Heading a little way south of Bangkok, down the peninsula the Gulf of Thailand washes ashore along the eastern coast, with Resorts at Cha Am, Hua Hin and Pranburi. Cha Am is very popular with Thais escaping in droves from Bangkok for the weekends, and therefore does not attract many western tourists, though its beaches are almost deserted on weekdays.
HUA HIN
Hua Hin and it’s neighbour Pranburi are better known to westerners, but are quite low-key compared to the much better known resorts of southern Thailand, though an increasing number of international hotels have arrived in recent years, including an Evason Resort.
With a reputation for fresh seafood, Hua Hin has a wide choice of restaurants including Scandinavian, German, French and Italian, and also has a developing nightlife. If you are in the area, the pretty and historic railway station is worth a visit.
With seven golf courses, and the nearby dramatically rugged coastline of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with its Phrayanakhon Cave, Pranburi and Hua Hin appeal as a location for second homes and retirement towns of choice for wealthy of Bangkok.