Hua Hin’s Royal Treatment

by Vic Williams | posted November 16, 2009

If the beach burg of Hua Hin on the Gulf of Thailand’s west shore was somehow moved to America’s West Coast, it’d be Newport Beach, or La Jolla, or Santa Barbara. Rich Thais — of whom there are precious few — stake out their getaway digs among this fishing village-turned-vacation spot’s lovely, curvaceous hills, alongside expats from Australia, Europe, China, Japan, Korea and even the United States.

Pattaya, with its roiling, sex-charged nightlife and anything-goes boardwalk, is more like Atlantic City; in comparison, Hua Hin (pronounced “wha-heen”) is reserved and family-oriented. Yes, a killer foot massage can be had for about 15 bucks on just about every block of the busy downtown core, as can a made-to-order suit (assembled literally overnight by skilled tailor) for around $200; a “night market” trinket for whatever you can bargain for; or an endless supply of cold Singhas for a couple of bucks each. But the hotels seem just a bit more upscale, especially the Marriott and simply amazing, jewel-in-the-jungle Anantara Resort, and the golf courses — especially the Thai-designed gem at the center of the brand-new Banyan Resort — rank among the nation’s best for views, conditioning, service and setting.

Such a refined atmosphere (by Thai standards) makes sense when you consider the town’s No. 1 part-time residents: Beloved King Rama IX, his queen and their entourage. Their huge, walled and guarded palace complex sits at the center of Hua Hin, impenetrable by all but a handful of Thais. Off shore, one of the nation’s few warships patrols for anyone who many want to do harm to the 81-year-old monarch, whose reign stretches back to the 1940s, longer than any current royal figurehead on earth, and whose recent ill health has millions of faithful subjects on high alert. Losing him would clearly wound Thailand’s devout heart, but as long as he hangs in there, life is good in Hua Hin.

For a golfer — this golfer, anyway — it doesn’t get any better than Banyan Resort. Draped across a hillside and valley just one ridge west of the city, the 18-month-old course is a marvel of naturalistic sculpture, as authentic in personality as Thailand’s thousands of Brahmin temples are intricate in design. Its native-born designers moved as little earth as possible, letting each hole unfold like a female caddy’s bright smile among still-intact pineapple fields and old-growth banyan trees. Fairways pinch and stretch in all the right places; bunkers are never forced upon the land, but seem to bubble up from it, almost links-style, and the greens fold into their settings with such gentle grace that it’s hard to believe the architects haven’t been at it for decades. The back nine is exhilarating, especially the inspired back-to-back par 5s of 11 and 12. No. 16, a downhill 4-par with a big tree guarding the middle of the fairway and a power-slot funneled through wetlands, might be the best hole overall. Figure in the most Thai-feeling clubhouse of all that we sampled and a quartet of on-site golf suites that would fit right in at, say, Cordevalle in Northern California, and it’s no wonder Banyan nailed down “Best New Course ” honors in an Asian golf publication recently. And Hua Hin regulars can take partial “ownership” of the course — and play it whenever then want — by buying into one of Banyan Resort’s handsome new villas just over the hill for around $100,000.

A few kilometers north, on the same range of hills, is Black Mountain, a definite direct competitor to Banyan thanks to a development of homes and condos along its northwestern flank. While not as dramatic or engaging in design as its neighbor, its 36 holes comprise a fun, undulating ride across rocky ridges and over manmade water features. Phil Ryan of Australia-based Pacific Coast Design gives players alternate routes to every green and puts heavy emphasis on risk-reward strategy, though the first handful of holes play fairly easily, making this a great choice for healing one’s scorecard wounds during an extended Thailand golf trip. And, of course, the clubhouse ain’t bad, either — as with every other stop on this journey through the heart of this fascinating and friendly land, it’s got the showers, the great eats, the private club-level attention to service … everything to put one in a royal frame of mind. In Hua Hin, as in the rest of Thailand, there’s no word for “ordinary.”

www.banyanthailand.com
www.bmghuahin.com
www.anantara.com

To book your Thailand golf excursion, visit www.golfasian.com.

Vic Williams is editor and publishing partner of Fairways + Greens, a bi-monthly magazine dedicated to golf, travel and lifestyle for the West and beyond. He has written thousands of stories on golf and will cover every facet of the game right here, primarily travel but also the major tours, equipment, personalities and more. Contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it