In the quaint town of Hua Hin there is nothing much to do – a typical beach resort Hua Hin is the perfect getaway for families with children as there are several luxury resorts with multiple kids activities. However, for adults, there is no vibrant nightlife as in Pattaya or Bangkok – though the other goodies of Thai vacation are there in plenty be in food or foot massages and of course the sea.
My vacation in Hua Hin was relaxed and peaceful – just the kind I wanted and the high point of it was the visit to Cicada Market. We were around 20 kms away from the city at Novotel Beach resort and so initially was a wee bit reluctant to go and visit the night market. As I presumed it will be like any other Thailand night bazaar. However, I proved to be wrong. Cicada night market was a market with a difference as it was totally focused on art – there were artists of different genres who were there to sell art in that market. So from Picassos Cubism copies to instant portraits, you saw them all this art mart.
The market also had a lot of traditional Thai handicrafts – from watches made of coconut shells to wood engraved nameplates, wax imprints of hands to bamboo wood fans – the market had it all.
What is interesting about the market is, of course, the ambiance – from live performances by local artists to one act monologue plays and acrobatic performances the place had it all and so it becomes the perfect space to spend time on weekends. This market is not about shopping but more about enjoying the local Thai culture.
And finally one cannot finish saying about this market unless one mentions the food – the best part about Thailand as per me is the diversity of food (of course if you are a non-vegetarian). The Cicada market had one of the most diverse food arenas where food from various regions of Thailand was available. What I chose was chicken and vegetable barbeque Thai style and mango with sticky rice. A banana chocolate waffle was the dessert and it was washed off by a coconut smoothie. For that day I gave my staple coconut Thai curry a miss!
To sum up, Cicada night market is a vibrant slice of Thai culture and is a must visit if you are in Hua Hin!
Photo credits: Banner Left – Shriya Biswas; Banner Center – V Vilas Hua Hin; Banner Right – Shutterstock