PeterUK
August 1st, 2006, 00:23
In what I can only describe as an act of gross negligence on my part, I recently fell in lust with a barboy. Please donтАЩt do this yourself unless you really, really enjoy rollercoaster rides. Generally IтАЩm more of a carousel person myself. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I decided last week that a short break from Pattaya was in order and removed myself to Hua Hin for the weekend. ItтАЩs a place IтАЩve often meant to visit but have never got round to until now. I took a taxi to BangkokтАЩs Southern Bus Terminal and then one of the frequent air-conditioned buses to Hua Hin. The fare was 160B and the journey time two and a half hours. I had booked a room at the Smiles-recommended Hua Hin Suites, which turned out to be quite satisfactory. ItтАЩs a small, well-located, low-level hotel whose 29 rooms are grouped round a pretty courtyard with a small pool at one end. My room and bathroom were spacious, well-appointed and clean. 1400B per night including breakfast. As soon as I had unpacked my few belongings, I strolled across the road to the Sofitel, Hua HinтАЩs poshest hotel, and had afternoon tea (or, in my case, coffee) at a colonial-style lounge in the splendid, mature garden. Lots of yummy snacks to scoff as live Thai music tinkled away in the background. The bill for this pleasant interlude would normally have caused me minor indigestion, but I was deliberately spoiling myself.
Over the next couple of days I spent a lot of time just wandering the streets of the compact town centre and formed a generally favourable impression of Hua Hin. With the sea on one side and rugged, wooded hills to the west, itтАЩs beautifully situated and feels prosperous and at ease with itself. ItтАЩs by far the best-maintained place IтАЩve visited in Thailand. The buildings, in a variety of pastel shades but mainly cream or white, looked solid and in a good state of repair, the streets were clean and dotted with healthy greenery, and, wonder of wonders, there were even proper kerb-lined pedestrian pavements without life-threatening pot-holes. I almost got used to looking straight ahead of me. Shops had snazzy window displays of the kinds of goods that well-to-do people buy. I didnтАЩt see many of the galleries, bohemian-looking cafes and secondhand bookshops that one finds in Chiang Mai; the mood here felt more conservative, well-heeled and, dare I say it, a tad dull. This impression was reinforced when I bought a copy of the local monthly newspaper, Hua Hin Today, and read the front-page headline тАШPineapple Price DropsтАЩ (tough times for pineapple growers apparently тАУ well, thereтАЩs always trouble for someone in this world). The inside pages proved to be much less riveting.
Of course, itтАЩs the beach that draws most visitors to Hua Hin and I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon sampling that. I sat in the popular section which is fairly small and divided into concessions with the usual paraphernalia of parasols, deckchairs and cooking facilities. The Sofitel has its own secluded little beach at one end of the popular section, while stretching away in the other direction is a series of rather ugly piers where I saw only a few fishermen working. The sand itself, as if in deference to the Thai sense of hierarchy, is fine, white and powdery at the Sofitel end, but coarser and browner at the piers. All along the beach there are low clusters of rock which I didnтАЩt find particularly attractive. At low tide people clamber over them, but as the incoming tide submerges them I would have thought they made swimming a bit hazardous. When I arrived at about one oтАЩclock there was only a smattering of people, evenly divided between Thais and farangs, but as the afternoon wore on many more Thais arrived in family groups; the noise level went up dramatically. I noticed a lot of mounted police (or so their jackets announced) on the beach and wondered if Hua Hin perhaps has a hitherto-unsuspected reputation for fleet-of-foot icecream-snatchers (later I saw some of the тАШpoliceтАЩ giving kiddie rides, but I prefer my explanation). Moored out in the distance was a multi-tiered monstrosity of a ship which was probably a pleasure-cruiser but might just have been a prison hulk. I sat in my deckchair snacking, reading, dozing. Sometimes, inevitably, my thoughts turned to my slim, sexy, spirited Pattaya barboy, so oddly resistant to my charms, and this would prompt much mournful staring out to sea. If I say so myself, I think I gave a passingly good impression of the Dirk Bogarde character in Death in Venice (minus the running mascara).
Hua Hin, Hua Hin. Both syllables are rising tones in Thai. Say them over and over and they sound like a ghostly, questioning wail in a wind tunnel.
