Seaside destinations Pattaya and Hua Hin have long been favoured by Bangkok’s elite for their golden sand and emerald hinterland. Both resorts have history, from Buddhist temples to royal patronage. Both have timeless quarters, where elephants nibble jackfruit and fishers land grouper for dinner. Even the travel times are similar – about two to three hours by car from the capital, or an unhurried train ride from Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong terminal.
The high life: Hua Hin
A railway link bestowed a royal connection on Hua Hin. From 1911, Thailand’s revered kings frequented this sandy fishing village by train, and Hua Hin station soon received a royal waiting room. The ruling family built the palace of Klai Kangwon, which translates as “far from worries”, near the 6-mile-long beach. Bangkok’s hi-so – or “high society” – have railroaded in every since.
Hua Hin in two words? Royally gorgeous. Start with gentle swims on the icing sugar shore. Purchase a crushed sugarcane cooler, then hike past the golf course to Khao Hin Lek Fai viewpoint for princely views. For culture, call at Mrigadayavan Palace. This royal residence was designed by an Italian architect in the 1920s to catch the sea breeze. Then, when the sun sets over the Gulf of Thailand, the bars of Soi 94 alley raise the tempo on another indulgent night.
The party place: Pattaya
Pattaya also began life as a humble fishing port. But news of its palm-fringed beach, on the main highway from Bangkok, travelled fast. The curving crescent of golden sand quickly welcomed foot masseurs and yoga studios. World-class golf courses and luxury resorts spread like sriracha sauce over a bowl of pad thai. Today, Pattaya has a wealth of waterparks, shopping malls and ultra-modern amenities.
More than any other destination in Asia, Pattaya is known for its nightlife. Cabaret performances such as Tiffany’s Show conjure elaborate costumes and precise choreography. A neon haze of nightclubs tempt patrons with shows and a bassline that trembles until dawn. A short tuk-tuk ride from the beach, there’s Thepprasit night market where hawkers won’t stop lobbying until you fill your pockets with handicrafts, jewellery, silks and souvenirs.
Eat up
In Hua Hin, visitors can witness the daily catch being dispatched from the fishing pier to seafood restaurants. Red snapper and blue crab are sauteed and steamed with lemongrass at Khao Takiab, a photogenic port just south of town. Between the beach and train line, Hua Hin night market hosts the most authentic addresses. When a crowd forms around a hole-in-the-wall eatery like Lung Ja, which grills lobsters to order on open flames, you know you’re in the right place.
At Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, restaurant Gingerfire elevates fisher-fresh seafood. Local squid gets a salt and pepper glaze; yellow crab curry is simmered in turmeric and coconut milk. The hotel’s beachfront grill, Chay Had, pairs the daily catch with global flavours. Sharing plates include tuna tartare tacos, and prawns with spiced togarashi mayonnaise. For cocktails, the standout go-to is the Rooftop Bar, the highest of its kind in Hua Hin. No other spot has a better view of Thailand’s royal resort.
In Pattaya, seafood is also the star. Yet local cuisine calls on the spices and sauces synonymous with eastern Thailand. Fresh prawns in tom yum goong soup come with a hot and sour kick, thanks to kaffir limes and galangal. Green papaya salad is laced with chillies from Isan province. As the resort buzzes 24/7, street food is ubiquitous. Try moo ping pork skewers or mango sticky rice at any hour.
Hilton Pattaya offers all-day dining at Edge. For afternoon tea and Thai light bites, head to Drift on the 16th floor. High up on the 34th storey, Horizon promises award-winning cuts of meats and fish, backed by Pattaya’s best panorama. Order a seafood tower packed with oysters, sashimi and slipper lobsters, as the sun sets on another thrilling day.
Off the beach
Hua Hin is blessed by the tourism gods as a place to make memories. Which other destination can pair tropical vineyards with steaming waterfalls and the nation’s greatest national park? All within a 60-minute drive from a Hua Hin hotel lobby.
Kaeng Krachan is the largest national park in Thailand and ranks as one of the world’s more recent Unesco world heritage sites. Guests can take a taxi (Grab) from Hilton Hua Hin to the park’s experience centre, then connect with a park ranger to spot swinging gibbons and singing elephants – all from the back of a Toyota pick-up.
A short drive from the national park sits the Monsoon Valley winery. Shiraz and chenin blanc are plucked in sea-breeze-cooled hills at 12 degree latitude. Like every activity near Hua Hin, experience is everything. Monsoon Valley boasts a mountain bike trail and a fabulous restaurant with a wine-tasting room. Cool off nearby at Pa La-U waterfall, where natural swimming pools are created by crashing torrents.
The concierge at Hilton Pattaya can also recommend an enviable activity selection a short cab ride away. Nong Nooch is a tropical garden where aerial walkways traverse one of the world’s greatest palm collections. Khao Kheow Open Zoo is akin to a wildlife reserve, where 300 species share 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of forest.
The temple complex of Wat Yansangwararam welcomes visitors for quiet contemplation next to ancient bronzes. Or if you fancy something more lively, a telephone call from the hotel’s front desk can secure a speedboat to discover the dozen snorkel-friendly islands that sparkle off the Pattaya shore.
A tale of two winners
These beach destinations are Thailand’s finest. Any decision on where to go rests upon the stay. The towering presence of Hilton Hua Hin renders it the destination’s landmark hotel, with its lagoon-style beachfront pool framing the sandy shore beyond. Like the hotel’s restaurants, the spa stays local with lovingly sourced essential oils and organic products. Guests can enjoy treatments in open-air cabanas, accompanied by the lapping sound of the ocean.
Hilton Pattaya channels the high-energy resort from the get-go. The hotel lobby mirrors the sand, rock and driftwood of the wild Pattaya coast. Its infinity pool on the 16th floor is the stuff of legends, with nowhere better to enjoy the sun than the sofa-style beds by the swaying trees.
The differences between Pattaya and Hua Hin are subtle, but the right hotel distils the spirit of each resort. At both destinations, life’s a beach.
For your perfect Thailand escape, be it Pattaya or Hua Hin, find the stay for you
