Hua Hin Travel Guides – Everything Hua Hin

With Hua Hin being only a 3 – 4 hour journey from Bangkok it attracts many Thai people on weekends and during Thai national holidays. It’s also convenient for ex-pats and travelers needing to be in close proximity to Bangkok.

While Hua Hin does not boast the best of Thailand beaches and does not have the party and bar scenes that can be found in Pattaya, Phuket, or Koh Pha Ngan it has enough going on for certain types of tourists with slightly calmer holiday needs.

Useful to know about Hua Hin

Hua Hin became the main seaside resort of Thailand in the 1920’s. The late King Rama IX (King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the royal family would reside here during the summer at Klai Kangwon Palace. The much-revered royal family have a designated royal waiting room for the family at the train station in Hua Hin, which confirms their influence on the town.

You’ll find Hua Hin’s town center is one of the more ascetically pleasing towns and cities of Thailand with its old colonial buildings and quaint back streets. There are still shopping malls and other modern amenities not too far away from the center for those that need their modern stuff.

Climate/Weather

Situated just below central Thailand Hua Hin follows the dry (cooler), hot, and wet season annual rhythm of its tropical climate. The best time to go is from December until March.

HUA HIN WEATHER

• Dry Season: December to May brings the best of Hua Hin out in every way. The beach looks beautiful, it’s much easier and more comfortable to get around, and the Thai’s working there are much happier when tourism comes alive at this time of year. On the evening and in the morning, especially in Cha-Am (26 km from Hua Hin) the weather is cool for Thailand and more Mediterranean than tropical. You might not see a drop of rain from November until April.
• Hot Season: The hot season always kicks in at the end of March. Compared to Bangkok at this time of the year it’s much more tolerable and many travelers favor the heat. Sun cream, a hat and cool clothing then you’re good to go.
• Rain Season: Rain comes along from the end of March until the end of November. June sees quite a lot of rainfall, but the other months until September are not really monsoon and there’s plenty of sun. August, September, October and until the end of November are the worse months when it is wet and extremely humid, and it’s just not fun. Hua Hin’s tourism goes very quiet after July until November.

Hua Hin Beaches

The stretch of sand from Klai Kangwon Palace to Khao Takieb is what I would consider Hua Hin’s beach which totals over 6 kilometers of lush whitish-colored soft sands.

I have found the best of the beach is further up from the main beach entrance (behind Centara Grand Beach Resort) towards Khao Takieb. It’s also not as crowded with people and cluttered with beach chairs.

– Related: See Best Hua Hin Beaches

Is Hua Hin Expensive?

Hua Hin has its expensive and cheap of everything. Restaurants and places to eat vary in costs including the markets which provide cheap food, rice or noodle shops and street food, and higher price ranged restaurants. There are more budget options inland at a place like Hua Hin than the islands, although Pattaya is probably the cheapest.

Hotels vary in price too. Hua Hin does favor those wishing to stay at the higher-end hotels and accommodation. It’s not a backpackers hostel type of place, but there are decent hotels available for 1500 THB (50 USD approx) a night. There are some backpacker hostels, however, the town is nothing like other destinations in Thailand which have more backpackers visiting.

Inland destinations in Thailand like Hua Hin will always provide better places to eat and restaurant options than many of the islands.

Is Hua Hin Safe?

Hua Hin has always felt safe enough for me and I have never seen or experienced problems. This is not to say they don’t occur as they do everywhere, especially out late at night. In general –common sense stuff applies here as it does with most of the safety advice I give about Thailand’s tourist destinations.

Be smart with your bags, phones, valuables in rooms, being out after 12 am or so at night…etc…etc. The same advice for most places in the world.

The main incidents in recent years reported in Hua Hin were during 2016 when bomb blasts killed 4 people and injured others, and the assault of three British citizens that got involved in a scuffle during Songkran (Thai new year festival) which left them injured.

A Few Safety Tips

• If you rent a motorbike carry your home countries driving license to prevent paying an on-the-spot fine.
• Using your common sense that you would use in other countries and cities (i.e., London, New York, Barcelona and others) especially at night is usually plenty enough to keep out of harm’s way.
• There’s no need to get aggressive with drivers, vendors, anyone selling you stuff, girls in bars or anyone else that you disprove of that has bothered you. It’s much easier to walk away and let it go, as causing the problem to escalate could cause more serious consequences.
• Keep your hotel contact card on you and a copy of your passport.
• I would avoid going to the beach after about 10pm, especially females alone. A bar with beach chairs and tables is fine, although I would still be cautious.

Note: You can be out as late as you like, which I have done many times and never had issues with, but I would suggest getting transport back to your hotel if it’s far from the bar (ask the bar staff). Just keep in mind most incidents occur where alcohol is involved.

There’s a Tourist police division in Thailand (tel: 1155). They are said to be able to act as an intermediary with the Thai police (General Emergency 191) but have very limited powers.

– Related – More about general safety advice while staying in Thailand

Transport – Getting Around Hua Hin

Getting around Hua Hin and finding transport to get you to where you need is easy enough and plentiful. You can get taxis which are a set cost agreed (no meter) from about 250 THB (8.5 USD).

Songthaews (covered pick up trucks with 2 benches) are available that run all day on about 4 different routes and only cost 10 – 20 THB. One route that’s convenient is the Hua Hin center to Khao Takieb route.

Tuk Tuks (three-wheeler motorcycle carrier) are also available which are convenient and fun, but they are pricey compared to other forms of transport and can cost 100 THB then more after the first kilometer. Motorbike taxis (check if they have a second helmet) and some buses also operate

– Related: See more about Transport around Hua Hin

Transport to and from Hua Hin

There are a number of transport options to Hua Hin from Bangkok and the south of Thailand. Trains, buses, minivans, and taxis depart and arrive daily.

