Huahin creative art

Huahin creative art 

   There is plenty in Hua Hin to entertain the minds of the more creative among you. With local artists eager to display their talents, handicrafts, silk weaving, embroidery, basket making, pottery and wood carving are all readily available.

  Art fairs are often held and there are a couple of local galleries in Hua Hin. Market Village is usually the venue for such events so get along there to check the schedule.

  There is now a music school in Hua Hin located just along from Sport Villa on Petchkasem road. They offer lessons and courses in piano, violin, and guitar. Thais love their guitar so you'll never be short of someone to jam with here!

   A number of restaurants now offer Thai and Balinese dance shows, there is one inHua Hin night market and one in Khao Takiab. You may find dance and music events on offer at some of the bigger hotels in Hua Hin. If you like the festival atmosphere don't miss the annual Hua Hin jazz festival which attracts artists and fans from all over the world.

   The Cicada Market (Community of Identity Culture Art and Dynamic Activities)has recently opened on the corner of Soi Moo Ban Nong Kae and Khao Takieb Hua Hin Road in Khao Takieb. Opening times are 3pm-11pm Fridays/Saturdays and 10am-9pm on Sundays. This colourful new addition to the local cultural scene features soft music, an artists' market, good food and drink and plenty of shopping.

   Another recent addition to Hua Hin's vibrant arts scene is The Vic Hua Hin Art Complex and Victoria Theatre. Made up of an air conditioned theatre that can seat 320, seperate sections for performing arts, workshops, visual arts exhibitions, film screenings and mini market, this centre is a must to visit for those who wish to expand their artistic experiences of Hua Hin. It is situated a couple of kilometers south of the Khao Takieb flyover on Petchkasem Road, on your right hand side.

   Another important location is Plearn Wan Eco Vintage Village. Found north of town on the left hand side of Petchkasem Road, just after the traffic lights at Klaikangwon Palace, this wooden complex is housed on two floors and offers a glimpse back into Hua Hin's past. You can shop for clothes, food and souvenirs while at the weekend there is an open air cinema. Weekends can get very busy with thousands of visitors. There is wheelchair access via an elevator.

   Visit our Events and Activities forum to find out more about these establishments and discover other ideas, that have been posted by visitors and expats, to make your artistic experience of Hua Hin more enjoyable

Huahin cooking course

Huahin cooking course

                                               

      Most visitors to Thailand will be impressed with the cuisine. The range of herbs and spices used is staggering and the riot of flavours produced is famous throughout the world now.

     Thai restaurants are springing up in most countries and as a result the ingredients necessary are becoming easier to find. So, rather than rely on expensive restaurants back in your home country to relive the tastes of Thailand, why not attempt some Thai cooking for yourselves?

    Once you find a good supply of fresh herbs and spices, the cooking itself is not really that difficult. However, some tuition whilst in Hua Hin may be indispensible later on.
Catching on to the western popularity of the cuisine, a number of good Thai cooking schools have sprung up in Hua Hin. These will give you an introduction to all the ingredients and even take you to a local market where you'll be shown how to choose the best and for you to experience the enormous variety of goods for sale - some of which may be quite difficult to find back home.

   Depending on how you want to learn, different schools will provide different courses. Some are watch and learn, whilst others allow you to do everything yourself. Some will teach with a set menu, others will allow you to choose the dishes you want, so you won't be restricted in your choices.

   Most courses will introduce you to traditional ways to mix spices, using the pestle and mortar and  coconut grinder. It might be hard work, but you'll get to experience the way the vast majority of Thais still prepare their everyday meals.

                                  

Most large hotels will either run or can organise courses for you. Although they will be more expensive then others in Hua Hin and possibly more restrictive in terms of what you can do, there will be some extremely experienced cooks on hand.

  Probably the greatest delight after a hard day's shopping and cooking is to finally sit down and taste the fruits of your labours. Remember, once you have grasped the basics, the cooking is really not that difficult, so impress your friends and family back home.

  Our Feeding Time forum can also give you some more ideas on markets and cooking techniques. Take a look to find out how our readers have fared.

Martial Arts

Martial Arts

If you are interested in martial arts, karate and aikido courses for adults and children are available at the Grand Sport gym.

Muay Thai (Thai kick boxing) is practised seriously at a number of stadiums in Hua Hin and the events are regularly advertised around town. It is now also possible to train with the fighters and apparantly even get in the ring with them, if you dare.

Wing Tsun self-defence courses are run by WT Thailand in Khao Takiab either in their camp or on the beach. Wing Tsun is a form of Kung Fu used for self defence and self discipline, you can learn in a friendly group environment or individually.

Hua Hin walking and cycling routes

Hua Hin walking and cycling routes

  Whilst there are no formally set out trails for either of the above activities, both are easy to enjoy as long as you follow some "rules of the road", particularly when setting out on any type of bicycle.

  The main walk in Hua Hin will be along the beach. It stretches from the entrance at The Sofitel Hotelto Monkey Mountain at Khao Takiab and is approximately 7km in length. Depending on how energetic you want to be, the distance can be covered in about 1.5 hours.

  At the start, in central Hua Hin, the beach can be quite busy at certain times of year as the main hotels front it, but further on you'll find yourself in deserted areas. There are a sprinkling of beachside restaurants along the way, but it's always best to take along your own bottle of water for rehydration anyway. Do not forget that it's always hot here and the sun is fierce. When a cooling sea breeze blows in, you're unlikely to feel the effects of sweating and dehydration, so be careful.

