Maruekhathaiyawan Palace
Like so much in Hua Hin, this summer seaside palace was built in the early 1920s during the reign of King Rama VI. It was designed by an Italian architect and features lots of verandas, latticework and covered boardwalks using golden teak from the demolished Hat Chao Samran Palace. The beautiful passage from them leading to the sea is one of the many charming features of the complex.
Hua Hin Railway Station
Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin's railway station and adjacent royal waiting room are undeniably attractive. The brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design somehow manage to have a 'Victorian' feel to them. Even if you don't arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look. It’s charming, quirky and photogenic.
Cicada Market
Cicada Market is all about art, handmade crafts and good times. With an open-air market concept, it brings together Hua Hin’s artistic talents and those who wear ‘freedom of expression’ on their sleeves. Besides the crafts market, you’ll also find an art gallery, beer garden and live music.
Hua Hin Night Market
Situated in the centre of town between Petchkasem Road and the railway line, the market encompasses one street and comes to life from 18:30 onwards, when traders line the street with their stalls selling various merchandise – generally what you might expect from a Thai market. A superb selection of seafood restaurants that line the road that hosts the Night Market draws a lot of attention from visitors.
Plearn Wan Shopping Village
Plearn Wan is a themed shopping complex located not far from Klai Kang Won Palace. The unique brown wooden building features many shops as well as a café and some guestrooms all decorated in 1960s Thai style. Open daily for shopping and dining from around 10:00, Plearn Wan is famous for its ‘nang klang plaeng’ (open-air movies), live music and temple fair festival which runs every evening from Friday – Sunday.
Black Mountain Water Park
Black Mountain Water Park offers a fun-filled day for families and anyone needing a big splash. The park features nine different water slides, a wave pool, lazy river, beach pool, kids’ pool, and more – all set on a vast mountain-hugged landscape fronting a main-made lake just 10km north of Hua Hin. Owned and managed by the same people behind the Black Mountain Golf Course, the water park is the latest attraction in the group’s portfolio. It’s located opposite the golf course, on a local road that passes through Wat Huay Mongkol and Baan Silapin.
Khao Takiab
One of the biggest attractions in Prachuab Kirikhan province, Khao Takiab translates as ‘Chopstick Mountain’ although you may hear it being referred to as Monkey Mountain due to the monkeys that live on it. The mountain is also home to a hilltop temple with sensational views of Hua Hin. The start of the hike up to the temple is marked by a large bell and a flight of stairs up to the main shrine, a pagoda-like structure.
Phraya Nakhon Cave
The magnificent Phraya Nakhon Cave is one of the most mystical and mysterious landmarks of Thailand but only a few travellers get a chance to take a picture of it. The reason is simple: this gold and green pavilion is hidden inside a hard to reach cave and only a handful of dedicated visitors will do the effort to visit it. Those who do are rewarded with a stunning vision that looks like it's straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. Phraya Nakhon Cave is located in the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, a 45 minutes drive south of Hua Hin. First step to reach the cave is to drive to the small village of Bang Pu located by the beach, and from there decide if you'd rather rent a boat to take you around the cape to Laem Sala beach, or walk a 30 minutes trek above the hill leading to the same Laem Sala beach.
Santorini Park Cha-Am
Santorini Park brings a slice of the picture-perfect Greek island to Cha-Am. It’s got all the details right, from classic whitewashed buildings, colourfully painted windows, down to stone-paved paths and domed towers. An impressive lineup of shops, restaurants and an amusement park promise good times for everyone.
The Venezia Hua Hin
The Venezia is the newest theme shopping and attraction village in Hua Hin, following the growing popularity and undeniable success of other similar weekend destinations in Thailand. Palio in Kao Yai was probably one of the triggers for such epidemic frenzy for pretty villages, followed by the beautiful Santorini Park in Hua Hin and the now famous Asiatique in Bangkok.