At night Hua Hin livens up considerably. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes and many of them were doing a roaring trade. Seafood is the speciality here; some of the best-known restaurants of this type are grouped together and extend onto the afore-mentioned piers. IтАЩm in no position to pass judgment on them because IтАЩve never liked seafood. No, you wouldnтАЩt catch me touching seafood with a bargepole. The smell of it, its texture and, most of all, its appearance (I donтАЩt like my food to look back at me accusingly) have always deterred me from the trivial business of actually tasting it. Anyway, there are plenty of other kinds of restaurant to choose from in Hua Hin. Lots and lots of Italian ones for some reason. I had three evening meals that were all acceptable; none of them was exceptional. After dining, there are many shopping options, including a largish night market on Thanon Dechanuchit (selling the same old same old). Straight guys also have innumerable girlie beer bars (but no gogo bars) to pig out at. I walked through several neon-lit, raucous sois (including the aptly-named Soi Bintabaht) which might easily have been back in Pattaya.
And so to the gay scene. Hua Hin has just four gay bars as far as IтАЩm aware. I wanted to visit Doi Boy first because I met a gorgeous young man in Chiang MaiтАЩs Doi Boy over a year ago and when I was there again recently I was told he had moved to the one in Hua Hin. I had trouble finding it at first but eventually a very camp Thai led me to it, all the while informing me of his unattached status for some reason. Outside the bar a depressed-looking ladyboy and a thirtyish guy underwent a synchronized reaction: the eyes of both almost popped out of their heads at the sight of me, a potential customer. They ushered me into a long, narrow room which was almost devoid of furniture and, more importantly, completely devoid of human habitation. I smiled politely and turned to leave. I asked after my gorgeous friend and was told тАУ youтАЩve guessed it тАУ that he has returned to Chiang Mai. This is what we call in the trade being shit out of luck (I hesitate to call it SodтАЩs Law). I went sadly on my way. My next port of call was Red Indian bar, not far from my hotel. It was much less busy than Doi Boy. This time there was no one present at all and only the fact that the shutters were up and some lights on persuaded me to hang around. After a couple of minutes a rather listless young man appeared and served me a drink. Somewhat redundantly, he told me not to expect too much of Hua HinтАЩs gay scene. On a brighter note he added that Guys bar, nearby, had lots of boys. тАШOh, how many?тАЩ I enquired, suddenly hopeful. тАШSix or seven,тАЩ he said.
He was right too. There were six or seven, all of them butch as hell and not one of them gay. I sat for a while, the only customer, sharing drinks and a chat with one of them, a pleasant enough fellow, and then called it a night. The following evening I went to the fourth bar, Faqthong, and finally saw what had proved elusive up to now, another customer. So I didnтАЩt have Hua HinтАЩs vibrant gay scene all to myself after all. Mai ben rai. Actually the other customer, an elderly farang, was talking to the only boy that I halfway fancied and it turned out that it was his boyfriend anyway. But at least some of the half-dozen boys here were gay and the bar itself was quite atmospheric with its subdued lighting, brick floor and scattered objets dтАЩart. I had two drinks and was informed by a friendly young man that this was Hua HinтАЩs oldest gay bar, having notched up all of five years. For what itтАЩs worth, I suppose IтАЩd have to say that itтАЩs the best of the bunch. I went back the following evening. To summarise: imagine Jomtien Complex on a wet, low-season Monday evening, reduce the excitement level about ten-fold and тАУ voila! тАУ you have Hua HinтАЩs gay scene.
I only made one excursion over the weekend. On the Sunday morning I took one of the local songtaews (much smarter than PattayaтАЩs, like dark-blue milkfloats with a yellow stripe, and smoother-running too) to Mrigadayavan Palace in Cha-am, which was the summer residence of Rama VI in the 1920s. Rama VI was the тАШartisticтАЩ member of the Chakri dynasty, in more senses than one (he introduced the Boy Scout movement to Thailand тАУ need I say more?). IтАЩve always liked the story about him in Alec WaughтАЩs gossipy, and not always reliable, book, Bangkok. Apparently, when the Allies were trying to persuade Thailand to enter the First World War on their side in 1917 (goodness knows why), the deal was clinched and war against Germany declared when the British ambassador in Bangkok agreed to share the services of his Thai boyfriend with the king. The kingтАЩs marriage late in life is generally considered to have had more to do with dynastic necessity than romantic involvement. Anyway, the palace I visited is certainly testimony to Rama VIтАЩs skill as an architect. ItтАЩs a lovely collection of teak pavilions linked by raised walkways. Cool breezes blow through it off the sea and the minimalist style engenders a sense of calm. A very pleasant way to while away an hour or so. For those wanting more details, I recommend SmilesтАЩs excellent post on it, including photos and commentary ( http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... hlight=hua (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764&highlight=hua) ).
