Hua Hin – Travels with Ali

~ Monsoon Valley Winery, Hua Hin, Thailand – Dining with a View ~

During our stay in Thailand we headed out to the hills to have lunch at Monsoon Valley Winery. I was surprised that there was a winery here, never having been to one in Thailand before.

There is also an elephant sanctuary situated here and you can take a small minibus out to see them. We had left it too late to book a tour though.

Anthony and I were delightfully surprised by the magnificent scenery that surrounded us.

We were seated outside on the verandah and had a lovely view over the extensive vineyards. It was exceptionally hot though and I was still recovering from a flu virus! There was a fan nearby which I had positioned to blow on me.

Stunning views from our table on the verandah

The menu was full of delicious dishes and when they arrived did not disappoint. Starting with a charcuterie board followed by coconut flakes and dried shrimp in grape leaves and grilled prawns and pineapple fried rice. We enjoyed every mouthwatering morsel.

A multi coloured sculpture of an elephant made from wood

The Monsoon Valley Restaurant

What a wonderful way to wile away an afternoon, good company, great views and gourmet food. I would definitely recommend a visit if you are ever in Hua Hin.

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~ Adventures in Hua Hin, Thailand – Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park ~

Continuing with our week in Hua Hin, today we set off for the wetlands in a nearby national park. We had missed out on the abundant lotus flowers blooming but were hoping to see some birdlife.

This national park is surrounded by towering majestic limestone mountains. There is also a kilometre long boardwalk to view the surroundings or you can hire a boatman and his boat, which we did.

The first thing I noticed was the complete silence with maybe the occasional bird call. You are immediately struck by the serenity and peace here.

The birds were there of course, hidden by the long grasses so it was difficult for me to take any decent shots.

It was a hard job for our tiller man to navigate through the reeds. Going slow or fast or stopping completely to untangle the propellor. He did need to get out a few times to push us through!

The photos below are the best of the bunch. It was tricky trying to focus, especially when Mr. Tiller only briefly slowed down.

Gliding through the reedy waters and looking out for the birds was a great way to spend an afternoon. We were on the boat for around 45 minutes and our backsides were getting quite numb.

A pagoda to sit and relax and watch for wildlife

This is a tour well worth taking, reasonably priced and well organised.

After this we stopped at a small place for iced coffee. Although try as I might I find iced coffee too bitter for my liking.

Behind the kiosk there was a large cactus display showing some very quirky and colourful blooms.

A Gallery of Cacti

If you’re ever in Hua Hin, I highly recommend setting aside a day for this amazing outing. It’s a wonderful escape from a day at the beach.

~ Exploring Hua Hin – A Week of Adventure ~

We recently spent a week in Hua Hin with Anthony’s brother and wife in their beautiful apartment. On our first night I managed to capture the bright orange moon from their verandah.

Daytime photos

Our first morning was spent walking around Khao Tao Lake. It is a serene and tranquil man-made reservoir. There is a running track and cycle path. We met plenty of other walkers on our way.

The lake is surrounded by ornate gold lamp posts topped with turtles. Luckily for us the water lilies were still blooming.

A fresh fruit juice bar to quench your thirst after your walk sits on one side of the lake.

A traditional fishing village is located just by the lake.

A quick stop at the beach for breakfast

After a lovely morning walk we headed to a local shopping mall where I could get a pedicure.

We decided to get a tuk tuk back instead of waiting for a taxi. Such fun weaving through the traffic with the wind in our hair. Our tuk tuk was a “Hello Kitty” style, decked out with small toys and painted pink.