Hua Hin horse manure

[element555]

Dear all,

I'm confuse, sad, desperate... I have lived near by the sea almost all my life, surfing , snorkeling, fishing, i really love the sea... Since a year i have drop my bags and we settled with my wife and kid in Hua Hin.

After a year going to the beach almost everyday with my daughter i have this sad feeling that sea reflects what "we" have done to the oceans more than every where else :

- Plastic bags : I stayed in Rayong before and it was worst than Hua Hin, but it's a global issue.

- Jellyfish : I have speak with locals and it's getting worst and worst : Global warming, overfishing (natural predators)... no matter what is the reason the jellyfish are here off season now : I have swim almost everyday and i can testify that you get some stings sensations even during the months when the jellyfish are not suppose to show up. You can even see it washed up on the shore. Of course it's not the box jellyfish or any strong poisonous jelly but it's still very unpleasant place to swim at any time of the year. It's really sad because despite the unclear water, hua hin is OK beach for kids and family. I feel really sorry for families and people who has saved for long time to come here and can't swim. I think thai and locals don't mind or somehow figured out how to deal with the problem: they swim with jeans and long sleeves (on banaboat towed by a jetski;)

During the rain season, just forget about it. it's impossible to go in the water.

-Sandflies or whatever it is : Everyday i comeback with some bites i got when i stay on the sand or enter in the water. Some people told me that it is sandflies but i'm not 100% about that. It bites me when i enter in the water most of the time, on the back, belly , arms, It create an itchy sensation immediately, then it fades gradually. Then around 12-24H after it's itchy as hell and last for around 2-3 days ===> Tips : T-shirt and coconuts oil help to prevents from the bites, but just help. This issue is also from my experience of a daily beach runner, a all year issue and not limited to rainy season from what i could read here and there. I also think i can connect the sandflies problem with the horse and the horse ride business in general. I have noticed that flies are here when horse are around 100% of the time.

- Horse shit: I don't understand these people : this is their business, the beach IS their office(working place): if tourism stops because of dirty beach, there will be no more horse riding business for them, so PLEASE

[Happy Grumpy]

You must be wrong.

TAT says otherwise.

[craigt3365]

Somebody just died down south from a jelly fish sting. It's a big problem in certain areas here. As far as the stings, I think it's sea lice or nettles. They are microscopic and really bothersome!

http://www.oceanfit.com.au/sea-lice-an-itchy-problem/

http://dermnetnz.org/arthropods/sea-bathers.html

http://www.beachhunter.net/thingstoknow/sealice/

As far as the horses. It sucks. I won't go to a beach that has horses.

[ColdSingha]

you moved to the wrong place, hua hin is not for beach lovers i'm afraid

maybe head down to the islands. lots of nice beaches there, can swim nearly every day

[NickJ]

If it hurts when you hit yourself in the head with a hammer you should stop.........

Try Dolphin Bay or furher down the coast.

[csabo]

you moved to the wrong place, hua hin is not for beach lovers i'm afraid

maybe head down to the islands. lots of nice beaches there, can swim nearly every day

Bingo, you get the gold star. The perpetuated myth that Hua Hin is a quality beach lovers town is constantly perpetuated ,often by by people on TV, on the internet and the truth (as posted by the OP) speaks for itself. You can't go to a beach for a week on a holiday and than tell people it's a great location to live. There are problems of course to varying degrees everywhere but Hua Hin beach is just nasty. If you want a beach move to the Andaman coast. Yesterday the waves were phenomenal. We literally have never had that much fun in the water. Not one horse pile in site. Good luck.

[MrBrad]

[steven100]

sell up and move onto Vietnam like

Visit Phu Quoc Island

or Southern Cambodia,

[Saan]

OP, here is a tip for your sandfly problem. Before using the coconut oil add vinegar. Just put it in a plastic sprayer and give yourself a good coating. You still get bitten but the vinegar nullifies the itch straight away and you have no further problems. I think it is an acid/antacid thing but whatever it works.

