Music festival on the beach…sounds like a surefire winner, right? And it is. Just ask anyone who went to the last Full Moon Party. But putting on an upscale event that features jazz artists from around the world (as opposed to dance music DJs), involves two luxury hotels (instead of bungalow-style resorts) and targets a more mature crowd (rather than party-hungry youngsters) is a bit more challenging to pull off successfully than a rave on the beach. So we appreciate the effort.

Now in its fifth year—just like BK—and sponsored by our really good friends at Heineken, this year’s Hua Hin Jazz Festival looks as promising as ever. For starters, the bash is being spread over two resorts as opposed to just one last year—the elegant and impressive Sofitel Central Hua Hin (1 Damnoenkasem Rd., 032-512-021, www.centralhotelsresorts.com) and the upmarket, yet considerably more corporate Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa (33 Naresdamri Rd., 032-512-888). Don’t even bother calling for a room: They’ve both been booked solid for weeks. The hotels will both feature a stage and host bands, and the beach between the neighboring hotels has been christened “Jazz Alley,” where you’ll also find food vendors and Heineken beer stalls.

Musically the festival is a toss up, depending on where your tastes lie. While there are a few acts that will appeal to a younger crowd, for the most part the Hua Hin Jazz Fest caters to more mature listeners—think Bamboo Bar, not Astra. Fans of the mellow stuff—jazz in its contemporary/smooth, pop and Latin forms—should enjoy artists like Malene Mortensen, Lazaro Valdes and Koh Mr. Saxman. For more adventurous souls who dig jazz, blues and ska, highlights include T-Bone and Ibrahim Electric. But even if you’re not a connoisseur of the music, it’s still a great opportunity to get out of the city, catch some free entertainment and drink beer on the seaside.

Is it Worth Going?

The Hua Hin Jazz Festival has a history of mixed reviews from both attendees and musicians. Yuka K., a 26-year-old office worker who attended last year’s event says, “It was a free event so I wasn’t expecting to see an amazing show; however, some of jazz musicians were awesome!” Darin P., a musician in the Bamboo Bar’s Jazz Quartet who played at the festival in 2004, concurs. “When I think of the Hua Hin Jazz Festival I see loads of people packed in and eager to appreciate music. It’s a fun festival,” he explains.

But not everyone has such fond memories. Golf from the reggae/ska band T-Bone is a veteran of every Hua Hin Jazz Festival since the beginning. “Hua Hin is a great venue for a jazz festival because it has nice vibe, a cool beach and can accommodate loads of people, but it has never been well-organized,” he says.

Andrea S., a 28-year-old corporate lawyer in Bangkok at last year’s event, has similar complaints: “The vibe was totally wack. You had to queue for ages to go to the bathroom or to get beer, which they ran out of at one point… It was completely disorganized. Plus there was no room to move.”

Thus far, every Hua Hin Jazz Festival has had a different organizer, which could be part of the problem. This year the contract went to CM Organizer, which assures us it has corrected the flaws of previous years. For example, in the past officials didn’t take into account the rising tides, which cut into the crowd area. This year, the problem has been remedied by spreading the event over two resorts, giving people more beach space to move around in.

To encourage a more even distribution of people, 3x4m Jumbotron LCD displays are being set up near both the Sofitel and Hilton stages, so people won’t have to crowd so close to see and hear the artists. In addition to the large beer park by the main entrance (on Damnoenkasem Rd. between the Sofitel and Central Village), there will be more beer bars and kiosks than in previous years and they will be more evenly spread over the entire beach, which will hopefully make getting drinks easier. Finally, festival-goers will have at their disposal 60 fresh smelling port-a-potties. (Plus there are always the hotel bathrooms.)

The Inside Scoop

The festival is free, but the food and the drinks obviously are not. The local community will have food stalls set up along the beach and beer garden fare will be available near the main entrance. Heineken is a major sponsor of the festival and will have beer bars and kiosks all over the beach, plus a big beer park at the main entrance from the street. Big cans of Heineken will cost B60 (USD1.99), small cans B40 (USD1.32). If you don’t like Heineken or prefer hard liquor, grab a cooler and hit a nearby 7-Eleven: No need to be embarrassed as there will be plenty of other cheapskates doing the same. The closest one is right across the street from the Hilton on Naresdamri Road, and there are two more on Damnoenkasem Road on your way to the main entrance.

