 Hua
Hin and Cha-am Activities and Top Things to do guide
Khao Hin Lek Fai
 Hin
Lek Fai Hill (Flintstone Hill) is about 1.5 km west
of the city center and provides a panoramic view of
the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course below and the Gulf of
Thailand beyond the town. It gives you a good idea of
how small Hua Hin really is.
There is a new park at the top of the hill with many
flowering plants and shrubs inter-planted with the indigenous
trees and bamboo groves though it will be a few years
before they provide much shade. Concrete paths meander
through the park leading to lookout spots with breathtaking
vistas.
Though not exactly a mountain, the road to the top
is a mite steep. I haven't made it all the way on my
mountain bike yet and recommend motor vehicle transport
for anyone but the very hardy.
On the way to the hill from town, you pass a practice
field for Muay Thai (Thai kick boxing). Should you want
to learn more about the sport you saw in the restaurant,
here's the place to try your hand.
Muay Thai is much different from Western boxing and
the fighters may use their feet, elbows, legs, and knees
to strike their opponent. Many young Thai men take part
in this sport and several have moved on to excel in
western boxing as well and Thailand gained its first
Olympic gold in this event in Atlanta in 1996.
The first Thai boxer to win a world boxing title was
Pone Kingpetch (Mana Sridokbuab) from Hua Hin. Born
in 1936, Pone won the world flyweight belt in 1960.
There is a statue to the fighter just north of the Melia
Hotel, next to a Chinese temple, at the Hua Hin rocks.
Fishing Harbour and Pier
 The
port is busy 24 hours each day with boats coming in
to drop off their catch and load up on more ice throughout
the night.
The community around the waterfront can be seen preparing
fish for sale and drying small fish on the walkways
in front of their houses.
There are several large restaurants near the pier where
one can sample the fresh catch prepared in the special
Thai way.
Minigolf
There is a pitch and putt course at the Regent Cha
Am and a mini-golf course in Hua Hin on Petchkasem Rd
south of town. Hua Hin Minigolf is open from 0900-2200
and only charges $4/day for their 31(?) hole course.
There's a restaurant and beer bar on the premises if
the kids wear you out before they're ready to go home.
Tel: (032) 511-585.
Shopping
There are no large shopping malls in Hua Hin but many,
many small shops. Most of these are along the roads
near the Sofitel and Melia hotels. For local handicrafts,
the Hua Hin Bazaar, about 100 meters west of the beach,
should be your first stop.There are hundreds of items
in the shops with everything from shells and wood carvings
to dried fish.
All along Naresdamri Road up to Chomsin Road there
are shops and tailors and restaurants. There are several
silver shops on Chomsin Rd.
There are over 100 tailor shops in Hua Hin offering
very competitive prices on western suits and dresses
made from a wide variety of cloths. Suits can be made
in 24 hours but you'll be better off if you schedule
at least a couple of fittings and be sure to compare
the workmanship of a few shops before placing your order.
Some of the prices are almost too competitive with many
shops offering jackets, multiple pairs of pants, shirts,
etc for less than $100. Select accordingly and don't
be taken in by tour guides or touts.
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