3 Best Sights in Hua Hin, The Gulf Coast Beaches

This long-established market is a favorite with locals and tourists. Residents come during the day to purchase meats, seafood, and produce; after 5 pm you'll find everything from jewelry and clothing to toys and artworks. The evening market also has interesting eats, including Thai kanom (sweets), exotic fruits, barbecued meats, and traditional Thai dishes.

Hua Hin's namesake beach is the nicest of those along this part of the coast, but it's also the most popular. Though not as stunning as other Thai beaches, it's a wide, 7-km-long (4½-mile-long) boulevard of golden sand. Vendors hawk food and drink nonstop, but you can escape this parade by booking a relaxing beach massage or taking a horseback ride to less populated areas. Water sports can be arranged at various points. It can get rough and the sea isn't clear, but you can definitely swim here. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: walking.

You'll pass rice fields, sugar palms, pineapple plantations, and crab farms as you make your way to this park south of Hua Hin, the gloriously named "300 Peaks." It has two main trails and is a great place to spot wildlife, especially monitor lizards and barking deer. With a little luck you might even see the adorable dusky langur, a monkey known for the white circles around its eyes. About a kilometer (½ mile) from the park's headquarters is Khao Daeng Hill, which is worth a hike up to the viewpoint, especially at sunrise. Another 16 km (10 miles) from the headquarters is Haad Laem Sala, a white-sand beach. Near the beach is Phraya Nakhon Cave, once visited by King Rama V. The cave has an opening in its roof where sunlight shines through for a beautiful effect. If you don't have a car or haven't hired one, you'll have to take a bus to Pranburi, which is a 30-kilometer journey from Hua Hin. From here you take a songthaew to the park.