  Your progress along the beach will be determined by the time of day you walk and the time of year. As a general rule of thumb, if you walk in the mornings, during the months November - February, the beach will not be passable after The Chiva Som Resort due to high tides. The rest of the year is OK, with the lowest tides being between April - October.

  It an envigorating "stroll" and there's plenty to observe depending on the time of year - small fish, crustaceans, shells and bird life. Also enjoy the fishing boats and monkeys at the end of your walk.

  For those who don't want to make the same 7km trek back into Hua Hin again, there are welcoming restaurants in Khao Takiab and a songthaew (shared taxi) back to the centre of town will only cost 10 Baht.

  There are plenty of other options for walking routes, but as Hua Hin gets busier and busier, it's naturally preferable to stay clear of the main road - Petchkasem Highway. So, other than the beach, this leaves you with the alternative of heading west. A good route would take you around Royal Hua Hin Golf Course. There are public rights of way around the course, but watch out for golf balls. You'll have the opportunity to see centuries old trees in stunning landscape that will take you up towards Hin Lek Fai.

  Wherever you decide to walk, the Thais will probably think you're mad to do so in the heat, but they're always welcoming and you'll find friends everywhere. You can also join the local Hua Hin Hash House Harriers club if you're a real running and walking enthusiast.

Huahin massage

Huahin massage

   This ancient therapeutic practice has been learnt and handed down in Thailand for some 2,500 years. A whole book, or books, could be written about the subject, but it is only our intention here to introduce you to some of the basic principles.

   It is worth pointing out from the start that despite Thailand's reputation for naughty nigthlife, only a tiny fraction of massage palours engage in "extra-curricular" activities. The vast majority are bona fide massage establishments and are strictly regulated, allowing only government certified masseurs, with the requisite skills, to practice there.

   The Thai method of massage uses passive stretching and gentle pressure along energy lines in the body to adjust skeletal structure, increase flexibility, relieve muscular and joint tension, stimulate internal organs and balance the body's energy system. After a massage, you will feel relaxed and invigorated. Some have likened it do doing yoga (without all the effort) and receiving acupressure at the same time!

   A session will usually last two hours with the recipient lying on a floormat in loose fitting clothing. Gentle pressure is applied with the hands and feet and there will be some passive stretching. The therapy is suitable both both young and old, the healthy and the not so healthy. A good practitioner is able to relieve stress and allow your body to regain flexibility and ease of movement. You should remember that the practice has been followed for countless generations and is well accepted in The East as an alternative form of medicine. 

   There are a multitude of massage establishments in Hua Hin now. It will be impossible to list them all. Some are significantly better than others. One that stands out for special mention is on Petchkasem Road, just before The Royal Palace and next to Golden Place. This a Royal Project and massage is carried out by the blind. You will be in very capable hands. Most major hotels have a professional massage service as well.

  Prices vary, but as a general rule of thumb you can expect to pay 300-600 Baht for a two hour traditional massage and up to 1,200 Baht for a two hour aromatheraputic oil massage. It really is something that you should experience at least once when you visit Huahin

 

Hua Hin elephant camps and trekking

Hua Hin elephant camps and trekking

Elephants were used for centuries in Thailand as the primary mode of transport in The Kingdom. They are reliable and able to travel great distances over all kinds of terrain.

Although motorised transport has obviously now taken over, elephants are still widely used today in logging and for journeys in mountainous, jungle environments.

These days, you can also enjoy this ancient method of transport. There is an elephant camp situated some 3 km west of the town centre on the road leading toPala U. Upon arrival, you will be introduced to and familiarised with the animals and given the chance to feed them some bananas. At the time of writing, there are 19 elephants in the camp, 2 male, 16 female and one baby.

Afterwards, you can go for a ride on the backs of these huge beasts. Your carriage will be a wooden bench, that is perfectly safe and the elephant is guided by a mahoot who sits on the neck. The price for an hour's trek around the surrounding countryside is approximately 800 Baht and includes an example of logging, seeing the elephants take their morning bathe and lunch at the camp.

As one word of caution, do take heed of the mahoot's advice and any warnings about unruly animals. Elephants are large and it is not unknown for tourists to be seriously injured if one stampedes. Only get close to those indicated to you.
There is also another, smaller elephant camp in Khao Takiab. It is situated before you get to the beach at the end of the first soi on the left after you pass the hill. Again, feeding and rides are allowed.

Huahin kiteboarding

Huahin kiteboarding

Over the past few of years kitesurfing or kiteboarding has become an extremely popular sport in Hua Hin. There are now at least two kitesurfing schools in Hua Hin offering lessons, tuition and equipment for hire.

Steady thermal winds are present in Hua Hin in March and April, this is the season for kitesurfers, Hua Hin has ideal conditions as the ocean is usually flat and it is shallow a long way out. Bigger surf can be experienced from November to January, great for more experienced kiteboarders.

Serious kiteboarders from around the world have started to put Hua Hin on their destination list.

Kiteboarding Guidelines

Kiteboarding in Hua Hin is not recommended outside the Sofitel Central and anywhere further north due to submerged boulders and is forbidden towards to Royal residences where the beach is inaccessible and military patrols are present.

Most of the Kitesurfers congregate near the Condochain hotel and further south where the beach is long and flat, ideal conditions for kiteboarding although strong gusts can be experienced further south near the hill at Khao Takiab.

On this stretch of beach kitesurfers must be aware of jetskis, horses, fishing boats, the occasional banana boat and beach goers. Jellyfish can also be a problem in Hua Hin at certain times of the year, usually around May to October, appropriate clothing is recommended. Hua Hin is a tropical town so watch that sun and keep covered up, a rash vest usually suffices!