I have just returned from Hua Hin. It had been a year since my last visit and much was the same as before, but just as everyone had warned me, there is a lot of building going on and it did spoil my holiday a bit. I was annoyed by building site traffic on what should have been a very quiet side road close to the Hyatt, which is well out of town. That was working 24 hrs and another 2 sites in the area started early too. I am used to very quiet nights here in Norfolk!
Given a year or so, I think the area will be really buzzing. It looks to me that much of the 'old' will remain with the additional choice of the 'new', that being both shopping and eating! I was disappointed with my previous 'best' eating pier, the Chom**, the one with the fish in tanks underneath. Two meals there seemed disappointing and overpriced compared to last time. The night market was as good eating and value as ever. Us tourists are reassured by seeing the same faces on the food stalls, smiling as ever!
I stayed at the Baan Duang Kaew Resort, Thai owned and run by very sweet people. Try not to have the cabin nearest the road though. ‘Gosh’ it was noisy!
The flooding didn’t spoil our visit at all. There was flooding last year while we were there too. I had always wondered about those very high kerbs. I am sorry to read about the problems for the residents and hope things are looking better by now. I was impressed at the speed of repairs made to the night market corner damaged by the waters.
I also found a good driver for exploring. Mr Somchai brought his wife along on our Saturday and Sunday trips and between them, they made us feel like close friends. Our first direction was to Baan Khao Tao where, after viewing the turtle rock and the magnificent Buddha, we were given some little fried fish straight out of the pan and some coconut jellies too. We didn’t ask for them and neither were we charged.
On the Sunday we went to the big Buddha and a waterfall, stopping in villages for more eating. The Thais and their food, eh! (I think Mrs Somchai only goes along at weekends but I would recommend them to anyone. 01-2539248).
My thanks to everyone on the forum who posted information that helped us to enjoy our holiday in Hua Hin again. We shall return, but there are still some parts of Thailand we haven’t explored yet so there may be a gap.