Introduction to Golf Holidays in Hua Hin
As mentioned above, Hua Hin was once a quiet fishing village and to look at the city today, you cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like over 100 years ago.
Thailand is home to many top beach resorts but Hua Hin was the first to establish itself as a resort for people to visit on holiday. It provides the perfect mix of city and sea and is different from many other beach resorts in Thailand thanks to the bustling markets and the great choice of golf courses.
Boasting a good choice of excellent accommodation and international cuisine in abundance, Hua Hin is arguable the best place to stay when booking a golf holiday in Thailand.
This is a region of Thailand which has seen a lot of growth thanks to the increased investment and money in the region and for visitors, it takes very little effort to reach Hua Hin compared to other parts of the country.
Getting around on a Golf Package in Hua Hin
Hua Hin is one of eight districts which makes up the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. It is located just under 200 kilometres south-west of Bangkok.
There are just over 80,000 people living in the city of Hua Hin and if you compare that to the numbers living in Bangkok, it is easy to see why people love to have a break from the capital city by travelling to Hua Hin.
The beach front is 3 kilometres long and makes a great place for visitors to relax and enjoy the water.
To reach Hua Hin, it is impossible to fly directly to the city regardless of where in the world you reside, so you must travel via Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. This airport receives many international flights and you will have little problem in entering Bangkok wherever you live.
Once in Bangkok, you can use the train, which can be quite slow but is of traditional Thai design and makes for a pleasant journey from the capital. The other options include a non-stop VIP coach direct from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin, which takes approximately 3.5 hours or a taxi, for which the price should be negotiated prior to departure.
Once in Hua Hin, the central area can be covered on foot and you can reach bars, restaurants and markets by walking. Thanks to being quite flat, you can also rent a bicycle, which can be a nice way to see the area or use a songthaew, on which the green route is most popular.
The central part of Hua Hin is well geared for tourists and therefore is home to a wide choice of accommodation.
For those looking for the very best, the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin which has 200 metres of private beach is one of the most popular choices but there are many luxury resort style hotels available across the Hua Hin coast. These include the Rock Beach Front Resort Hotel, Anantara Hua Hin Resort and Spa and Devasom Hua Hin Resort, the latter of which is smaller and offers a more intimate atmosphere.
It’s also possible to rent villas if you are planning on a longer stay in the area and there are many to choose from which include private swimming pools. These tend to be further away from the beach and make a good option for a quieter stay in Hua Hin.
Another great option is to stay at one of the many Hua Hin golf courses, some of which offer excellent accommodation and facilities.
Weather and Best Time to Travel to enjoy and Hua Hin Golf Vacation
Hua Hin has a tropical climate and due to its proximity to the capital, it is very similar to Bangkok although being on the coast, it can feel cooler and more relaxing.
Hua Hin can be enjoyed all year round but for the perfect Hua Hin golf break, we recommend staying between November and February. This is known as the cool season and although the weather is still warm by European and North American standards, it remains largely dry and thus presents the best conditions for playing golf.
If you cannot make it to Hua Hin to play golf in the cool season, you could try the hot season between March and May. The temperature can get up into the higher 30’s during this period of the year but with plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen, it can be a great time to play golf.
The final season is known as the wet season and this is when Hua Hin receives the most rain. This is between June and October, with the latter month seeing the most rain but it tends to come in short, sharp bursts and you can still enjoy plenty of time on the golf course.
Things to Do Away from the Golf Course on a Hua Hin Golf Holiday
There are many things to keep you busy away from the golf course in Hua Hin, including the famous night market. Come 7pm, this market is buzzing and you will find many handicrafts and seafood stalls in addition to tasty local dishes being cooked before you.
If you would like to experience some local Hua Hin nature and enjoy panoramic sea views at the same time, a walk to the top of the Khao Takiab mountain is a must. Here you will find many monkeys and can enjoy para-sailing in addition to other water sports.
If you are looking for a fun filled activity along with a top golf course, you cannot beat a trip to Black Mountain Water Park. Here you will find several swimming pools and slides plus a relaxing spa pool making it a great place for the whole family.
When staying in Hua Hin you can also take a safari, enjoy a 1950’s style shopping centre at Plearn Wan and visit Maruekathaiyawan Palace, which was built in the 1920’s for the Royal Family.