Hua Hin has not supplanted Chiang Mai in my affections as my favourite Thai city, but it strikes me as a very liveable place. If one is safely paired off and wants a quiet life, I should think it represents an excellent choice of home. Bear in mind, butterfly wings will definitely be clipped here. I would be prepared to return, but I hope with more smiles next time.
Over the next couple of days I spent a lot of time just wandering the streets of the compact town centre and formed a generally favourable impression of Hua Hin. With the sea on one side and rugged, wooded hills to the west, itтАЩs beautifully situated and feels prosperous and at ease with itself. ItтАЩs by far the best-maintained place IтАЩve visited in Thailand. The buildings, in a variety of pastel shades but mainly cream or white, looked solid and in a good state of repair, the streets were clean and dotted with healthy greenery, and, wonder of wonders, there were even proper kerb-lined pedestrian pavements without life-threatening pot-holes. I almost got used to looking straight ahead of me. Shops had snazzy window displays of the kinds of goods that well-to-do people buy. I didnтАЩt see many of the galleries, bohemian-looking cafes and secondhand bookshops that one finds in Chiang Mai; the mood here felt more conservative, well-heeled and, dare I say it, a tad dull. This impression was reinforced when I bought a copy of the local monthly newspaper, Hua Hin Today, and read the front-page headline тАШPineapple Price DropsтАЩ (tough times for pineapple growers apparently тАУ well, thereтАЩs always trouble for someone in this world). The inside pages proved to be much less riveting.
Of course, itтАЩs the beach that draws most visitors to Hua Hin and I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon sampling that. I sat in the popular section which is fairly small and divided into concessions with the usual paraphernalia of parasols, deckchairs and cooking facilities. The Sofitel has its own secluded little beach at one end of the popular section, while stretching away in the other direction is a series of rather ugly piers where I saw only a few fishermen working. The sand itself, as if in deference to the Thai sense of hierarchy, is fine, white and powdery at the Sofitel end, but coarser and browner at the piers. All along the beach there are low clusters of rock which I didnтАЩt find particularly attractive. At low tide people clamber over them, but as the incoming tide submerges them I would have thought they made swimming a bit hazardous. When I arrived at about one oтАЩclock there was only a smattering of people, evenly divided between Thais and farangs, but as the afternoon wore on many more Thais arrived in family groups; the noise level went up dramatically. I noticed a lot of mounted police (or so their jackets announced) on the beach and wondered if Hua Hin perhaps has a hitherto-unsuspected reputation for fleet-of-foot icecream-snatchers (later I saw some of the тАШpoliceтАЩ giving kiddie rides, but I prefer my explanation). Moored out in the distance was a multi-tiered monstrosity of a ship which was probably a pleasure-cruiser but might just have been a prison hulk. I sat in my deckchair snacking, reading, dozing. Sometimes, inevitably, my thoughts turned to my slim, sexy, spirited Pattaya barboy, so oddly resistant to my charms, and this would prompt much mournful staring out to sea. If I say so myself, I think I gave a passingly good impression of the Dirk Bogarde character in Death in Venice (minus the running mascara).
Hua Hin, Hua Hin. Both syllables are rising tones in Thai. Say them over and over and they sound like a ghostly, questioning wail in a wind tunnel.
At night Hua Hin livens up considerably. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes and many of them were doing a roaring trade. Seafood is the speciality here; some of the best-known restaurants of this type are grouped together and extend onto the afore-mentioned piers. IтАЩm in no position to pass judgment on them because IтАЩve never liked seafood. No, you wouldnтАЩt catch me touching seafood with a bargepole. The smell of it, its texture and, most of all, its appearance (I donтАЩt like my food to look back at me accusingly) have always deterred me from the trivial business of actually tasting it. Anyway, there are plenty of other kinds of restaurant to choose from in Hua Hin. Lots and lots of Italian ones for some reason. I had three evening meals that were all acceptable; none of them was exceptional. After dining, there are many shopping options, including a largish night market on Thanon Dechanuchit (selling the same old same old). Straight guys also have innumerable girlie beer bars (but no gogo bars) to pig out at. I walked through several neon-lit, raucous sois (including the aptly-named Soi Bintabaht) which might easily have been back in Pattaya.
