Sun & UV Protection

The most common thing that spoils a Hua Hin holiday is not a stomach bug or the rain. It is a first-day burn, picked up in an hour, that makes the next three days uncomfortable.

Why it happens so fast

• You are close to the equator. The midday sun is nearly overhead, so far more UV reaches you than at home.
• The sea breeze hides it. You feel pleasantly cool while you are burning.
• Cloud is not cover. People burn badly on days they describe as overcast.
• Sand, water and pool tiles bounce it back up at the underside of your arms and chin.

The short list

• SPF 50, applied properly and 20 minutes before you go out
• Reapply every two hours and after every swim, whatever the bottle promises
• A hat and a light long-sleeved shirt — fabric never needs reapplying
• Real UV sunglasses; the glare off the Gulf is fierce
• Do not miss feet, ears, the back of the neck and your parting

If you do burn

Out of the sun completely for a day, drink more than you feel like, and aloe vera gel — sold in every pharmacy and much better straight from the fridge. Blistering, fever or confusion is not ordinary sunburn and needs a doctor.