Getting caught up with Hua Hin, I've been gone a few years

[wpcoe]

I lived in central Hua Hin (Soi 80) for 2.5 years, and quite enjoyed it but "life got in the way" and I moved back to Jomtien in mid-2013. Now, things are changing again and I'm considering a return, so just spent a few hours combing through the last couple years' worth of threads in Hua Hin Forum.

I'm curious about a few things which had mention, but nothing recent:

(1) What is the status of the Collonade mall? Did it reinvent itself as a Chinese Market of some sort? What kind of shops/restaurants are there now?

(2) Did the Villa Market on Petchkasem Road near Soi 80 close? If so, what's in that building now? Is there any new farang-product supermarket in the area to replace Villa?

(3) How's the progress on the BluPort mall? Still looking to be on target for a 2016 opening? What is the anchor department store?

(4) How far down the Pala'u Road is the Big C? Do sawng-taews ply that road now? Are there tuk tuks there for returning home with the week's shopping?

(5) How many sawng-taew lines are there now? When I left, in addition to the long-standing airport-to-Takiab there where several (new at the time) colored lines: white, red and ... ? Are they still running? Any new ones?

I'll probably be coming over for a visit in a month or so, but patience is not my forte, so thought I'd ask now?

[Big Boy]

I lived in central Hua Hin (Soi 80) for 2.5 years, and quite enjoyed it but "life got in the way" and I moved back to Jomtien in mid-2013. Now, things are changing again and I'm considering a return, so just spent a few hours combing through the last couple years' worth of threads in Hua Hin Forum.

I'm curious about a few things which had mention, but nothing recent:

(1) What is the status of the Collonade mall? Did it reinvent itself as a Chinese Market of some sort? What kind of shops/restaurants are there now? It's still being re-developed - looks as though it may open soon.

(2) Did the Villa Market on Petchkasem Road near Soi 80 close? If so, what's in that building now? Is there any new farang-product supermarket in the area to replace Villa? Still there.

(3) How's the progress on the BluPort mall? Still looking to be on target for a 2016 opening? What is the anchor department store?

(4) How far down the Pala'u Road is the Big C? Do sawng-taews ply that road now? Are there tuk tuks there for returning home with the week's shopping? It's basically at the bottom of the big hill. Not sure about Tuk Tuks.

(5) How many sawng-taew lines are there now? When I left, in addition to the long-standing airport-to-Takiab there where several (new at the time) colored lines: white, red and ... ? Are they still running? Any new ones? I think the same song taews are running, but I believe they've extended their range to Soi 112, maybe further.

I'll probably be coming over for a visit in a month or so, but patience is not my forte, so thought I'd ask now?

[wpcoe]

Thanks, BB.

I'm happy to hear about Villa. One thread mentioned that staff had told a poster that they were closing by month's end. Living on Soi 80, it is a short stroll to Villa.

Regarding the song taews, ISTR a web site with the route maps of each line and photos of the vehicles but can't find it. I think it was a web page per song taew line. I'm hopeless at Google searches, but tried anyway and came up empty. Anybody know of such a site?

[Dannie Boy]

Whilst it doesn't cater specifically for westerners, you can get quite a number of western food items in Makro which is by Soi 4, and prices are generally very reasonable - it's also covered by one of the song teaw services (but not sure which one).

[hhinner]

Both the original green and newer orange songtaews pass Makro. I wouldn't rely on the orange ones though.

As for Big C, it's only a small supermarket, about the same size (maybe a bit bigger) as Villa, although the building also houses a KFC and a Mister Donut (which does very acceptable coffee). A new food court has just opened next door and includes a Doi Chang coffee shop and a French bakery store. I've never seen any tuktuks hanging around there.

[Big Boy]

Regarding the song taews, ISTR a web site with the route maps of each line and photos of the vehicles but can't find it. I think it was a web page per song taew line. I'm hopeless at Google searches, but tried anyway and came up empty. Anybody know of such a site?

I think this is about as good as you're going to get - http://www.tourismhuahin.com/getting-around-huahin.php

[wpcoe]

Makro was pretty much reserved for my infrequent visits to invadeIT which is right across the street. For technology toys I would do the song-taew ride. For food, not so much.

For day-to-day stuff, I would walk to Villa, somewhat less often to the grocery store in the shopping mall with IT City on the top, and occasionally to Market Village.

