Around this time of year (November to February) Hua Hin experiences some really high tides so if you enjoy a beach walk in the morning you could find it rapidly turning into a surf or swim! The photo below was taken looking north from the Wora Bura Resort in Khao Takiab … beach, what beach?
I’ve recently discovered some fantastic beaches and little spots further south of Hua Hin where you can have kilometers of golden sand to yourself. This place is called Bang Berd and is located around 25 minutes south of Bangsaphan (2 hours from Hua Hin), there is a small town to the northern end of the beach and the bit we found was accessible through a Royal compound so there was no chance of any of the development that is rapidly enveloping Hua Hin and its surrounds. The ocean was crystal clear and as warm as bath water, also nice and shallow and safe for the kids. The beach is totally unmanaged so the only drawback was the long line of trash, bottles, fishing castoffs and polystyrene marking where the high tide reaches and running the length of the beach - a good 20km. All of this had been cast off from local fishing boats which can be seen at night illuminating the horizon like shining emeralds. Its such a shame that there is little respect for the environment and ocean especially from people that make their living from it, it wont last forever!
Found this guy catching forty winks outside Hua Hin railway station. These rustic rickshaws are a great way to explore the town at a leisurely pace. The riders are the salt of the earth and very friendly, they definitely earn their money more than some of the tuk tuk drivers I have encountered.
Last week I found my self amidst a sea of screaming Thai’s for an event I admit I was slightly apprehensive about. I had heard mumblings of wild west style shootings and mass fights during a Carabow gathering. Nevertheless undaunted I purchased a shiny ticket, donned my cricket pads, crash helmet and safety glasses and ventured forth (actually I was about 300th). After the resident band entertained us with the usual mix of Deep Purple and CCR the great man entered the building. The buzz was immediately apparent as he walked through the room surrounded by some unusually large bodyguards. People were whooping and screaming, I have never seen so many camera phones held aloft in one place! I assumed they must have replaced the humble cigarette lighter that we used to wave during rock concerts?
I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the evening even though I didn’t understand a single word or uttering from the great man, I just cheered when everyone else did and took another slug from my bottle of red label. He started warbling at about 23:30 and played until 02:00, albeit with some strange Carabow lookalike strumming in the middle of his set? The standard of musicianship was as good as any band I’ve heard, tight and together with some good harmony’s. Eventually I emerged outside within a sea of Thai’s all swaying from the effects of an evening quaffing copious amounts of hard liquor and having a good time. I would certainly go again, Fantastic!
One of my favourite spots around Hua Hin has finally lost the battle with the development of a new housing complex right on the beach. Turtle Hill Residence will turn a quiet little bay with one of the best beaches for miles into a suburban nightmare. The construction alone will have a vast impact on the surrounding area which up until quite recently was completely natural. That said, half the beach still remains so if you get the chance get down there while it still lasts, the sea is clear and deep, ideal for swimming and there are still a couple of good local restaurants on the beach - who knows when they will be replaced by a Seven-11 to service the new inhabitants of “Turtle Hill”.
I’ve been living here in HH for almost 9 years. I’m still relatively young - 48 yrs old. I’ve travelled a bit and in every country I’ve been to the visitors have generally treated the country they visit with a measure of respect.
So, why, oh why, do I walk the beach this morning and see western ladies going into the sea topless? Don’t these people understand anything about Thai culture? I think not.
It’s a real eye opener when you can understand a little bit of the language and hear the comments that are made about these topless wonders, by the Thais.
It certainly made me cringe. The Thais have no respect for them and the culprits didn’t even notice. Then again, they probably didn’t give a damn. “It’s what I do back home in the summer, so I’ll do it here”, without any consideration for the locals.
As for me - well I’m happily married to a Thai lady and I bet she wouldn’t expose herself to all and sundry anywhere, anytime. Despite Thailand’s reputation for raunchiness, it’s actually nothing like that - except in certain areas that can be found all over the world, even on your own doorstep back home.
So, that’s a bit of a rant to start off with, but it does grate on me when the locals are offended. If you only knew what they were saying about you, topless ladies!!
26th January 2007
I had to put a dog to sleep today. His name for the past 3 weeks has been Vito. Before that, who knows? Did he even have a name? Did any human, even when he was a pup, ever hold him in enough regard to bestow a moniker on him?
Vito, as I said, had only been with us at HHDRC for 3 weeks when he died. He came from Cha am. Cheryl, who has one of the café/bars reported him to us. We arrived at her café and she took us to meet him on the roadside where he resided. My first comments were not complimentary. I made some remark about him being an alien, not a dog. You might forgive me for that remark, had you seen him. No hair, covered in scabs & dry scales, one ear swollen with haemotoma, unable to stand properly through malnutrition and a problem with his hind leg, gummy, rheumy eyes and the mouth of a denture wearer sans dentures. And thin, so thin you could see every bone and overstretched tendon.
Even if your a fan of horticulture or not you will be amazed by the many and varied types of beautiful flowers that you will see in and around Hua Hin. The Thai orchid itself being the countries national emblem!
Outside shops, offices and homes you will see pots filled with colourful flowers, vessels filled with water containing tropical fish and Lillie’s. I photographed these stunning Lotus blossom’s at a local temple only last week. (more…)
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Being in a tropical climate Hua Hin has no shortage of interesting wildlife and beasties. Take a look around you to see what is hiding here and there, both in town and in the many parks and rural areas around Hua Hin. This little fellow was so busy sunning himself he didn’t notice me taking the shot!
Hua Hin town center contains a labyrinth of tiny streets all taking you somewhere interesting, a place to relax and have a coffee or a restaurant you haven’t yet tried, all you have to do is just turn off the main roads and explore. The locals are very friendly and will always smile if you approach them politely. Take the kids with you and see how many spirit houses they can count on the way round. Tip - don’t forget to look up. Believe me there are a lot….!
If your a budding snapper the photographic opportunities are endless so don’t forget that camera. Remember just don’t stick to the main streets there are some fascinating sights out there to savour, Enjoy….
The English translates to Flintstone Hill probably because thats what its made of. This is a great little place that doesn’t get many visitors which is probably a good thing! Only a couple of kilometers west of the city it provides a number of good viewing points to take it all in. Best times to visit are early morning and dusk where you’ll often come across a number of people far fitter than I who have cycled or run up it. There are landscaped gardens, some kind of butterfly park that never seems to be open, resident peacocks and other wildlife and the odd statue. I like the serene ambiance up there, no traffic noise … bliss!
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The Team
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