Reader submission: 70 plus and 70 min, now in Hua Hin

Nice headline because it rhymes. Only the truth always catches up. Also this time. We are now 70 + squared. In Hua Hin I also reached the respectable age of 70 last November. Now the two seventies were on their way.

In an earlier article on Thailandblog I wrote a piece under 70 + and 70-. That was about our experiences in Thailand during some years and about our winters in Pattaya: www.thailandblog.nl/steden/pattaya-70-en-70-min/ This time a more or less half hibernation, namely 2 months. We had actually already said goodbye to Thailand, but that is so difficult. My wife felt that she should fulfill my wish to visit Hua Hin again. She suggested going. We chose two months because we didn't know what and where in Hua Hin. Well we could have booked for 2/3 years, but that is probably reflected in our enthusiasm in the story, at least I hope to write it that way.

We left on November 17 and returned home on January 17. We had a great time. We had selected an apartment ourselves on the internet. It was in the south of Hua Hin against Kao Takiab. It was an apartment rented from First Choice suites. We rented it when there was some kind of Facebook offer, which cost us a lot of Baht less than it actually costs. Only when we also wanted to book for this year, the prices were significantly higher, so we have to look for something else. Yes, the positive thing about this trip was that we are already looking forward to going again next (this) year. If finances allow and health, we will definitely be there again in November. Do you know something nice?

As most Hua Hin travelers know, Hua Hin actually has a lot of Dutch people among the residents. This includes people who live and work there. We came through friends to Jeroen Groenewegen, who works at 'Say Cheese', now a household name, because of the Dutch kitchen, the Dutch dinner evenings, etc. Nice to eat a croquette or frikandel sandwich after some time or just kale with sausage or cauliflower with pork tenderloin. Everyone should know for themselves how to fill this in.

We rented a motorbike from Jeroen. Several times with Jeroen drank a beer and ate a bitterball. It's always fun to take a walk. It's right near the night market so that was easy too. Jeroen has a lot of knowledge of Hua Hin and always knows an answer to your questions. Can also provide a car, has rooms for rent, and whatnot. Cycling tours in Hua Hin also depart from there. You can call Jeroen, I asked. (0066) 8611715672 – email: [email protected].

Yes, there we are in Baan Kun Koey. That will be exploring the neighborhood. So it turned out that there was a small restaurant from Noi. You could eat well and we did a few times. Mainly Thai. You can also have breakfast there, but we didn't. That was in the room. We had a full kitchen with a luxury refrigerator, could cook electrically and had a microwave. So in the morning it was cooking eggs on the toaster, and eating at home. Like a good Dutchman, we also brought two kilos of cheese and some Saxon liverwurst. You can of course also buy tasty things in Thailand.

In the neighborhood within walking distance at least a 7-Eleven and also a small Thai shop where you could do your shopping. So for the first necessities and the heavier things such as bottles, nice and close. Actually, we had the neighborhood back then. But later turned out not to be a point. With the motorbike we were in the places where we wanted to be.

In the direction of Hua Hin we were so at the Market Village, including a large Tesco Lotus. Towards Kao Takiab we were so close to the small Lotus, a 7/11 and a family market. Further to Kao Takiab another 10 supermarkets.

Yes it will work here. Not Pattaya at all, as it turned out, but I don't want to say a bad word about Pattaya. We also had many nice years there. Not only in Pattaya but also near and different with our little trips from Pattaya. And Pattaya is experienced by everyone in their own way. But Now it's Hua Hin. And Hua Hin is AMAZING – AMAZING!

Overwintering here in Hua Hin, we did it our way again. I also wrote this once in the piece wintering in Pattaya. Of course we do it our way, because everyone does it their way and that's the nice thing about it. Just be yourself.

Why Hua Hin? I've already explained how we got there. I had already read and heard a lot about Hua Hin. I wanted to experience that myself. When we more or less said goodbye to Thailand, things went a little less well with my wife (fortunately now completely fine again) and then you no longer think about leaving home for three months. Fortunately, it has now happened again and I can already betray that there might be a sequel, because Hua Hin has stolen our hearts.

Hua Hin in our eyes

A great fun city. Very cosy. Only you have to use a lot of transport to get from north to south, etc. But that is quickly found. We had a motorbike and that went very well. Hua Hin is cozy and not loud. Beaches are plentiful, but not equally beautiful everywhere.

