Going South from Hua Hin turn left off the main road and down to the coast. This is the road that leads to Kha Ka Lok. Along that stretch of coast is a lot of new build resorts and residential housing. Many Bangkokians come here for the weekend.
Plenty of restaurants ranging from the reknowned Evasons to the small Thai House run along the coast road and bars like the Windy Bar or Mr Sings are inviting. Both bars are attractive. The Windy Bar is part of a resort with a restaurant and it is like a circular gazebo which becomes quite lively. Mr Sings is something like an ornamental wood gypsy caravan. It is parked a couple of yards from the sea wall and there are tables and chairs overlooking the water. It is quite peaceful.
Continue along the coast towards Khao Ka Lok and you will pass many other restaurants. Most of them serve excellent sea food and quite a few have a farang menu. The Purimuntra is one of my favourites. The food is good, the layout appealing and it is located on the shore. This, as with others, you can visit for spa treatments. On one glorious occasion, when I had friends from the UK staying, they set up a table on the beach and served us there.
At Khao Ka Lok itself there is a new resort that also has elephants. There are a couple of restaurants facing out to sea and a fair number of visitors. There is a nature trail through the mountain and a magnificent bat cave. At the shore they offer boats and other sporty water things to do. You can also ride a horse.
Whether you stop at a restaurant or a bar it is a beautiful area to stop for an hour or two with a drink just gazing out to sea and making small talk with friends. At night, you can make out rollers settling on the shore and see the emerald circle of lights from the fishing boats.
The residential complexes are small and few in number but they all boast a high spec. They do not appeal to me because I like some privacy, an area of land to create a garden and I prefer to be a short distance away from the shoreline with its inevitable problems. Nor do I like the 35 million baht price tag. Yes! They’re not that good. Outrageous but some farangs are willing to pay it.
Once round the mountain there is another stretch of beach that is deserted. Only the fishing boats decorate the sand and a fish restaurant. Go further on, via the road to Sam Roi Yod, and you reach another area of coast and the stretch of beach that has the Dolphin Bay resort. There is a pod of pink dolphins and on a good day,you can see them.
Whichever side of the mountain you prefer, it is worth coming along for a day out.