Prachuabkhirikhan Information guide
The provincial capital is a fishing port with a superb location beside beautiful
curving bays and amongst steep mountain outcrops. About 100 kilometres to the
north of Prachuap Khiri Khan is Hua Hin, Thailand's first beach resort which is
renowned for golf and spa. Between Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan are Pran Buri
with many boutique resorts and Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with soaring peaks,
numerous caves and exotic bird life.
Hua Hin 281 kilometers south of Bangkok, Hua Hin, which literally means
stone head in Thai, is the oldest beach resort of the country and is still very
popular. Clean white sand, crystal clear water and a tranquil atmosphere has
continued to attract tourists in search of peaceful and relaxing holidays.
The town was originally known as Ban Samoe Rieng, or Ban Laem Hin (Stony Point
Village). The construction of a railway station in the city as part of the Southern
Railroad in the reign of King Rama VI resulted in making Hua Hin stand out from
many quite fishing villages. In addition, the construction of a Summer Palace
of King Rama VII totally transformed the village into a high-society resort
town for royalty. Even today, the Royal Family continues to reside at the Palace
for part of the year.
Hua Hin's consequence came with the opening of the Railway Hotel (known today
as the Sofitel Central Hotel), an elegant Victorian-style resort hotel, and
also the countrys first standard golf course. A cluster of royal and high-society
residences gradually became more visible resulting in the transformation of
the whole village into the first seaside resort of the country, where visitors
could enjoy swimming, fishing, and golfing in the country's first standard golf
course.
Today, Hua Hin is a well-established beach destination with word-class facilities
coupled with a true sense of Thai hospitality. Despite its expansive growth
and development as a luxurious destination, the splendor of Hua Hin remains
intact. Remaining content in itself, Thailand's oldest seaside resort has never
sought international recognition. It has continued to provide a peaceful and
relaxed sanctuary in a picturesque environment that comes with a true sense
of historical identity.
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