Hua Hin is about a 3 hour travel by car or bus, perhaps 4 hours by train from Bangkok. It 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. Since then, a number of nice hotels & resorts have appeared, the King still maintains a residence in Hua Hin that he and the royal family visit.

Hua Hin is not as well known for tourism as areas further South, e.g. Phuket or Samui, but it offers 5 miles of beautiful beach, the wonderful Thai culture, and some nice attractions for the casual tourist.

Hua Hin is not noted for a vibrant night life, however it does offer the Temple at Monkey Mountain and an excellent night market. Wat Khao Takiab, the Temple on Monkey Mountain, sits on top of a small mountain, no surprise. As expected, there are a lot of monkeys in the vicinity, and all of the local folk consider them to be the predominant species of the mountain, and humans to be the visitors. Consequently one is well advised to respect the indigenous critters....

Visitors may purchase some bananas to feed these inhabitants, and they do pose for photographs, at least somewhat. The hike up to the top of the mountain, where the temple is located is short, but exhilarating exercise none the less. One can take some time at the half-way point and enjoy the beautiful vista of the coastline, talk with the local friendly folks, contribute to the temple and pickup a trinket or 2.

At the temple, the view of the Hua Hin coastline is spectacular. A small contribution to the Temple Monk and the purchase of a small item outside the temple helps maintain the temple and surrounds.

Absolutely not to be missed is the Night Market, typical of Thai cities, towns and villages, this is where it all comes together. There are a lot of opportunities to buy local goods to bring home, but this is where the true local cuisine is available - lots of choices at incredibly low prices, and should not be missed. The food is simply marvelous in all respects, and you mix with the locals also enjoying their dinner. The sights, sounds, odors and tastes of a night market in Thailand is something one needs to experience, many times.