Quick links for Transport

• Check out transport options from Bangkok to Hua Hin
• Bangkok to Hua Hin Train Times & Costs
• Hua Hin To Bangkok Train Times & Costs
• Hua Hin Minivan Station Guide

Where to stay in Hua Hin?

We all know choosing the right accommodation for our vacation is one aspect we must try to nail as it can make all of the difference.

• Center of Hua Hin: Most people want and need to stay near the center of Hua Hin which is best for eating out, cafes, nightlife, and bars. and for the overall convenience of amenities. For this location check the distance to the clock tower and the beach (Dumnern Kasem Rd), although the beach this side of town is not the best. There is every type of hotel within the center, from luxury accommodations like the Centara Grand Beach Resort, Hilton, and others, then mid-range, budget, and hostel backpacker-type places.

• North of Center: Slightly north of the center on the other side of the fishing pier, close to the beach (a little quieter than the center beach) and around Soi 51 area you’ll find some good boutiques and hotels. This area is still quite close to the clocktower center and within walking distance. Continuing further north you’ll find some excellent quiet beach resorts, but you will need to use transport to get to the center.

• South to Khao Takiab: Continuing south of the beach there are many beach resorts and hotels all the way to Khao Takiab, and with the beach being cleaner and more open it attracts travelers. You don’t have to go to far from the main beach and center for superb accommodation options. The only issue is going to be transport to the center and amenities, although some hotels are near Bluport and Market Village shopping malls for restaurants, and the 10 – 20 THB Songthaews (covered pick-up trucks with 2 benches) stop along this route.

• Other Places: There are other places with great accommodations away from the beach. Soi 94 (I have stayed at one of the bungalow resorts and it was fantastic) is one of those places that has plenty of restaurants including great Thai food and European, and a good collection of beer bars.

Peak season – Do keep in mind that peak season brings higher room costs and the need to book early……………..

Attractions – Things To Do

Hua Hin is a typical beach destination where beaching, swimming, eating, drinking, and lazing about is usually a large part of the attraction and not having things to do rather than doing is what holidaying is about for most people.

However, for those that need time away from the beach, swimming pools, and restaurants to see some of Hua Hin and Thailand, there are a number of places to see, things to do, and attractions worth checking out.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular attractions in Hua Hin and things to do that might be worth you checking out.

Hua Hin Artist Village

A must-see attraction in Hua Hin, especially if you are an art fan is the artist village that’s 5km out of the center. A few hours are needed to visit and you will require transport. Read More »

Hua Hin Railway Station

While Hua Hin’s railway station is just a train station it is still good place to visit and near the center of Hua Hin. It’s one of Thailand’s oldest stations with style and history. Read More »

Rajabhakti Park

Rajabhakti Park is over 10km away from Hua Hin’s center ‘clock tower’ and near Khao Takiab. Worth a visit if you have other things to do near here. Read More »

The Beaches

I know I mentioned time away from the beach, however, the length of it makes a great to walk or jog, and then there are activities such as horse riding.

Khao Hin Lek Fai Hill

Most of us love a good view and that’s the main attraction at Khao Hin Lek Fai. It has excellent viewpoints over Hua Hin.

There’s more than one viewpoint with the main one being the most convenient and panoramic. This is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon, although you’ll find the morning is cooler. Khao Hin Lek Fai is 3km from the town centre which some people walk, but it’s not that easy as the hill also needs to be walked up…….if it’s hot it won’t be easy (sweaty, yes, but not easy).

Khao Takiab “Chopstick Hill” & Wat Khao Takiab

If you have a good part of a day free to visit somewhere while staying in Hua Hin then Khao Takiab, its hill, beach, and temple are well worth checking out.

Khao Takiab is a fishing village situated about 8km from Hua Hin centre that occupies much less tourists on the beach, although many travellers do come to use a bit of leg work to get up the many steps to the temple (Wat Khao Takiab). It’s a great morning out or a day trip if you make the most of it here.

Cicada & Tamarind Markets

There are a number of markets and three main night markets in Hua Hin well worth a visit to get a taste of the local cuisine.

Cicada and Tamarind markets are much better than the Hua Hin centre in terms of appearance, walking around, types of food ready to devour, entertainments and cool artworks. It’s situated just 4km from the centre and well worth visiting both of them during the evening.

– Related: See more Hua Hin Attractions – Things To Do

Hua Hin Nightlife

While Hua Hin does not have the night life of Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok it does have plenty of beer bars and other venues to keep one out until well after 2am if required.

Bars in the centre are usually open until 2am, although this can change to 1am or later which depends on what laws are being enforced. You’ll find some places to drink and eat near the beach and a few popup bars.

The main area for beer bars, with more bars than anyone could possibly need, is around the Soi Bintabaht walking street area. A few streets of bars have ladies outside luring customers to come and join the fun and spend their cash Many people get to like a favourite bar or two and become friendly with the staff and have a great evening or evenings while staying drinking with the Thai ladies or management working in the bar.

You can enjoy cocktails rooftop style at Novotel, Hilton hotel, and Vana Nava sky bar.

Nightclubs start-up and close down from time to time. The most reliable one that’s been going for some time is the Hilton Hotel nightclub in the centre. There are always good Thai nightclub options that are best for checking out with Thai friends.

Well, that covers the basics of travel in Hua Hin, so do check out the links to further your knowledge. While it looks like a small beach town there’s plenty going on or it has just the right balance for those less hedonistic folk.