The Sofitel area is best equipped to deal with the crowds, so if you have no preference in terms of what bands you’d rather listen to, try to set up your camp here. The beach area around this resort is more spacious and will be less affected by high tides. In addition, there will be three beer bars and one beer kiosk in this area, as opposed to one beer bar, and three kiosks at the Hilton. Plus if crowds get really unmanageable, the big Heinken Beer Park near the entrance is not too far away. Keep in mind that the music starts on the Sofitel Stage an hour and a half before things get going at the Hilton (4:45pm as opposed to 6:15pm), which means if people show up early, this space will get crowded first.

Chair rental is available on both Hilton and Sofitel sides of the beach for people who don’t bring their own blanket. To rent a chair you will have to give up a B600 (USD19.90) deposit per chair, which will be returned (hopefully) when you bring the chairs back. If you don’t have that kind of cash on you, newspapers are great for staking out an area on the beach, for sitting on or to use as seat cushions. The Bangkok Post and GuRu magazine are both sponsors of the event, so complimentary copies should be floating around near the main entrance.

The beach is going to be full of people getting wasted with little or no care whatsoever for what kind of music is being played, and the main entrance will most likely be clogged with people. If you’re in a hurry to get to the stage and want to avoid the port-a-potties, inebriated punters, high tides and the barnacle-covered rocks that are scattered in the sand (especially as you approach the Hilton stage), you could always cut through one of the hotel lobbies—though we don’t condone this sort of lawless behavior and hotel security guards at the Sofitel and Hilton will surely do their best to discourage it.

True jazz fans and those willing to spend a little more for comfort and a good seat away from the masses should consider taking part in one of the hotel sponsored events, all of which are open to the public at a price. On the Sofitel lawn facing the beach will be the Heineken Charity Zone. For B500 (USD16.60) you can chill in this open air, roped-off area which will provide good seats, a great view of the stage and as much Heineken as you can drink. All proceeds will go to the Hua Hin Red Cross. On the Hilton side, the hotel is holding a Thai and international barbeque every night for B750++ (USD24.90++) per person on their property, which affords a nice view of their stage.

Options Outside the Festival

Since the festival only runs in the evening, there’s plenty of time to engage in other activities during the day. If you fancy a bit of shopping, head to the newly opened Hua Hin Market Village (234/1 Petchkasem Rd., 032-618-883. Open daily 10am-10pm), termed the “Hua Hin Paragon” by some locals. Though it’s not nearly as posh as our “Glorious Phenomenon,” this modern indoor/outdoor shopping complex should be enough to satiate any mall withdrawal symptoms. Beware of aural disorientation on the ground floor where several different sources of nauseating music can be heard blaring from kiosks at the same time, competing for shoppers’ attention.

Another option for souvenir hounds is Khomapastr (218 Petchkasem Rd., 032-511-250, www.khomapastr.com). Established in 1949 as Thailand’s original house of cottons, they sell classic hand printed products from placemats to pillows, though don’t expect much in the way of service.

For sporty types, Hua Hin has one of the best kite surfing schools in Asia. See how it’s done on the beach just south of the Marriott Hotel. If that looks fun to you, talk to the guys at Kite Boarding Asia (on the little soi running from Condo Chain to the beach, 032-516-327, www.kiteboardingasia.com) who can rent you the gear and teach you how to ride the wind.

If you fancy a more “gentlemanly” sport, links are abundant in Hua Hin. The best is rumored to be the Springfield Royal Country Club (825/5 Jumnong-Poomivej Rd., Petchkasem Hwy Km 210, Cha-Am, 032-593-223, www.springfieldresort.com), which was designed by Jack Nicklaus. You can also play 18 holes at the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course (032-512-475), which may not be the finest but is one of the first golf courses built in Thailand, opened by Rama VI in 1924.

