Visiting in March 2014

[Chromeman]

Hi folks,

I am a 45 year old guy from Norway, and I will be visiting Hua Hin in March 2014 together with my thai girlfriend.
A friend and colleague and his wife has been visiting Hua Hin for the last 15 years or so and recomended the place so I thought to give it a test.

Will be arriving March 5., and will be staying for 26 nights at the Jaidee Resort Hotel, and leave March 31.

Stumbled upon this forum via a Google search, and really like it with all the informed information about bars, restaurants and activities.

BTW, does anyone have any experience or knowledge of "HuaHin Ballooning"? Tried to search for them here but did not find anything.

[PeteC]

Here's one thread about them. Pete

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=23652

[Chromeman]

Thanks Pete! But it is not the "Magic Balloon Park" I am thinking about.

This company gives you an hour flight in a hot air balloon. They pick you up at your hotel between 6 and 6:30 in the morning, drive to the take off place, serve you hot coffee/tea. Then from around 7 you get about 1 hour of flying over the countryside in the hot air balloon in about 500 to 2000 feet height. Then around 8:15 they serve you breakfast and champagne. Then they drive you back to the hotel.

They fly only December thru March. I am not allowed to post links yet, but if you google "Hua Hin Ballooning" you should find them.

[Big Boy]

Welcome to the forum Chromeman.

I must say that I've never seen a hot air balloon over Hua Hin. Coming here from Bristol/Bath in the UK, I have a good eye for hot air balloons. I checked the photos on the website, and Thong Khao is Bangkok area.

[margaretcarnes]

I hope the company is Farang run

[Chromeman]

I guess they are flying further inland so to not risk the chance of landing in the sea.

[Big Boy]

Flying too far inland from Hua Hin could be a bit hairy for the chase vehicle

[Chromeman]

OK, I guess I will find out when I get there and take the balloon trip.

[canthai]

There is a company that started up about a year ago. It is not a real hot air balloon as in the real sense. It looks more like a large helium filled balloon. I believe it is on a tether and rises about 100 feet. You say you booked 27 days at a hotel I would suggest looking for a villa for rent. You probabaly would save some money and have a much nicer place.

[Chromeman]

Hi canthai

I think you are mixing them with this "Magic Balloon Park" that also others have done. They have a helium balloon that is tethered to the ground.

Here is an actual photo that is taken from the article about Hua Hin Balloning on TripAdvisor

getlstd-property-photo.jpg (18.73 KiB) Viewed 1422 times

And this is copied from the Flight Program page on the company website

Exclusive Balloon Flight Program
We fly only December thru March !!!

Code: Select all

6:00-6:30 am. 	Transfer from hotel to launch site.
6:30-7:00 am. 	Hot Coffee or Tea is being served, while the crew prepares the balloon
7:00 am. 	Flight duration is aprox 1 hour, You will fly over the countryside and enjoy Thai scenery
8:15 am. 	A breakfast is served, with fruit juice, coffee, tea. Followed by the famous balloonist's Champagne Celebration. You will receive a flight certificate signed by your pilot.
9:00-9:30 am. 	Transfer from landing place to hotel

Included :

Transportation to/from the launch and passenger’s hotel
A snack, coffee/ tea of soft drink to welcome passengers
Sparking wine to celebrate the balloon landing as has been the custom or over 200 years of balloon flying
A personal certificate of grand voyage, signed by pilot
Insurance

Price 9,500 Baht / Person

[caller]

Sorry, edited post as all I did was link to the Co. website, which checking the above post, you already have. Seems odd they're based in Bkk?

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[Chromeman]

Hi caller,

Please go ahead and link to the company website since I am not allowed to post links yet.

And thanks for the welcome!

[Big Boy]

Chromeman, you are confusing me. That photo does not look like anywhere I've seen around here. If balloons fly here, why would a Hua Hin company put up a photo of what appears to be a balloon in South Africa?

[Edit] I've checked my South African connection and the information could be dubious. Whatever, I'm very surprised that such an activity is happening on our doorstep, and nobody seems to have noticed.

Please post a trip report after you've tried it in March - I'm sure there will be many visitors who could benefit from the information.

[hhfarang]

If they do offer ballooning here it's probably more like this:

[buksida]

There was this a couple of years ago: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17175