I was so spoilt by the location of the Soi 80 townhouse I rented, and for only B10k/month. So much was walkable: post office, city hall, water department, TOT, Villa, Colonnade, Bookazine, IT City, beach, train station (I would go to BKK every six weeks or so and always take the train,) and even Market Village if it weren't too hot and/or I didn't buy too much. The main drawback of the townhouse was the snakes that would occasionally appear in the kitchen and once in the living room.

Thanks for the link, BB. When I first couldn't find the site with the route maps and photos, I feared one or more of the new routes had been canceled. It was good to hear they're still around.

[wpcoe]

Eureka, I found them! The web pages with photos/route maps of the various song-taew routes:

[Mod edit: sorry, links to competing Hua Hin websites are not permitted here as stated in our forum policies.]

[Nereus]

Makro was pretty much reserved for my infrequent visits to invadeIT which is right across the street.

They have moved to Soi 6. The last time that I went there they were just not interested in walk-in customers.
The owner works in Bangkok most of the week, and the rest of them do not have a clue!

[wpcoe]

Eureka, I found them! The web pages with photos/route maps of the various song-taew routes:

[Mod edit: sorry, links to competing Hua Hin websites are not permitted here as stated in our forum policies.]

Oops. Sorry! Didn't realize they were a competitor!

Makro was pretty much reserved for my infrequent visits to invadeIT which is right across the street.

They have moved to Soi 6. The last time that I went there they were just not interested in walk-in customers.
The owner works in Bangkok most of the week, and the rest of them do not have a clue!

So much for my Makro visits. Thanks for the update that invadeIT moved and Thomas isn't there so much any more.

[Big Boy]

(1) What is the status of the Collonade mall? Did it reinvent itself as a Chinese Market of some sort? What kind of shops/restaurants are there now? It's still being re-developed - looks as though it may open soon.

I obviously lied

Driving back from Makro just now. I stopped at the Tessebahn lights, right outside. There are 4 large signs outside saying, "Now Open."

The place was absolutely deserted (it's open fronted, so you can see most of it from the road), and I couldn't see a single retail outlet that had been taken up.

[STEVE G]

(1) What is the status of the Collonade mall? Did it reinvent itself as a Chinese Market of some sort? What kind of shops/restaurants are there now? It's still being re-developed - looks as though it may open soon.

I obviously lied

Driving back from Makro just now. I stopped at the Tessebahn lights, right outside. There are 4 large signs outside saying, "Now Open."

The place was absolutely deserted (it's open fronted, so you can see most of it from the road), and I couldn't see a single retail outlet that had been taken up.

That mall has to be one of the most disastrous bits of property developments in the area, Collonade was always deserted and now no one is interested in a Chinese market there either, it was more useful when it was a load of open air restaurants.

[huahin4ever]

Eureka, I found them! The web pages with photos/route maps of the various song-taew routes:

[Mod edit: sorry, links to competing Hua Hin websites are not permitted here as stated in our forum policies.]

Good idea of the mods to post the link to the location on hhf where these maps and schedules are then, or not???

[hhinner]

I obviously lied

Driving back from Makro just now. I stopped at the Tessebahn lights, right outside. There are 4 large signs outside saying, "Now Open."

The place was absolutely deserted (it's open fronted, so you can see most of it from the road), and I couldn't see a single retail outlet that had been taken up.

That mall has to be one of the most disastrous bits of property developments in the area, Collonade was always deserted and now no one is interested in a Chinese market there either, it was more useful when it was a load of open air restaurants.

Maybe someone thought the hordes (are there any?) of Chinese tourists would be interested. I agree it was quite pleasant when it was Sathukarn Square, with the restaurants and stalls. Quite a good vantage point to have a few beers and watch the Songkhran antics as well. Progress!

Is the underground car park open again, does anyone know?

[dtaai-maai]

Makro was pretty much reserved for my infrequent visits to invadeIT which is right across the street.

They have moved to Soi 6. The last time that I went there they were just not interested in walk-in customers.
The owner works in Bangkok most of the week, and the rest of them do not have a clue!

We go there a couple of times a week and have never had a problem. Quite the contrary in fact.

[EDIT: And they have some deliciously sweet big oranges at a very reasonable price!]