[jagfx]

Gees the Op makes Hua Hin beaches sound terrible. Having lived here for the past 6 mths and head down to the beach every other day, I don't think they are that bad. They are certainly not the best beaches around considering I use to live on the Gold Coast in Oz which has some of the best beaches on the planet. Sure there is some rubbish around but there are efforts by the locals to clean it up, which I see every week. It is educating the visitors to the beach to get them to take their crap with them when they leave. There is a fair bit of rubbish washed up from offshore or other parts of the country also.

Jellyfish are far and few between at the moment. I have seen the odd one washed up on shore. They are the big non lethal ones that will give you a bit of a sting but won't kill you. Not like the box jellyfish down in the islands. I lived in the Northern Territory for 10 years, so I know how dangerous those suckers are. At least there are no real danger from crocs or sharks in HH's waters.

With regards to horse poo, this is a minor issue. Sure you see some on the beach every now and then, but generally the riders collect most of it and dispose of it out of site somewhere else. It isn't an issue.

Now to the sandflie type bugs. These can be a problem as my wife was hammered by them when we first arrived, as I was to a lessor extent. Not sure what they are, but once we both got over our initial symptoms, neither of us have suffered since. The symptoms were exactly as the OP described. So not sure why it was only a one of though, and I have seen plenty of other tourists suffer the same on arrival. It can be quite nasty.

Overall HH beaches aren't perfect, but they are not that bad for a bigger town like HH. I realise there are much better beaches south of here and other parts of Thailand, but then what is the trade off for moving to those places. Every one to their own though. Cheers.

[dotpoom]

you moved to the wrong place, hua hin is not for beach lovers i'm afraid

maybe head down to the islands. lots of nice beaches there, can swim nearly every day

Bingo, you get the gold star. The perpetuated myth that Hua Hin is a quality beach lovers town is constantly perpetuated ,often by by people on TV, on the internet and the truth (as posted by the OP) speaks for itself. You can't go to a beach for a week on a holiday and than tell people it's a great location to live. There are problems of course to varying degrees everywhere but Hua Hin beach is just nasty. If you want a beach move to the Andaman coast. Yesterday the waves were phenomenal. We literally have never had that much fun in the water. Not one horse pile in site. Good luck.

Sounds good information, however hugh waves may not be everybody's idea of a good day out at the sea for a "dip".

Edited August 10, 2015 by dotpoom

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

You made the wrong choice! If you like a quiet and natural beach resort without sand flies and horse manure, and a beach that is actual visible and not blocked by thousands of high rises, then move to Khao Lak!

Nice photo of Khao Lak I found:

Edited August 10, 2015 by Blitzkrieg Bob

[Stevemercer]

The OP says he loves fishing, snorkeling and surfing. Well the Andaman coast is less than a days drive from Hua Hin and would be a nice break. The beaches are clean and there are often enough waves for body boarding etc.

[Khunangkaro]

It's the (sewerage) dirt you didn't see that matters your health.

I wouldn't dare to stick anyone finger anywhere but in the water at any "civilized" Thai beach.

[fred Kubasa]

And the " Developers " are screaming "buy now, property going fast " !

[Equalizer]

Just came back from Hua Hin at the weekend on a golfing trip, been going there annually for a few years now. The locals are extremely ignorant and the service in most 7/11 is none existent. I went in one for a pkt of cigarettes and the guy behind the counter had his back to me doing something. I asked for the packet and he just ignored me. After i asked him about 4 times and 5 mins later he turned around and gave me the most volatile look ever. He was wearing a black hoody and was simply the most obnoxious arrogant ass hole i have ever come across serving inside a 7/11. Amazingly there was a lot of western people holidaying there and maybe those people working there should come to Pattaya and see the difference the staff are dealing with the public. Hua Hin service industry are institutionalized into thinking these people that they are paid to serve are here today, gone tomorrow. Well they had a crown of guys there who had lived in Thailand combined for over 150 years.

