Hua Hin was discovered in the early 1920s by King Rama VII as an ideal getaway from the sultry metropolis of Bangkok. The tranquil fishing village was turned into the Royal resort and consequently became popular among Siam's nobility and upper-class. In 1928, King Rama VII built his Klai Kangwon (Far From Worries) Palace which remains until this today an official royal residence. It is still frequently used by members of the royal family and is open to the public for visits. Hua Hin continued to develop in its own leisurely way, both as a aristocratic resort with the added attraction of an 18-hole golf course, and as a fishing port. The Railway Hotel, today's Sofitel Central Hua Hin, was built by the State Railways of Thailand in 1923 in the architectural style of old Siam.

It is the oldest and most traditional Thai resort combining the attractions of a modern holiday destination with the charm and fascination of a still active fishing port.

As well as a 5 mile long beach Hua Hin provides the highest density of world class golf courses anywhere in Thailand while it's yet virtually undiscovered as an international Golf destination. Green fees and other costs are currently among the lowest in the world while course maintenance and services are superb.

While the beaches of Phuket and Samui were discovered only recently and have since undergone rapid and sometimes over built development, Hua Hin has largely escaped this problem although there has been an influx of people buying and building houses in the surrounding area which has created some traffic issues at certain times of the day, but then progress does come at a cost. But the new shopping centres were sorely needed to upgrade the shopping which is now much improved especially the new Lotus supermarket and 'market village'. Hua Hin is booming.

Above all else the Thai people love Hua Hin and it is the resort's royal endorsement which has given Hua Hin a special character of its very own. Many of Bangkok's rich and famous built their own beachfront summer homes to the north and south along the curving sandy bay, enjoying leisurely family weekends in a resort which has maintained its unique identity.

Besides sun-filled days on the mile-long beach there are leisure activities for the whole family from watersports to golf. The area around the town let's you discover fabulous parks and peaks, caves and waterfalls. In the evening the winding roads with a great variety of shops and restaurants make a great stroll.

For those moving to Hua Hin to live, the town offers all the above plus a rapidly expanding expat network. It is, however, not a place for those looking for 24 hour nightlife - Hua Hin is much more conservative than that. But there are some wonderful restaurants in Hua Hin (Italian especially) and several superb hotels including the restored Sofitel hotel on the beachfront.