburi is comprised of technically 3 sub-towns: Pak Nam Pran and Kao Kalok, both located on the beach, and Pranburi, located inland. These areas, especially Pak Nam Pran and Kao Kalok, cater to a different market than Hua Hin, to those seeking an even quieter, less touristy area than Hua Hin. Many boutique resorts are located in the Pak Nam Pran area, and the style is dominated by artistic, chic, quirky and modern resorts and condominium and housing projects.

Eco-friendly Pranburi and its hip and quirky vibe Pranburi, and Pak Nam Pran specifically, is focusing heavily on the ecoconscious and green-thinking consumers, something Thailand is slowly picking up on, though there’s still a long way to go until the country can boast its earth friendly policies (just take a look at the thousands of plastic bags lining the roads and beaches). Many resorts and restaurants along the Pak Nam Pran strip now advertise organic produce and communal gardens, locally sourced and hand made art. These trends tend to appeal to a younger generation and a more educated, affluent crowd, and this can easily be witnessed by the growing number of tourists along the beach front area, both Thai and Western. With the abundant outdoor activities and the national park in close proximity, the area attracts active people who enjoy the outdoors, and large cycling companies tend to favor Pak Nam Pran, Kao Kalok and Dolphin Bay for their bicycle tours thanks to the natural beauty and safer cycling conditions in the area. Kite surfing is another hugely popular activity along the coast from Hua Hin to Dolphin Bay (just south of Pranburi), and Pak Nam Pran has a few charming spots that cater specifically to the kite surfing crowd, offering services like assembling and disassembling equipment, offering lessons, and serving alcohol, which is rumored to improve kite surfing skills.

These are some of our favorite places in the Pak Nam Pran and Kao Kalok areas: Aleenta Hua Plee Lazy Beach Pranberry La A Natu The Evason Villa Maroc There are also a myriad of tiny shacks and holes-in-the-wall with no web presence whatsoever, and we love these places, too. Since we can’t advertise for them, we’ll just promise to take our friends and family there when they come to visit.

Eco-friendly Pranburi and its hip and quirky vibe Pranburi, and Pak Nam Pran specifically, is focusing heavily on the ecoconscious and green-thinking consumers, something Thailand is slowly picking up on, though there’s still a long way to go until the country can boast its earth friendly policies (just take a look at the thousands of plastic bags lining the

roads and beaches). Many resorts and restaurants along the Pak Nam Pran strip now advertise organic produce and communal gardens, locally sourced and hand made art. These trends tend to appeal to a younger generation and a more educated, affluent crowd, and this can easily be witnessed by the growing number of tourists along the beach front area, both Thai and Western. With the abundant outdoor activities and the national park in close proximity, the area attracts active people who enjoy the outdoors, and large cycling companies tend to favor Pak Nam Pran, Kao Kalok and Dolphin Bay for their bicycle tours thanks to the natural beauty and safer cycling conditions in the area. Kite surfing is another hugely popular activity along the coast from Hua Hin to Dolphin Bay (just south of Pranburi), and Pak Nam Pran has a few charming spots that cater specifically to the kite surfing crowd, offering services like assembling and disassembling equipment, offering lessons, and serving alcohol, which is rumored to improve kite surfing skills.

These are some of our favorite places in the Pak Nam Pran and Kao Kalok areas: Aleenta Hua Plee Lazy Beach Pranberry La A Natu The Evason Villa Maroc There are also a myriad of tiny shacks and holes-in-the-wall with no web presence whatsoever, and we love these places, too. Since we can’t advertise for them, we’ll just promise to take our friends and family there when they come to visit.