Hua Hin is a little slice of heaven along the Gulf of Thailand. With friendly locals, superb golf courses, pristine beaches, great food and luxurious hotels, Hua Hin is a somewhat overlooked playground for those looking for an exotic trip. Fu Rong reports.

Set on the beach by the blue ocean in an ancient city in Thailand is a hidden architectural gem. From the outside it looks quite ordinary, but if you follow the stone steps on the sandy ground leading to a narrow hallway, you enter another world: a world of narrow walkways; a high spire-shaped ceiling; small star-shaped holes on red walls through which sunlight casts shapes opposite; and water that flows in a channel circling the interior.

Together these create an ambience akin to being in some tranquil maze. Here you slow down, focus on your surroundings; you can feel the breeze and sunshine and listen to the joy, and the sorrow, deep inside your heart. You can relax in the plunge bath in an enclosed courtyard, then return inside for a pleasant spa.

While all this sounds straight out of a film set, it's very much reality, a unique and harmonious treatment center, where nature and humanity blend, in Hua Hin, one of Thailand's most sought-after resorts. Located on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand, it is the southwestern Asian country's oldest beach town resort.

History and present

Hua Hin - which means "Stone Head" - was named after the rocks at the north end of the powdery beach. About 200 kilometers from Bangkok, it's a three-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital to the resort.

Hua Hin has boasted royal connections since the turn of the 20th century when a member of the Thai royal family, Prince Chakrabhongse, came here on a hunting trip with Russian nobility.

King Rama VI then built summer retreat Mrigadayavan Palace here in 1923.

Some scenes for the film "Anna and the King" (1999), featuring Hong Kong megastar Chow Yun-fat as Rama VI's grandfather, King Rama IV and Jodie Foster as teacher Anna, were shot in the palace.

As a tourist resort, Hua Hin is not as famous as other Thai locations, such as Phuket, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui. But thanks to this, Hua Hin avoids crowded summer beaches, instead providing a beautiful, relaxing getaway.

Hua Hin has become an international holiday destination, without losing the charm of a fishing village and its rich royal and Thai roots. Here you can meet friendly, warmhearted locals, and enjoy a quiet moment on the white sandy beach, relaxing in the beautiful sunshine. It's also a place where you can trace Thailand's history, with its old colonial buildings, fishing heritage and quaint, timeless streets, and sample authentic spicy Thai food.

Because of its royal associations and proximity to the capital, Hua Hin became fashionable among the Bangkok elite and began to develop. Nowadays, it has grown from a solely tourist destination into one attracting increasing numbers of expats, with an estimated 4,000 foreigners now living in Hua Hin.

The charm of Hua Hin is that it retains its fishing village serenity, side by side with the bustling center of a modern luxury beach resort.

In addition to the beach, outstanding seafood restaurants and a vibrant night market, Hua Hin is well known for some of the finest golf courses in Thailand and some of the most renowned resorts and destination spas in the world.

Mrigadayavan Palace, which means "love and hope palace" is a charming beachside group of wooden pavilions, built by Rama VI. The traditional Thai-style complex includes 16 pavilions, elevated by 1,080 teak pillars to allowing a cooling air flow and preventing humidity.

The bottom of the pillars are carved with circular grooves intended to prevent insects from climbing up to the living area.

No longer used by the royal family, today, the palace has been restored and become a popular attraction for tourists from around the world. Visitors must remove their shoes before entering the palace, and skirts and shorts must cover your knees, otherwise you need to rent a long wrap outside the palace to cover yourself.

Mrigadayavan Palace offers a glimpse of what royal lives were like in the past: royal men and women lived separately in different areas; male servants were not allowed to see the faces of the hostess, so when they served food they had to turn their heads away.

Another famous Hua Hin royal summer residence is Klai Kangwon Palace - which means "far from worries" - and is still used by current King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. This Spanish-style palace is not open to the public.

In addition to royal residences, Hua Hin also boasts Thailand's oldest, most famous, and indeed prettiest railway station.

Completed in 1911, the teak-built station has the same architecture style as Mrigadayavan Palace, and stands out with its red and white color scheme. Features include the royal waiting room that in the past was used to welcome the king and his court.

