Thailand’s Hua Hin Offers Stunning Beaches, Waterfront Living and a ‘Hot’ Golf Game

Activities off the Greenway

Away from its golf identity, much of Hua Hin’s attraction comes from its seaside location. Irin Phuaiem, public relations manager for Sotheby’s International Realty Thailand, said Hua Hin’s reputation as a beautiful coastal town within reach of Bangkok put the escape on Asia’s recreation radar long before golfers or any other western travelers became fascinated with it.

“It takes only three to four hours to drive from Bangkok to Hua Hin,” Ms. Phuaiem said. “The town is known for its stunning beaches, clear blue waters, seafood, water sports and nightlife.”

Multiple resorts, with and without golf courses, dot the oceanside community, interspersed with private homes with access to the beaches. One of the largest venues is Aleenta Hua Hin Pranburi Resort & Spa, situated on a stretch of Pak Nam Pran Beach where newer homes pop up along the water.

Anchalika Kijkanakorn, managing director and founder of Akaryn Hotel Group, describes the scene with everyone from kite surfers to cyclists enjoying clear skies and miles of trails running into park land.

“Hua Hin is one of the first resort areas in Thailand, made popular by King Rama V,” Mr. Kijkanakorn explains. “He built his vacation palace there, an observatory on a hill to study constellations—and Thailand’s first railroad to connect it to the rest of the country.”

Mr. Kijkanakorn said it’s the cultural and historical identity of Hua Hin more than its activities that draw prospective homeowners and thousands of resort guests his way. Hua Hin resorts like Pranburi serve as gathering places for a community of repeat resort guests, long-term foreign residents and frequent local visitors.