Living and Teaching in Beautiful Hua Hin

A teacher’s eye view from Monte Webb, English Teacher at WECI, English and Computer Institute

Let’s start with an expat’s view of life in Hua Hin. A question you may ask is, “Why should I choose Hua Hin?” That, for me, was an easy choice. I’ve been living and teaching in Thailand for 3 years now and have seen my fair share of cities. Hua Hin offers a combination of most all the good points of the cities I’ve seen. There are beautiful beaches, mountain, rivers, waterfalls and lakes, all within a short walk or ride for the nature lovers. There are many temples, the King’s palace, the Thai Silk Factory and other such historical places for the sightseeing, cultural type.

There are 7 golf courses in and around Hua Hin for the golfing enthusiast. There is a discreet bar scene that offers everything from discos to female companionship (who will convince you that you are truly ‘god’s gift to women’) to a relaxing, enjoyable evening of pool, darts and camaraderie. The things Hua Hin doesn’t have are smog, horrendous traffic jams, stifling crowds, Go Go bars and massive shopping malls. Good points or bad points? That’s up to you to decide.

Let’s start with the discos; “Stepz” disco is a major Thai style disco with live music and dancing for the young and young at heart. They have a live band that rivals anything you’ll find in most of the big cities. There’s “The Saxophone Club” for a more laidback style with live music. They have a live band that performs a blend of Thai and English music. There’s also the Hilton, which has 2 clubs, 1 for Rock-n-Roll style and 1 for relaxing with friends. I prefer the latter. The band is fantastic and not so overbearingly loud that you can’t speak to the people at your table. You can sit and chat, dance and even sing a song or two with them.

Hua Hin has a discreet bar scene, and most are situated in a few side soi’s behind the temple. There are two places that come immediately to mind; “Jungle Juice” (a popular E pat bar) who’s owner, Richard will greet you with a handshake and a smile. They offer a wide variety of food and drink as well as pool and darts. I love his e-mail handle, huahindick@hotmail.com. His place is located near the Hilton. You can call him for directions at 06-167-7120. The other place is called “All Bar Won” and is run by a great guy by the name of James. Sorry, I don’t have an e-mail for him but you can call 01-008-1557 to get directions there.

There are a couple of good evening markets both ‘farang’ and Thai style for those who like to shop. The two largest that come to mind are “The Grand Market” (Wednesday – Sunday) which is an open air market for shopping, eating or just looking. The other is called “Pai Mai” and is open on Tuesdays. The traditional “Tourist market” right in the center of the town is open every evening from around 6pm.

Add to this a large assortment of restaurants from Thai to German to Italian to English to American and you have all that you could desire in a place to live in paradise. Hua Hin offers an exceptionally good choice for dining with many International eateries.

One of my favorite places to eat, drink, meet friends and just relax watching the world go by is “The Boat” restaurant. The owners, Tom and Jee are great people. They make you feel right at home, just like one of the family. They and the staff can speak English very well and can help you with practically everything you need or need to know in Thailand. One member of the staff (his name is Arm) knows more about mobile phones and motorcycles than anyone I’ve ever met. They are conveniently located between the bus terminal and the “Night Market” so you relax while waiting for your bus or rest after some shopping. You can contact them for directions by e-mail, boathuahin@hotmail.com or by phone 032-514-485.

If you’re just arriving in Thailand, you can e-mail ahead for airport pick-up service arrangements to save yourself from being gouged by airport taxi services or if you’ve just arrived by bus, you can stop by for help with finding lodging or directions to anywhere. They even have a very reasonable motorcycle rental service for your motoring enjoyment.

Pala-U waterfalls are a short jaunt west and offer some great scenery, hiking and splashing around fun for everyone. The Sea Pine Forest is located about 5 kilometers south and has a truly beautiful beach for picnics and swimming. There’s a view point just outside of town to the west that gives you a fantastic view of the whole town as well as a short history lesson. They even have a bird sanctuary for viewing some of the fine-feathered wildlife of Thailand. Hua Hin beach itself has Banana Boat rides, Wave runners, Parasailing and swimming.

As for the golf courses, there’s the Majestic, Lakeview and Springfield to the west. Palm Hills is located just on the north end of town. Hua Hin Seoul is located about 6 or 7 kilometers to the south. Then there’s the famous Royal Hua Hin golf course, which is the oldest golf course in Thailand, located right in town. Then, just 24 kilometers to the south in Pranburi is Fort Dhanarat Golf Club located on the army base as you enter town.

Each offers their own unique, wonderful and surprising golfing experiences. To highlight a few; I’ve had a battalion of paratroopers being dropped from a squadron of helicopters suddenly appear in the sky while trying to putt. I’ve had to shoot over a herd of cows from the tee box to the fairway. I’ve seen monkeys come down out of the trees to check the lie of my shot. I’ve waited while 2 male peacocks did their mating dance before making my fairway shot. I’ve hit a ball into a water hazard and actually seen a diver come up with it in hand.

Have you ever had a beautiful second shot get stuck in a bunch of coconuts up in the tree? I have. I wonder what the PGA ruling is on that. I’ve had a great drive be suddenly diverted sideways because it hit a snake. I think it stopped me from rolling into the water but he left before I could thank him. Ever climbed a small mountain to tee off into the valley? Then there are the caddies. These are some of the most heavily clothed and beautiful ladies in Thailand (at least as much of them as I can see). I’ve had a caddie go racing out into the jungle to look for my errant shot and not only come back with my ball, but also some fresh snacks that she picked for me while out there. I’ve got a friend named Jamal who has his caddie so well trained that she takes his phone messages, knows what club he’s going to ask for and buys the drinks for us at the kiosks. Trust me when I say that the golfing here is something to behold.