And so to the gay scene. Hua Hin has just four gay bars as far as IтАЩm aware. I wanted to visit Doi Boy first because I met a gorgeous young man in Chiang MaiтАЩs Doi Boy over a year ago and when I was there again recently I was told he had moved to the one in Hua Hin. I had trouble finding it at first but eventually a very camp Thai led me to it, all the while informing me of his unattached status for some reason. Outside the bar a depressed-looking ladyboy and a thirtyish guy underwent a synchronized reaction: the eyes of both almost popped out of their heads at the sight of me, a potential customer. They ushered me into a long, narrow room which was almost devoid of furniture and, more importantly, completely devoid of human habitation. I smiled politely and turned to leave. I asked after my gorgeous friend and was told тАУ youтАЩve guessed it тАУ that he has returned to Chiang Mai. This is what we call in the trade being shit out of luck (I hesitate to call it SodтАЩs Law). I went sadly on my way. My next port of call was Red Indian bar, not far from my hotel. It was much less busy than Doi Boy. This time there was no one present at all and only the fact that the shutters were up and some lights on persuaded me to hang around. After a couple of minutes a rather listless young man appeared and served me a drink. Somewhat redundantly, he told me not to expect too much of Hua HinтАЩs gay scene. On a brighter note he added that Guys bar, nearby, had lots of boys. тАШOh, how many?тАЩ I enquired, suddenly hopeful. тАШSix or seven,тАЩ he said.
He was right too. There were six or seven, all of them butch as hell and not one of them gay. I sat for a while, the only customer, sharing drinks and a chat with one of them, a pleasant enough fellow, and then called it a night. The following evening I went to the fourth bar, Faqthong, and finally saw what had proved elusive up to now, another customer. So I didnтАЩt have Hua HinтАЩs vibrant gay scene all to myself after all. Mai ben rai. Actually the other customer, an elderly farang, was talking to the only boy that I halfway fancied and it turned out that it was his boyfriend anyway. But at least some of the half-dozen boys here were gay and the bar itself was quite atmospheric with its subdued lighting, brick floor and scattered objets dтАЩart. I had two drinks and was informed by a friendly young man that this was Hua HinтАЩs oldest gay bar, having notched up all of five years. For what itтАЩs worth, I suppose IтАЩd have to say that itтАЩs the best of the bunch. I went back the following evening. To summarise: imagine Jomtien Complex on a wet, low-season Monday evening, reduce the excitement level about ten-fold and тАУ voila! тАУ you have Hua HinтАЩs gay scene.
I only made one excursion over the weekend. On the Sunday morning I took one of the local songtaews (much smarter than PattayaтАЩs, like dark-blue milkfloats with a yellow stripe, and smoother-running too) to Mrigadayavan Palace in Cha-am, which was the summer residence of Rama VI in the 1920s. Rama VI was the тАШartisticтАЩ member of the Chakri dynasty, in more senses than one (he introduced the Boy Scout movement to Thailand тАУ need I say more?). IтАЩve always liked the story about him in Alec WaughтАЩs gossipy, and not always reliable, book, Bangkok. Apparently, when the Allies were trying to persuade Thailand to enter the First World War on their side in 1917 (goodness knows why), the deal was clinched and war against Germany declared when the British ambassador in Bangkok agreed to share the services of his Thai boyfriend with the king. The kingтАЩs marriage late in life is generally considered to have had more to do with dynastic necessity than romantic involvement. Anyway, the palace I visited is certainly testimony to Rama VIтАЩs skill as an architect. ItтАЩs a lovely collection of teak pavilions linked by raised walkways. Cool breezes blow through it off the sea and the minimalist style engenders a sense of calm. A very pleasant way to while away an hour or so. For those wanting more details, I recommend SmilesтАЩs excellent post on it, including photos and commentary ( http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/fo ... hlight=hua (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764&highlight=hua) ).
Hua Hin has not supplanted Chiang Mai in my affections as my favourite Thai city, but it strikes me as a very liveable place. If one is safely paired off and wants a quiet life, I should think it represents an excellent choice of home. Bear in mind, butterfly wings will definitely be clipped here. I would be prepared to return, but I hope with more smiles next time.