Living in Hua Hin is a joy when all things are considered. We have lived here now for seven years and I cannot think of a nicer place in Thailand to while away my retirement years . . . and I can go to the beach, sit under the umbrellas, read a book, have some good food, drink a few beers and people-watch to my heart's content. I do this beach routine thing, on average, about twice a week: a small habit I enjoy and makes me happy, and I like coming down alone.
When we were deciding on which town in Thailand to hang our hats (that would be back around 2004 or 2005) my primary ~ almost only ~ touchstone was that the place we choose must be on the sea, with a beach. And that's what I got.

Sadly, between 2007 and early 2014 Hua Hin's city beach deteriorated quite noticeably. Thai people mostly were the culprits in this downward spiral: the horses the Thai's rode up and down the beach let their animals piss and shit wherever they stood. Even though there were laws regarding pick-up I would guess that 75% of the time these mahouts just kept on riding, leaving steaming shit piles everywhere to be, sooner or later, washed out into the ocean.
After 4pm Thai folk descended on the beach en masse for picnics leaving behind their trash in the sand (and Hua Hin sand is the best in Thailand: white, flour--like, sand-castle ready), sometimes broken bottles.
The Tourist Police did nothing to enforce regulations in place. It's common knowledge by everyone that the T-Police use the horse-dudes, the vendors, the Umbrella Mafia and the Banana Chip Lady as a money machine, skimming off the top just like every other cop does in this country. 'Regulations' in Thailand are, in reality, naught but opportunities.

So it was with this ongoing deterioration background in my mind that the other day, instead of going straight off home, I decided to take the scenic route and walk a mile or so down the beach then turn back.
And what a difference there was, on this beautiful stretch of beach. Not one turd pile did I trip over. Hardly a plastic cup or empty beer bottle or any other detritus one could obviously classify as 'trash'.
I had already heard rumours of an attempt at cleaning the place up, but I had shrugged my shoulders and sighed at that news, as I had heard it all before with the result being, well, precisely nothing.
But this time it's different: Mr Prayuth has laid down the law, sometimes going too far, but the lay-down has trickled into every nook and cranny it seems. The Horse Dudes now ride along the beach with plastic bags full of manure hanging from their big toes. The horses are now a bit further away from the city beach entrance (a small busy soi to begin with) so one does not anymore have to wade through urine-infused sand before getting to the clean stuff.
The Umbrella Mafia cannot anymore build themselves permanent kitchens or somewhat less than permanent urinals behind them. The prices they charge are now regulated (actually!) and have come down (apparently triggered by some Bangkok Princess who was shocked and horrified at the price of a mediocre plate of Som Tum whipped up right there. Must have had The Ear of Prayuth).
Will it last? Will it be permanent? Who knows? This is Thailand after all, if nothing else, a moveable feast (emphasis on the 'moveable')

But one thing is for sure ~ I can recommend the Hua Hin beach to one and all once again.

This is the way Hua Hin and it's beach looked in the 1960's or 70's.



And this is the current look right now. (Neither of these are my photos. Found them on the www)



-------------------------------------------------------------------------


A few other photos I did take:


This place is unfortunately torn down now. It was a funky, noisy, beer bar on the beach. Terrible jazz blasted out into the late afternoon and I enjoyed stopping there for a couple of hours every so often. Sorry to see it go actually.





The city beach at Hua Hin goes on for miles. It is indeed a very large beach, and can be deliciously peaceful, almost serene, after 4PM until it gets dark.







Similar Threads: