Most people visiting Hua Hin come to escape from Bangkok and hit the beach.
But there’s plenty more to do, including snorkeling tours, elephant rides, jungle treks, kayaking, mountain retreats and more.
Here are 7 tours you won’t want to miss.
A full-day tour takes you into Hua Hin’s scenic mountains, venturing into the Kaeng Krachan National Park on the back of an elephant. While the destination is the 11-level Pala-U Waterfall, there is much to see along the way, including wild tigers, elephants and more than 400 species of birds.
You can see the park without the pachyderm, too. Driving tours are also available, which offers views of papaya orchards, mango groves and pineapple plantations, as well as bears, leopards and a great deal more wildlife.
The crystal waters of Talu Island are just 15 minutes from Hua Hin by boat, and offer a kaleidoscope or multicolored corals and fish. Afterward, have a picnic on the white sand beach. Full-day trips are available from the nearby fishing town of Bangsaphan Noi.
The Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is a great way to observe everyday Thai life. Sample Thai desserts and coffee, seasonal fruit and a great deal more—all pawned from a flotilla of local boats.
The Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park, which translates literally as “the 300 peaks,” can be explored via kayak, offering beautiful views of limestone caves, a petrified waterfall and an ocean of dense forest. Alternate paddling and exploring on foot, with a visit to the waterfront village where a scene from “The Killing Fields” was shot. Full day tours are available.
You can do the Khao Sam Roi Yod Park without kayaks, too. Parts of the 98-kilometer park, located about 30 minutes south of Hua Hin, can be explored via driving tour.
Head to this small historic town to see a number of preserved temples, including some of the best examples of painted murals to come from the former capital of Ayuthaya. A national museum sits on the hill over the town, offering some excellent views. And don’t miss the Maruekathaiyawan Palace, known locally as The Palace of Love and Hope, a 1920s-era mansion build heavily of teak, with colorful grounds to stroll through.