Thailand's oldest beach resort Hua Hin became established when King Rama II built his 'Far From Worries' palace here in 1928, which is still used as a royal retreat. The king these days spends a lot of time in the palace, usually keeping it strictly off limits for tourists.

Once just a small fishing village, Hua Hin has developed into a tourist town full of hotels, seafood restaurants, bars and travel agents. Thanks to the royal influence, compared to similar beach resorts in Thailand the area has a limited seediness factor, making it a good option for families. The long beach, with generally calm waters, is another family drawcard.

Hua Hin town is now largely a destination for foreign travellers, with Thai tourists heading instead for Cha Am to the north or Ao Takiap and Pranburi to the south. This demographic shift has brought increased prices and an oversupply of western restaurants and bars. Hua Hin is famous for its seafood, but the best seafood is now often found outside town.

The beach at the centre of town is quite dirty due to runoff from guesthouses, but moving south from the Hilton, the water becomes cleaner and the beach less crowded.