One of the more interesting activities is a boat cruise to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park run by the Evason Hua Hin Resort (9 Moo 3 Paknampran Beach, Pranburi. Call 032-632-111 for more information.). The trip begins at 9am from the Evason Resort and includes a cruise to the park, relaxing on the beach, hiking, sightseeing and meals. The excursion arrives back at the resort at 4:30pm.

Food, Glorious Food

If the food courts and beachside stalls at the festival don’t do it for you, never fear—Hua Hin has plenty of food options suitable for all budgets. Time tested, quality street food can be scooped up at Go-Ti (opposite the Night Market on Petchkasem Rd, 032-516-516. Open 6:15am-9pm), which is well known for old-fashioned Thai dishes.

What food could possibly go better with jazz than ribs? Great American Rib (6/4 Damnoenkasem Rd., 032-521-255, www.greatrib.com) opened up a Hua Hin branch about six months ago in the Sailom Pavilion, which is walking distance from the festival. Head here for Mexican starters, prawn platters, steaks and the best ribs in Thailand. During the fest, they’ll have a barbeque set up out front for easy take-away access.

By all accounts, one of the hottest restaurants in town is Let’s Sea (83/155 Soi Talay 12 [one soi after Soi Hyatt on left] Khao Takiab-Hua Hin Rd., 032-536-022, www.letussea.com), not as much for the food as it is a great place to chill and take in the atmosphere. Let’s Sea has made a name for itself with its huge lawn, mellow vibes, distinctive cuisine and live music. The weekend of the festival they will feature Changton Kunjara Na Ayudhaya’s jazz trio.

For sweets, run over to Baan Pah Jieuh (across the street from the Hilton) which serves mango sticky rice so popular you may have to take a number to get your order. Though Swenson’s, Baskin Robbins and Haagen Dazs abound in Hua Hin, everyone knows there’s only one place to go in town for quality ice cream: Il Gelato Italiano (Damnoenkasem Rd., across from Sailom Pavilion, 06-761-1198). Worried about getting flabby at the beach? Fuggeddaboutit! Il Gelato’s ice cream has only 4% fat.

Local Liquors

If the crowd (or the music) starts to annoy you, try getting some elbowroom at one of the local watering holes. A skip and a jump from the Hilton stage is the Hua Hin Brewing Company (33 Naresdamri Rd., 032-538-999. Open 5pm-2am) located in front of (and run by) the resort. This split-level wooden pub looks and feels like an old rickety boat, but it has a certain charm to it. Try one of their three specialty “microbrews”: Elephant Tusk Dark Ale, Sabai Sabai Wheat Ale, and Dancing Monkey Lager. They will host the “official” after-party for the festival with a band playing Thai and international pop hits.

Stroll down Naresdamri Rd. and witness the abundance of guesthouses and travel agencies—this is Hua Hin’s version of Khao San Rd. There are a few decent bars here, notably Monsoon Bar (62 Naresdamri, 032-531-062. Open 1pm-midnight) and Oyster Bar (24 Naresdamri, 032-511-624, Open 2pm-2am). Monsoon is actually a restaurant, but the food isn’t that great; go for the nifty pan-Asian décor.

If you’d rather get out of the area entirely, head to Sasi’s ba Bar (83/159 Nhongkae, Soi Hyatt, 032-512-488. Open 6pm-1am. www.sasi-restaurant.com), which is a cool converted house with a homey atmosphere, open garden and live music.

Been There, Done What?

Veterans of the festival talk about past years and what they’re looking forward to this time around.

Nakarin “Golf” Teeratenum, T-Bone

Been there?
Last year I played there. In fact, I’ve played every year with my jazz band, Stone Head—never with T-Bone, though.

How was it?
Hua Hin is a great venue for a jazz festival because it has nice vibe, cool beach and can accommodate loads of people. But to be honest, it never lives up to the setting. It has never been well-organized. The company that runs it changes every year, so there’s no continuity. Another problem is the limited budget, so they invite one good foreign band and then get all the familiar Thai acts, which is boring to me. Look at Singapore. Their jazz festival is 10 days long and getting better and better every year, while we stay the same.