There are also plenty of shops. Just search for the various places, but then there is quite a lot to shop. Unfortunately there is no real large shopping mall, but they are building one. There are also a number of markets, but I have to say, markets yes, but we missed a nice big weekly market like Tuesday and Friday in Pattaya.

We don't know nightlife. We are no longer of age to do this. We like to drink a drink on a terrace, but go to bed early in the evening. There are a few nice terraces. What we understand is that you can go out for a night, but for the brutal violence of sex, drugs and rock and roll you have to go to Bangkok or Pattaya.

To go somewhere during the day there are a lot of attractions and nice things to see etc. etc. I will come back to that. Furthermore, it is quite possible to go to other places such as Cha-am once Kao Takiab, Kao Tao (hanging against Hua Hin) and to Wang Pon, Pak Nam Pran. It is also possible to go further by bus or train.

Things to do in Hua Hin

I can give a whole list here, but you can find it all over the internet and also here on Thailandblog. But also visit this TripAdvisor site: www.tripadvisor.nl/Hua_Hin_Prachuap_Khiri_Khan with 28 really nice sights.

Going through our hibernation

Our apartment
Baan Kun Koey, as said. Baan Kunkoey & Baan Kookieng Condominium, Petchkasem Road, Nong Kae, Hua Hin, 77110. It is a well-maintained apartment. A kind of condo/studio. It was neat and fully furnished and is only two years old. JOB Kun KOEY. We had a great time there. Good service. Was cleaned once a week and clean linen. We had extra towels. Water and light etc. etc. was included in the price. TV, video, Wi-Fi in the room. Only no BVN TV and that was a pity. It had a cable with many News channels and many Thai channels. No Hua Hin cable. Everyone there very friendly. For us in a favorable place because of "our beach".

Shopping Hua Hin
Apart from the fact that we visited a lot of shops, we still had a number of shops that we visited regularly. We had a 7-Eleven and a Thai store next door. On the way to the beach and back, various 7/11 and family market shops, small fruit stalls. A small Lotus shop, a fresh bakery and of course for fresh fish to Kao Takiab (fishing harbor with fish stalls). In the city we came regularly, can say very regularly in Market Village. Just enjoy walking around. Buy nice things. Big groceries and small ones at the Tesco Lotus. Upstairs to the couches and something for the phone if needed . In the "cellar" or basement a lot of small shops. We often took it with us when we walked back to the parking garage. Also a number of shops. You get this there and you get that somewhere else.

Yes, then we automatically enter the markets. The acclaimed 'Night Market'. Yes, very nice and cozy to walk on, but when we had had those two or three times it was a bit over. It's kind of a tourist market after all. We have also had a good meal there, because the restaurants are very good and not overly expensive. We also ate freshly fried sole there. We got our shrimps and fried them ourselves as mentioned in Kao Takiab. A little bit further than the night market, there is also a nice little night market. Pleasant to walk on.

Other markets than. Yes they are. Some in the early morning hours. We are not early risers so we didn't see those. Also a nice vegetable market at the temple in Kao Takiab. Very nice. What we missed was a nice big weekly market. That's a shame. Was a regular trip for us.

Also for shopping (well shopping) there are the Floating Markets. Just nice to go once, quite cozy and don't worry if you have to pay 100 Bath as a foreigner. When you're inside you can use that ticket to make a tour with the boat. It is a pleasant ride there and it is a quiet place. I didn't have to pay with my Thai driver's license - did get a ticket for the boat. Nice too.

Then La Venice. Very nicely set up, but when we were there twice. There was almost nothing to do during the day. Also very few people. Don't know if that will last for many years. We also visited the shopping mall. Nice to go once. But that's about it. A nice ride. Then in town there is PLern Warn. Crazy but we haven't been there.

What we really liked was the CICADA market. This is only on weekends Friday Saturday and Sunday in the south (the beginning of Kao Takiab). Visited by many people. They like to come there from Bangkok. It is cozy, lots of handicrafts, nice cozy things, nice music and you can sit and eat. It looks like a buffet with 20 food stalls. You must first buy tickets at a central box office. You hand it in as a means of payment. You can drink a glass of wine or a beer and eat a delicious dessert. You should definitely do it once, highly recommended in our opinion. We have visited it a few times: youtu.be/bF9fvCVa5A0

Terrace
Our terrace was at the side of the Market Village. Two nice places, where you can eat well and they both have a fairly large terrace where you can sit with a drink and a snack. You can also eat well there. Also in the evenings you can sit comfortably on the terrace at the front with live music.