[sammygood]

watch out for the sandflies, they could be more dangerous than mozzies with malaria

don't believe : watch :: ngc the monsters inside me

[element555]

you moved to the wrong place, hua hin is not for beach lovers i'm afraid

maybe head down to the islands. lots of nice beaches there, can swim nearly every day

Bingo, you get the gold star. The perpetuated myth that Hua Hin is a quality beach lovers town is constantly perpetuated ,often by by people on TV, on the internet and the truth (as posted by the OP) speaks for itself. You can't go to a beach for a week on a holiday and than tell people it's a great location to live. There are problems of course to varying degrees everywhere but Hua Hin beach is just nasty. If you want a beach move to the Andaman coast. Yesterday the waves were phenomenal. We literally have never had that much fun in the water. Not one horse pile in site. Good luck.

Can i ask you where exactly did you get those waves and much details on how phenomenal it was ? Offshore winds? barrels ? other surfers in the water ? I had gave up a little bit on finding waves in Thailand even Andaman cost, but your message bring me new hopes (i usually travel to philipines or indo when i have enough money). I have studied the maps and the south west swells seems to hit Sumatra or Nicobars and seems to blocked on their route to Thailand west coast... I have 3 surfboards here in my garage in hua hin hopeless to ride someday in Thailand waters...

[NCC1701A]

two things for the op to think about.

depending on your skin type, Hua Hin has a UV level of 13-14 year round...

you can get sun poisoning before you burn. It looks just like poison oak or very large bites that spread as you scratch.

i have to cover up in Thailand. And just like the Thai people do I wear long sleeve shirts.

my forearms would itch and form big bumps from sun poisoning wearing short sleeve shirts while riding a scooter. sunscreen does not help.

Another commonly reported issue is if you go in the water in Hua Hin you will start itching. And you will being itching for most of the day.

i experienced this when i moved to Hua Hin and the itching stopped as soon as i stopped going in the ocean here.

The water is filthy sorry to say.

Edited August 10, 2015 by NCC1701A

[element555]

one thing for the op to think about, depending on your skin type.

Hua Hin has a UV level of 13-14 year round...

if you can get sun poisoning before you burn. It looks just like poison oak or very large bites that spread as you scratch.

i have to cover up in Thailand and just like the Thai people do I wear long sleeve shirts.

You are absolutely right , i never go to beach before 4PM as i have my 3 years old daughter with me. Even later if there is no clouds. If i have to go alone for exercise earlier in the day i wear the full sun armor : cap, sunnies , sunscreen 50+ for hands , legs and feet, the rest is cover with cloth.

Sun is no joke here...

[element555]

double post

Edited August 10, 2015 by element555

[element555]

Somebody just died down south from a jelly fish sting. It's a big problem in certain areas here. As far as the stings, I think it's sea lice or nettles. They are microscopic and really bothersome!

http://www.oceanfit.com.au/sea-lice-an-itchy-problem/

http://dermnetnz.org/arthropods/sea-bathers.html

http://www.beachhunter.net/thingstoknow/sealice/

As far as the horses. It sucks. I won't go to a beach that has horses.

Whatever it is, it really annoying but for sure not dangerous. Who like to swim in nettles soup ? I would like to know more about these creatures. Do you have more information on how they arrived here ? Or swimming in hua hin has always had this issue ? And if i relocate to the Andaman coast anybody has noticed sealices or nettles ?

Thanks !

[NCC1701A]

The Gulf of Thailand is well within the range of the deadly Box Jellyfish that killed a Thai woman recently.

Not to be confused with the thousands of 18" diameter Jellyfish you see washed up on the beach in Hua Hin.

[element555]

Yes i totally make the difference: even the pretty strong burns i could have during rainy season from being stung by jelly fish tentacles is not the deadlybox jellyfish and it goes away with vinegar. The sealices and the nettles are just tingling but it's not nice to swim with kids and when it gets trap under your swimwear...