Slightly less regal, but no less interesting, is the Hua Hin night market. Seafood barbecue, Thai fruit - including papaya and guava - plus authentic Thai snacks and desserts such as the coconut cake can be found here.

And if you want to get some real Thai souvenirs, the night market is the place to go: Tailor-made T-shirts with your own designs, hand-make soap, decorative pieces… you name it, it's here.

Sometimes there is live music here too, providing a taste of real local night life.

If you go

How to get there:

Thai Airways has two flights (7:30am and 5:25pm every day) from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Bangkok, and the flight time is three and a half hours. Thailand is one hour behind Shanghai.

At Bangkok Airport, you can choose to take a train or bus or rent a car to go to Hua Hin, which will take three to four hours.

What to eat:

The tropical fruit is recommended. It's fresh and sweet, with highlights including papaya, mangosteen, mango and rose apple. You can also visit the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard and sample local award-winning selections.

Tips:

Do not forget tips, usually from 20 Thai baht (60 US cents.)

Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen.

Wear long pants or skirts when visiting temples and royal palaces.

Where to stay:

Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin

As its name suggests, this hotel is the best choice for those looking to relax and play golf. An award-winning development, moments away from beautiful white sandy beaches. The hotel offers villa accommodation with tropical gardens and infinity pools, as well as an 18-hole championship golf course. The resort also offers golfers a shuttle service to the golf club.



Hyatt Regency Hua Hin

Hyatt Regency Hua Hin is a luxurious beachfront resort blending modern and traditional Thai flavors. Low-rise accommodation is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens and pools, plus a waterslide. A wide range of outdoor sports are on offer, including windsurfing, ocean kayaking and sailing.



Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa

This five-star hotel has an excellent sea view and a swimming poor on beachside. The hotel is the highest building in Hua Hin, which means you can overlook the whole city from the rooftop bar and restaurant. The Hilton is a good choice for business purposes or for visitors who prefer modern hotel accommodation.



Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa

The resort's architecture is all in traditional Thai style. The hotel has 14 acres of landscaped gardens and lagoon pools and enjoys a beachfront location at the quiet end of Hua Hin's long sandy beach. An ideal location for a romantic dinner or special occasion, this hotel is suitable for people who want to immerse themselves in the Thai experience.

Refreshing and tranquil spa experience

Spas accounts for almost 50 percent of total tourism income in Thailand. Acclaimed as "spa heaven," Hua Hin is one of the country's most famous spa destinations, with celebrity fans including Chinese actress Maggie Cheung.

Refreshing and tranquil best describe the Hua Hin spa experience. According to local people, if you are not going to experience a spa treatment here, it's a waste of God's gifts.

The Barai

The Barai at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin is an award-winning spa - the one you should not miss on a visit to Hua Hin. Its uniqueness lies in the architecture, aroma and atmosphere. Designed by the renowned Thai architect and interior designer Lek Bunnag, The Barai is inspired by the Khmer cultural heritage, famous for its beautiful temples.

The Barai is named after "barays," large reservoirs created by the ancient Khmers to channel water for irrigation and everyday use. The Barai at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin echoes the roles of an ancient baray in its structural magnificence, visual harmony and dedication to wellness. Aesthetics define the architecture, carefully designed to create a mood and elicit emotional impact.

Entering the yard, you begin a journey leaving the real world behind. Following the stone steps on sandy ground, upon which a craftsman hand-draw beautiful patterns daily (one square meter needs four hours' work), you walk into the narrow entrance gallery to The Barai. There are no windows; instead star shapes have been cut out, casting sun and shadow on the opposite wall, the slant following the sun's arc across the sky.

The Barai offers relaxing, results-oriented and traditional treatments inspired by Thai health rituals, together with a subtle blend of Western therapies.

Its signature treatment is Thai herbal compress massage, based on the holistic principles of Ayurvedic and traditional Thai medicine. Thai herbalism is a vibrant ancient tradition that was preserved for more than 1,000 years in the monasteries and temples and continues to be practiced in villages throughout Thailand. Hot compresses are used to address chronic problems, such as back pain and tendonitis and shoulder strain, as well as increase the flow of energy.

A herbal compress is made up of a blend of many different medicinal herbs, each with its own unique properties. Typical blends include camphor, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric, tamarind among ingredients. These are wrapped in muslin and heated with steam.