Our transportation
As said a motorbike. But we also made use of the 10 bathbus though. Handy and cosy. Only sometimes we had to wait very long for the van. Van comes so was not always there. And the vans are pretty full. That's a shame. We also occasionally used a regular taxi that also brought us home from the city for 150 baht.

Yes transportation. You also have to get to Hua Hin from the airport and back. Yes, we also used the services of Rush-Taxi, as described earlier in the Thailand blog by Khun Peter. A great driver, taxi and attentive with email, whatsapp or otherwise. And on time. He couldn't go back to the airport because he had another job. Then sent a colleague. Didn't look like him, but was otherwise a copy. Great taxi (with sleeping seats) good driver, pleasant friendly and correct man.

As said, our motorbike came from Jeroen, who was also great and it was well insured. A wonderful machine and we drove it around for two months without a single small problem, let alone a major problem. Can also be repeated. We had a Honda Click 125 CC. We took it to the beach four times a week and we almost always used it on the other days as well. After a while you'll be amazed at what you can take with you on such a thing. Yes, the Thai can do it too, why not us. 

Our beach
The first day we were in Hua Hin, we drove around, exploring. At the end of the afternoon we arrived in Kao Takiab. Put down the engine and walked around the harbor and then onto the beach. We took a look at it and when we were approached by a nice friendly lady about the prices of the seats, we had a drink there. Was a nice spot. There was a normal toilet, a terrace where you could eat and there was a good kitchen. Everything looked neat. We promised tomorrow we'll come back. And ……. We haven't left.

We had a very nice time there with Pim and her husband Pieter (a Swede). Very friendly people. They also ensured that their staff was too. Always ready for a chat and a friendly word. Sometimes also drinking a beer together. Also friendly and caring. Yes we were regular guests and that was very nice. You get to know each other better.

We went four times a week. Took a nice sandwich lunch a water a beer a gravy. Read our booklets. Went swimming and walking and enjoyed. At four o'clock we ordered food and took it home. They could cook very well there. At home in the microwave with a little water sprinkled on it and it was just as tasty as on the beach. We ate at least 4 x Thai a week. We also bought a nice piece of meat or shrimp or something and then added a salad and bread or otherwise. Went fine.

Do you want to know where our beach is? You drive all the way through Kao Takiab. Where the green vans are, take the road diagonally to the right, so not left to the monkey rock. You drive through it for a short distance and then you get side streets to the beach Ta Kabiab bay 1, 2, 3 etc. We went in no. 7. Drive down the street to the beach and then it is the beach bar on your right. You have to show it to the owner. Very friendly face and quite dark skinned. With friendly Swedish man. Just ask are you Pin?

Hospital
Yes one more thing: the hospital. You hope to gain no experience with it. Visited a hospital in Pattaya a number of times for treatment and never had any complaints. This time we had to go again. My wife fell in the toilet. Slipped and fell with her side (ribcage) against the raised edge and the toilet. Was painful for sure the third day. First postponed and then to the hospital anyway. We went to the San Paulo hospital. Neat neat reception. Helped immediately at the emergency room and photos were taken. Photos viewed and diagnosed. Told what was going on. Was a chest injury with possible bruised and cracked ribs (not broken). Would hurt a lot. Received medicines to combat the pain and to give the body rest. Rest and take care was best. Could always come back if needed. Happened over two weeks before our departure. Everything turned out fine.

China Airlines
It only remains for me to compliment China airlines and Schiphol Amsterdam. We requested a wheelchair. We received it at check-in in Bangkok with a "brother" until the departure of the plane. He directed us through everything with priority so that my wife was not compromised. Neat. First on the plane. Extra pillows and extra care. In Amsterdam another wheelchair up to the platform. Neat all.

So I thought that's enough. I hope you enjoyed it a bit and that we gave a little tip here and there. Don't imitate us. Only if you want to do it that way. Otherwise just your own way, as I said at the beginning; this was our way.

Maybe see you soon in Hua Hin!

Submitted by Corry and Ruud Louwerse

For questions you can use email: [email protected] Even if you know a nice apartment around 20000 Bath (all inn).