Hua Hin
Hua Hin, only four hours away from Bangkok by train, is still relatively peaceful and a nice place to relax.
If you want to go there you'll be rubbing shoulders with a mix of Thais and older farang tourists (mainly French, Italian and German).
Before 1928, Hua Hin weren't considered to be of any particular interest, however it all changed when the King of Thailand (at that time Rama VII) built a summer palace right on the beach. In fact, the royals have their ummer palace again a little outside of Hua Hin, and with a little luck you can watch the heavyly guarded Queen taking a swimm in the open see.
The famous "Railway Hotel" now belongs to the Sofitel Group, and still has it's charm after the big Restauraution/renovation. It's definitly one of the most beautiful Hotels in Asia.Unhappily most of the guests can't cope the style of this former colonial hostel.
The main attraction for me, besides the endless white beach is the nightmarket, where you can still get real thai food and drinks as best buy.
Most of the tourists are scared to eat and drink there. So it's perfect eating and boozing with like-minded locals.
It seems obvious to me that the fate of Hua Hin is pretty much already decided - they will most probably become another sleezy sex town, with no holds barred gung-ho development practices. All over Thailand there are examples of developers putting councillors in their pockets. The fishing atmosphere has almost been removed, with most of the fleets going to other waters, and squid-drying piers being longtime replaced by hotels.
Not all is gloom and doom however - the beach has taken on a much better colour due to new sewerage treatments.
The big beach which is the main area for swimming in Hua Hin, is covered in thatched umbrellas and long chairs. Beach vendors offer various foods for the relaxing holidayer, as well as beers, and even ponies are available for child entertainment.
Hua Hin is a perfect location to "hang into" the Thai spirit.
On the beach you can experience how bangkok-people do party, with a lot of food and booze with a bottle of imported brandy crowning the table, a guitar, and everybody singing along.
These folks are budhists, so they do not take their presence on earth to serious. They enjoy drinking, smoking, prostitution, even pork-meat. The don't need a punishing God. If you do bad things you punish yourself. So don't waste your time, our days are counted. Have fun.
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