Hua Hin, located on the Western shores of the Gulf of Thailand is not as well known for golf as Phuket or Pattaya. However there are some very good reasons to plan a Hua Hin Golf Holiday and a few other points to also consider when choosing your Thailand golf holiday destination.

The 3 best reasons to take a Hua Hin Golf Holiday are:

1.    Hua Hin is one of the cleanest and most sophisticated Thailand golf destinations. There town itself is quaint and clean, a stark contrast to many other of the Thailand golf destinations. Moreover, there is little in the way of prostitution or beer bars which makes Hua Hin a great choice for families, couples, and newlyweds.

2.    There are 2 excellent golf courses within 30 minutes of Hua Hin and 1 additional championship golf course set to open in 2008. Black Mountain is a new layout that is as challenging as they come. The venerable Springfield Golf Club, a Nicklaus creation, continues to draw good feedback from Western and Thai golfers alike. Banyan Golf Club, the newest addition to the Hua Hin golf scene will be ready for play for the 2008 tourist season.

3.    Hua Hin is easily reach by land from Bangkok and makes for a nice 2-centered golf package holiday. Playing the 2-3 best Bangkok and 2-3 Hua Hin golf courses, experiencing the Thailand’s cosmopolitan capital city, and lounging at the beach of a quaint seaside village is one of the nicest golf holidays I could imagine anywhere!

Three points to consider before choosing Hua Hin for your golf vacation are:

1.    Hua Hin has only 7 golf courses, but only 2 are really worth the trip. Palm Hills, Imperial, and Majestic are nice courses, but probably only equal to those commonly found across the USA and Europe. Milford and Sawang are not even this good, and best be left out from most Hua Hin golf packages.

2.    For those looking for excitement, Hua Hin is NOT the place to go. Pattaya and Phuket are probably better choices for golf groups, singles, males, and others looking to combine golf with “other attractions”. Even for those looking for cultural side trips, there are few options when Hua Hin is the base.

3.    Lately the costs for the 5-star Hua Hin golf resorts and green fees at the Hua Hin golf courses have been inching up , which makes Hua Hin quite costly as compared to Pattaya and almost on par with Phuket. Budget travelers will be better served by golfing in Bangkok, where the green fees are less expensive; the golf is of better quality and wider selection; and the luxury hotel values hard to beat.

Please let me know your experiences and thoughts about golfing in Hua Hin. I would like to hear from expatriates living there as well as those who may have holidayed there recently.

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