Bits & Pieces - The World & Me: Hua Hin & Bangkok 2015

Good morning, Hua Hin!!

It’s a brand new day to start our adventure. In line today is our mini excursion to the local places of interest starting from the must visit Hua Hin Railway Station, Plearn Wan Shopping Village and Santorini Park Cha-Am. There are many places to visit but due to our time constraint, my sister decided on these three which already took up half a day.

Before heading out, we have to settle our brekkie. Breakfast was in the Club Lounge with various selections where you order and have the food brought to your table instead of the usual buffet breakfast spread.

Breakfast Menu

Earl Grey Tea for the day

Butter Croissants

Egg Benedict

Pancakes with Maple Syrup

Thai Chicken Noodle

First stop, Hua Hin Railway Station. #1 in the top 10 things to do in Hua Hin.

A brief “commercialize” introduction

“Built during the reign of King Rama VI, and only a short distance from the centre of town, Hua Hin's railway station and adjacent royal waiting room are undeniably attractive. The brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design somehow manage to have a 'Victorian' feel to them.

The story about the birth of Hua Hin as a royal seaside getaway town would be incomplete without a mention of this historic railway station. Back in the early days, there was no road access to this idyllic beach town, and train travel was a new and delightful alternative to get from Bangkok to Hua Hin instead of by boat.” – Top 10 Things to Do in Hua Hin (http://www.huahin.bangkok.com/)

Hua Hin Station - Royal waiting room

Ticketing

An old train

Railway tracks

Hua Hin Station

How can we miss a photo on the landmark?

Hua Hin Railway Station

Opening Hours: 07:00-23:00

Location: Western end of Damnernkasem Road

Personal Tots

One gets easily attracted and carried away by the beautiful structure of the railway station. Though it is only a small station, the great color combination of red and yellow makes it a favorite spot for photographers. I can finally understand why you can spend so much time just by taking photos here.

Next, Plearn Wan Shopping Village. My sister wanted to visit Plearn Wan because of the old school feel which is tough to find nowadays.

A brief “commercialize” introduction

"Not just a themed open-air mall, Plearn Wan feels more like a living museum where you can experience a slice of life in 1950s Hua Hin. Plearn Wan's two-storey courtyard-style building, an architectural statement in itself, houses a community of period-style shops selling everything form liquor, inexpensice plastic-and-tin toys, snacks as well as a beauty salon, photo studio, outdoor cinema screen and a 20-room guesthouse or 'Piman Plearn Wan'.

From the main street, Plearn Wan's curious looking entrance - a giant structure fashioned from reclaimed wooden planks - is hard to miss. Stepping through the small opening (compared to the wooden structure) is like stepping into a time machine - suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by all things vintage. When it's crowded, usually at night, the festive atmosphere resembles that of a well-organised temple fiar from decades ago." - Official website for Plearn Wan

The massive entrance to Plearn Wan Shopping Village

What you see after the entrance

Street

Food

Stalls

Every other little things in Plearn Wan

Personal Tots

I like the nostalgic feeling at this place. You are like transported back to the 50s. Great place for photo shoots and also if you want to shop for “old days” toys and snacks. It brings back memory of what you played during childhood. Another interesting thing that is sold there is family T-shirts. They have plenty of designs for selection.

For more details, visit Plearn Wan Official Website.

Last stop, Santorini Park Cha-Am.

A brief “commercialize” introduction

“Santorini Park brings a slice of the picture-perfect Greek island to Cha-Am. It’s got all the details right, from classic whitewashed buildings, colorfully painted windows, down to stone-paved paths and domed towers. An impressive lineup of shops, restaurants and an amusement park promise good times for everyone. This photogenic outdoor entertainment outlet occupies an expansive area just before the main highway reaches Cha-Am Beach. It’s quite an unusual sight, given the whitewash theme and architectural style that sets it apart from its surroundings. Cliff-top views of the ocean and a sweeping beachfront are the two missing elements that would otherwise make this place closer to the real thing.” – Top 10 Things to Do in Hua Hin (http://www.huahin.bangkok.com/)

The romantic ferris wheel (not so on a gloomy day)

Main entrance

The words say it all

Just love the Santorini feel

Photo spots everywhere

Caught taking wefie with Mr Teddy (he is not so happy about it)

Sister love

Big sister overdose

Younger sister overdose

Personal Tots

I really like this place. It is exactly just like what I saw on the various websites and blogs. It really live up to being a very photogenic place. This is heaven for photographers. You can take tons of photos here with the nice building structure and colors. I love it!

For more details, visit Santorini Park Cha-Am.

After Santorini Park, we head back to hotel for afternoon tea at the Club Lounge followed by a swim in the pool. We were upgraded to a Pool Access Room so how can we leave swimming out from our itinerary.

Dinner was at the hotel. We decided to go for the “Italian Cuisine Tasting Night” experience at Felicita. The price was quite reasonable at THB790 nett per pax. It’s ala-carte style buffet with free flow of soft drinks and fruit juices. We had a wonderful meal.