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The provincial capital is a fishing port with a superb location beside beautiful curving bays and amongst steep mountain outcrops. About 100 kilometres to the north of Prachuap Khiri Khan is Hua Hin, Thailand's first beach resort which is renowned for golf and spa. Between Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan are Pran Buri with many boutique resorts and Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park with soaring peaks, numerous caves and exotic bird life.

Hua Hin

281 kilometers south of Bangkok, Hua Hin, which literally means stone head in Thai, is the
oldest beach resort of the country and is still very popular. Clean white sand, crystal
clear water and a tranquil atmosphere has continued to attract tourists in search of peacefuland relaxing holidays.

The town was originally known as Ban Samoe Rieng, or Ban Laem Hin (Stony Point Village)
The construction of a railway station in the city as part of the Southern Railroad in the
reign of King Rama VI resulted in making Hua Hin stand out from many quite fishing villages.
In addition, the construction of a Summer Palace of King Rama VII totally transformed the
village into a high-society resort town for royalty. Even today, the Royal Family continues
to reside at the Palace for part of the year.

Hua Hin's consequence came with the opening of the Railway Hotel (known today as the
Sofitel Central Hotel), an elegant Victorian-style resort hotel, and also the countrys first
standard golf course. A cluster of royal and high-society residences gradually became more
visible resulting in the transformation of the whole village into the first seaside resort of the
country, where visitors could enjoy swimming, fishing, and golfing in the country's first
standard golf course.Today, Hua Hin is a well-established beach destination with word-class
facilities coupled with a true sense of Thai hospitality. Despite its expansive growth and
development as a luxurious destination, the splendor of Hua Hin remains intact. Remaining
content in itself, Thailand's oldest seaside resort has never sought international recognition.
It has continued to provide a peaceful and relaxed sanctuary in a picturesque environment
that comes with a true sense of historical identity.


The Importance of Food in Thai Culture
A typical Thai meal includes four main seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Indeed, most Thai dishes are not considered satisfying unless they combine all four tastes. When eating out, a group of Thai diners would order a variety of meat and/or fish dishes, plus vegetables, a noodle dish, and possibly also soup. Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, or something more exotic, such as colourful rice cakes, depending on the region. (For Thai main course recipes, see: Classic Thai Recipes. For Thai desserts, see: Thai Dessert Recipes.

Aside from meals, Thais are renowned “snackers”. It is easy to pick up a quick but delicious snack for mere pennies along the roadside or at marketplaces in Thailand. Popular snacks consist of spring rolls, chicken or beef satay, raw vegetables with a spicy dip, soups, salads, and sweets. (Recipes for these and more Thai snacks can be found at: Thai Soups, Salads, Snacks & Appetizers.

The formal presentation of food is another important aspect of Thai culture. Developed primarily in the palace to please the King of Siam, Thai food presentation is among the most exquisite in the world. Serving platters are decorated with all variety of carved vegetables and fruits into flowers and other pieces of beauty (see my Thai chili flower pictured above). Palace-style stir-fries include elegantly carved vegetables within the dish itself. For such artwork, Thai chefs use a simple paring knife and ice water (the ice water prevents discoloration of the vegetables as they cut them). If you'd like to try some of this "artwork" yourself, either to decorate a party platter, or just for fun, check out: How to Create Thai Chilli Flowers. Or, <b>to make the Thai centerpiece pictured here, see: How to Create a Thai Centerpiece.




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