Edited August 10, 2015 by element555

[element555]

you moved to the wrong place, hua hin is not for beach lovers i'm afraid

maybe head down to the islands. lots of nice beaches there, can swim nearly every day

Bingo, you get the gold star. The perpetuated myth that Hua Hin is a quality beach lovers town is constantly perpetuated ,often by by people on TV, on the internet and the truth (as posted by the OP) speaks for itself. You can't go to a beach for a week on a holiday and than tell people it's a great location to live. There are problems of course to varying degrees everywhere but Hua Hin beach is just nasty. If you want a beach move to the Andaman coast. Yesterday the waves were phenomenal. We literally have never had that much fun in the water. Not one horse pile in site. Good luck.

As many others here I had made ​​my choice to Hua Hin for not being too far from Bangkok as I have some stuff going on there ... But it's not worth it, even if life is not not so bad here in Hua Hin there is really nice things, especially after staying in Rayong (which is clearly the chernobyl of Thailand ), I’ll be looking for a place in more natural and preserved area in a very near future.

It’s really depress me what i see on the beach and how locals does not seems to care or even notice…

Thank for all the messages on this forum and advice for sandfiles i will try ! and also ideas to reallocate. I will not stay very long in Hua Hin, a month or two I think , I have to convince my wife ( thai) to move away of bangkok a little more again

One more thing i would like to post here : Refuse systematically all plastic bags in shops like 7/1 and others , if all farang would start to do this maybe employees and managers will question themselves about this "russian dolls" plastic bags things. Yesterday i bought tiger balm and they have try to put it into a plastic bag !! I know it's part of the “good” service here, but common ! Planet is dying from such things and it's happening NOW !

[Stevemercer]

I agree that Hua Hin is nice enough, but there are better places if you want a beach. I also agree that the locals tend to be a bit indifferent. If I was looking for a more natural beach life, I'd steer away from the Gulf altogether and look at the Adaman Coast. If you're prepared to live a few km inland, there are still some beautiful curves of beach with reliable seasonal waves (only enough for body-surfing and body-boarding) that are clean and affordable. Some of the less touristy beaches on Phuket Island are worth a look.

I never accept anything in plastic bags. I'd like to see kids educated at primary school level about litter and how it damages the environment and their future, and to say 'no' to plastic bags. You can't do much about the older generation, but you have to start somewhere.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Stevemercer

[NCC1701A]

not Hua Hin area but:

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/plankton-bloom-in-the-sea-off-bang-saen-beach

[bender92]

two things for the op to think about.

depending on your skin type, Hua Hin has a UV level of 13-14 year round...

you can get sun poisoning before you burn. It looks just like poison oak or very large bites that spread as you scratch.

i have to cover up in Thailand. And just like the Thai people do I wear long sleeve shirts.

my forearms would itch and form big bumps from sun poisoning wearing short sleeve shirts while riding a scooter. sunscreen does not help.

Another commonly reported issue is if you go in the water in Hua Hin you will start itching. And you will being itching for most of the day.

i experienced this when i moved to Hua Hin and the itching stopped as soon as i stopped going in the ocean here.

The water is filthy sorry to say.

Thanks for your comment on sun poisoning. I get the itching forearms with bumps. I will try long sleeves when riding.

[realfunster]

not Hua Hin area but:

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/plankton-bloom-in-the-sea-off-bang-saen-beach

Just look at all the crap washed up/dropped on the beach as well...

Used to enjoy occasional days out at Bangsaen a few years back but the water & litter has been steadily getting worse for 5 years. I wouldn't even let my dogs swim in it now!

[Khunangkaro]

It's the (sewerage) dirt you didn't see that matters your health.

I wouldn't dare to stick anyone finger anywhere but in the water at any "civilized" Thai beach.

555 Just removed my finger out of anywhere (yeah.... sorry), must correct typo....

My post should read as follows:

It's the (sewerage) dirt you didn't see that matters your health.

I would dare to stick any finger anywhere but in the water at any "civilized" Thai beach.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Khunangkaro