Hua Hin is truly a tremendous place to play golf in Thailand and you are spoilt for choice when it comes to creating Hua Hin golf packages.
However, there are a few golf courses which take the whole golf playing experience to a different level, starting with Black Mountain Golf Club.
Opened in 2002, Black Mountain Golf Club has played host to the Asian PGA and European Tour and this highlights what a great golf course the designer, Phil Ryan, has created. With many natural creeks and rocks throughout the 18 holes, Black Mountain makes superb use of the local environment and original trees have been supplemented with new ones and this adds to the overall feel of the course.
There are several risk/reward options and you must decide which route to take when playing at Black Mountain Golf Club. This makes the course suitable for beginners and experienced golfers alike and combined with the excellent clubhouse, restaurant, pro-shop, driving range, locker rooms and spa, it is a must-play when in Hua Hin.
It takes only 30 minutes to reach Black Mountain Golf Club from the Hua Hin city, so there is no reason to miss out on what is a fantastic day of golf.
For a top golfing experience even closer to Hua Hin, you must book a tee time at Banyan Golf Club. Just 15 minutes away from Hua Hin, Banyan Golf Club opened in 2008 to great acclaim and won the 2009 Best New Course in Asia Pacific by the readers of Asian Golf Monthly.
Make no mistake, Banyan Golf Club is home to a world class golf course and you are treated to lovely views of the mountains and ocean from many of the 18 holes. The well-placed water hazards, waste bunkers and sand traps make this a tough test for any golfer but with six tee boxes from which to choose, golfers of all abilities will enjoy a round at Banyan Golf Club.
Look out for the sloping fairways and elevated greens which add to the splendour of the course and don’t forget to book a table in the Terrace Restaurant or have a drink in Mulligans Bar after the round, which provides great views of the Burmese mountains and the golf course.
A Hua Hin golf course which is a favourite of both locals and visitors is Lake View Resort and Golf Club. This golf course makes a great addition to any Hua Hin golf break thanks to its proximity to Hua Hin city and the scenic setting of the 36 holes.
Lake View Resort and Golf Club has four sets of nine holes which combine to make two excellent 18-hole golf courses. The original Imperial Lake View course features a large lake and several streams which cross the golf course. These add to the trees, undulating fairways and doglegs to make the Imperial Lake View course an entertaining and fair test of golf.
The second 18-hole course at Lake View Resort and Golf Club combines the Desert Course and the Lake View Links Course. These 18 holes are very different to the Imperial Lake View course and the links course is very open in comparison to the others, tempting many golfers to get out the driver as often as possible.
The clubhouse has a swimming pool with views of the golf course and makes a great place to relax after a lovely round of golf at Lake View Resort and Golf Club.
If you would like to go back to where international quality golf began in Hua Hin, you must play a round at Palm Hills Golf Resort and Country Club. This golf course makes a great addition to any Hua Hin golf package thanks to the undulating terrain and huge amount of water, which comes into play on many of the 18 holes.
However, the fairways are very generous, so this golf course is considered a little easier than many of the later creations in Hua Hin but if you are new to playing golf in Thailand or Asia, Palm Hills Golf Resort and Country Club is the perfect golf course on which to start your adventure.
For those who would like the ultimate challenge when playing golf in Hua Hin, you should book a tee time at Majestic Creek Country Club. Like many of the golf courses in Hua Hin, Majestic Creek Country Club is only 30 minutes away from the city and has arguably the best layout of any golf course in this region of Thailand.
Each of the 27 holes were given a renovation in 2012 and the natural scenery including tapioca, sugar cane and pineapple plantations makes this a great golfing experience. There are water hazards throughout the 27 holes and you can count on one hand the number of holes where water does not come into play.
Good accurate shooting plus a strong strategy are required to hit a low score at Majestic Creek Country Club, which is one of the greatest golfing challenges in the whole of Hua Hin.
While the above-mentioned golf courses are some of the best in Hua Hin, you are not restricted to these and you have a wide selection from which to choose. Other Hua Hin golf courses you may consider include Milford Golf Club, Royal Hua Hin Golf Course, Sawang Resort and Golf Course, Sea Pines Golf Course and Springfield Country Club.
+66 (0) 88 867 2867
+66 (0) 88 867 2867
