by Daryle Rico | Sep 7, 2026 | Food, Hua Hin
One of the things I have come to enjoy about my newly adopted hometown of Hua Hin is that there seems to be no shortage of special events on the calendar. Were that not wonderful enough, most of them seem to revolve around food. My latest adventure in this category...
by Daryle Rico | Aug 3, 2026 | Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thailand
Just three short blocks from my condo sits one of my favorite discoveries in Hua Hin: the ever-delightful Cicada Market. Now, calling it a “night market” feels a bit like calling the Grand Canyon a “nice ditch.” Technically correct… but wildly insufficient. Cicada...
by Daryle Rico | Jun 18, 2026 | Hua Hin, Temples, Thai Smiles, Thailand
If you’re into monkeys, mountains—or ideally both—then Khao Takiab (Monkey Mountain) has your name written all over it. Figuratively speaking, of course. The monkeys don’t need any more ideas. Approaching from Hua Hin Beach, you’re greeted by a towering Buddha statue...
by Daryle Rico | Jun 9, 2026 | Cooking, Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thai Smiles, Thailand
Ah yes, Som Tum—the famous green papaya salad of Thailand. A dish so beloved, so iconic, so deceptively innocent-looking… you’d never suspect it might double as a controlled burn for your internal organs. On paper, it’s perfection. A bright, crunchy mix of shredded...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 23, 2026 | Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thailand
One of my new favorite evening haunts here in Hua Hin is the ever-lively Hua Hin Night Market—also known as the Chatchai Night Market. Now, the name might suggest it’s the night market in town. It is not. Hua Hin has night markets the way I have excuses for ordering...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 3, 2026 | Culture, Food, Hua Hin, Thai Smiles, Thailand
Picture this: you check into your Bangkok hotel. You’ve liberated the complimentary mini shampoos (as one does), admired your stunning alleyway view, and then—there it is. A small, innocent sign on the nightstand: “No Smoking. No Durian.” Naturally, you think: What on...