What are you looking forward to?
You know what is good about this year? We have the chance to see artists who aren’t from the US. European jazz is sometimes even better than what is from the US. It’s deeper because Europeans support things of a more hardcore variety. In the US, there is more and more smooth jazz. This year there are some really good acts like Ibrahim Electric, etc.

Darin Pantoomkomol, Bamboo bar Jazz Quartet

Been there?
I played two years ago. It was so much fun.

How was it?
I personally like Hua Hin and go there often. When I think of the Hua Hin Jazz Festival, I see loads of people, packed, eager to appreciate music. It’s a fun festival. The audience enjoyed all the styles of jazz the artists played.

What are you looking forward to?
This year there are lots of good artists. Michael Blake is one. Many of the new generation Thai bands like T-Bone, Mansri and JRT Big Band also look interesting.

Jessada “O” Sookdhraorn, Doobadoo

Been there?
I went to see it the second year.

How was it?
Thai people act differently than foreigners at concerts. Especially if they are well-to-do, they don’t dance in front of the stage. So the stages in past years were too high. For rock bands like Bodyslam or BigAss this kind of stage is fine. But when it comes to jazz, if the stage is very high, it’s uncomfortable for the audience to look up all the time. Another complaint is that, because it’s on the beach, sometimes the wind is so strong that you can’t hear acoustic instruments or soft-voiced singers. A professional crew will know how to block the wind from the microphone, but in Thailand they don’t know how to do this.

What are you looking forward to?
I like Jamie Cullum, John Mayer and Amy Winehouse, but these kind of cool artists don’t come. The ones who do are very choey. The European artists who are coming this year have some style, though, like Ibrahim Electric. For the Thai artists, speaking frankly, the organizers just chose artists they already knew.

What will you do?
For sure we’ll play the songs on Doobadoo’s album as well as international hits. We will try to play different styles, too. We will keep our swing jazz style, mixed with other seasonings to make it more modern and dynamic.

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How to Get Around

Motorcycle Taxis – Motorcycle taxis are widely available throughout the town for negotiable prices. Look for the guys in the blue vests.

Songlaw – There is a town-operated songtaew that goes from the Sofitel up and down Petchkasem Rd. hitting the bus, minivan and railway stations. It costs B20-40 (USD0.66-USD1.32) depending on how far you take it.

Shuttle bus – A shuttle bus operated by the festival organizer will run between the festival site, the designated parking lots and all the major hotels in the area from 4pm-midnight.

Where to Park

The designated parking areas in the Hua Hin downtown area: the Hua Hin Vinthayalai School on Petchkasem Rd., in the parking lot behind Wat Ampharam (Wat Hua Hin) on Poonsuk Rd. and in the Hua Hin Municipal Lot by the corner of Petchkasem and Damnoenkasem Roads.

Where to Sleep

Didn’t you promise yourself last year that you’d plan ahead this year? Finding accommodation at the last minute for the weekend of the festival is difficult but not impossible. Give these resorts a try.

Baan talay Dao
A 90-year-old teak mansion that houses a restaurant, 32 Asian boutique-style rooms and a pool that isn’t quite as large as it appears in the brochure. 2/10 Soi Takiab Village, Petchkasem Rd., 032-536-024.

Baan bayan
A beachfront resort centered around a century-old teak house with brand-new buildings that are designed to resemble the original structure. The pool and room interiors are very modern, however. 119 Petchkasem Rd., 02-636-6588, 032-533-540, www.baanbayan.com.

Casa del Mare
Another nice boutique resort with all the amenities. 25/2 Petchkasem Rd., 032-519-061, www.casadelmare.net.

Chom view hotel
Great hotel for groups. Big duplex rooms, cool little beach, clean and cheap. 02-258-8518, 032-511-662, www.chomviewhotel.com.

Fresh Inn Hotel
Nice, petite and inexpensive hotel right across the street from the Hilton. 132 Naresdamri Rd., 032-511-389.

The Rock Hua Hin
A new luxury boutique resort near the Hyatt that’s gaining attention. 4/44 Moo Baan Takiab Rd, 032-537-100. www.therockhuahin.com.