The compress is then applied to the body using defined movement.

The Barai offers spa treatments to suit everyone - including a young adult spa, a mom-to-be spa and a gentleman's spa.



Anantara spa

If The Barai provides you with a spa experience based on aesthetics and amazing architecture, Anantara offers one centered on the natural environment.

The spa was designed in harmony with the resort's gardens and lotus-covered lagoons.

Anantara means "without end" in Sanskrit, symbolizing the sharing of water and hospitality. For hundreds of years throughout Thailand, people would leave a jar of water outside their house to provide refreshment and extend a welcome to passing travelers.

The spa offers everything from ancient Ayurvedic massage therapy and a dosha-balancing color therapy steam bath to body butter skin nourishing and hydrating facials that use ancient Thai herbal recipes.

Each of the spa's seven suites is set in its own individual garden courtyard. Here you may relax on a stone "bed" and be showered by cooling water from a bronze container overhead, as palm fronds peek over the walls of your private courtyard garden. Then you can go back to the treatment room to choose a massage from the extensive menu.

After the treatment, you may still want to linger a while at Anantara. Perhaps sit in a pavilion on a lagoon where blue lotus blooms wave gently in the breeze which wrinkles the surface of the water. And if it rains, listen to the drops fall on the lake … what a treat it is.



Hilton Resort spa

Hilton Resort spa is more like a delicate salon. Mixed with Thai-style and modern decoration, the spa offers customers all kinds of spa experience, from the most modern Western therapies to traditional oriental ones.

Indulge yourself in a Japanese-style bath tub with rose pedals in a sea-view spa room, or experience a traditional Thai massage that will ease away all your stress and pressure.

And if your muscles are aching after a swim, you can get a shoulder massage on the beach.

Where to get a Thai massage in Shanghai

Thai massage has been used for countless generations in the Thai royal palace to treat degenerative conditions and promote wellness. The ancient form of therapeutic healing is a knowledge that has been developed over 2,000 years.

Sharing roots with Ayurvedic medicine and yoga practices from India, Thai massage is akin to doing yoga without any work because the therapist uses his or her hands, legs and feet to move you into a series of yoga-like stretches. Similar to other Asian massage techniques, Thai massage is a therapy that opens up energy lines that run through the system. It is well suited to relaxation for a person suffering stress and muscle strains.

Spas in Thailand, from those in five-star resorts to massage parlors on the street, offer traditional Thai massage, Thai herbal pouch massage and other body treatments. Yet you don't need to travel to Thailand for a massage. Try an authentic Thai treatment at one of Shanghai's top spas.



Anantara spa

Ancient healing philosophies from Thailand, China and India are paired with 21st-century remedies in Anantara Spa at The Puli Hotel and Spa. Anantara creates a harmonious space to retreat from the rigors of urban lifestyle.

With a Thai influence on its interior, Anantara Spa offers a 60-minute traditional Thai massage, a bodywork therapy based on yoga and Ayurveda. Anyone searching for optimal health and the restoration of dwindling vitality may well find this ancient therapy beneficial. Conducted in a meditative environment, the therapist uses fingers, thumbs, elbows, arms and feet to apply stretching techniques and gentle acupressure along the body's energy lines, allowing one's internal energy to flow. The treatment is more energizing and rigorous than other forms of massage.

Venue: The Puli Hotel and Spa

Address: 3/F, 1 Changde Rd



Banyan Tree spa

When Banyan Tree Spa opened in Phuket, Thailand in 1994, it pioneered the tropical garden spa concept with its Asian therapies and holistic focus on spiritual, mental and physical harmony. As one of the spa pioneers in Asia, it reintroduced an exotic blend of ancient health and beauty practices that have been passed down over the years.

The Royal Banyan treatment (150-minute treatment plus 30-minute refreshments and relaxation) draws on massage traditions practiced for centuries in Thai palaces. It features the oil-free royal Thai acupressure massage to improve blood circulation and alleviate stress and tense muscles. The royal Banyan herbal pouch, filled with lemongrass, cloves, honeysuckle and tea leaves, is then used to apply warm sesame oil to the body. The herbal pouch massage, using East-meets-West techniques, is designed to balance the body, mind and soul.

Venue: The Westin Bund Center

Address: 3/F, 88 Henan Rd M.