Hua Hin is a coastal resort situated on the Gulf of Thailand. Visit Hua Hin to experience a surprising mix of white beaches, water parks, golf courses, many night markets and a vibrant night life.

As we were reaching the end of our travels in Southeast Asia, we were not looking to travel too far away from Bangkok. Pattaya had been an option but the combination of flooding reports and many people telling us to simply stay away convinced us to go in the opposite direction. Hua Hin had been mentioned more than once, by both travellers and locals.

Where Is Hua Hin?

Hua Hin is located in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula in Thailand. It is just under 200 km from Bangkok.

How To Get To Hua Hin From Bangkok

If you are travelling from Bangkok, Hua Hin is an easy place to get to, with both buses and trains going directly to the city. However, as we had stopped off at Mae Klong on the way, it suddenly wasn’t so easy.

How To Get To Hua Hin From Maeklong

We had presumed that, as Maeklong is roughly halfway between Bangkok and Hua Hin, it would be very easy to find a bus to take us. This did not prove to be the case. We enquired at the local minivan station in Maeklong if there was a bus to Hua Hin but they pointed at bikes and tried to arrange it for us right then, unaware that we were asking in advance.

We discovered that we could get a train from Ratchaburi, which is about an hour north of Maeklong and that we should be able to get a minivan from there. We had no idea how long or how often these minivans were so we didn’t book a hotel in Hua Hin, just in case we couldn’t get there!

Easy Riders

As it turned out, we arrived at the minivan station and explained we wanted to get to Ratchaburi so we could get the train to Hua Hin. A local told us we could get a minivan directly to Hua Hin and then shouted over a biker who motioned for the two of us, with 2 backpacks and 2 small bags, to get on the back of his bike.

Top Tip: if you are trying to move on from one city to another always tell the locals your FINAL destination as they are likely to know much more direct methods.

The biker took us on a 10 minute bike ride and dropped us at the side of the main highway (for 40 baht) where there was a popup bus stop. Another guy then took over the responsibility and, within minutes, we were on a minivan to take us directly to Hua Hin for 160 baht each. Result!

Where To Stay In Hua Hin

These are some of the best budget hostels in Hua Hin, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I found Agoda to be much better than booking.com in Southeast Asia. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Buathai Loft Hostel Hua Hin
• Mad Panda Hostel
• The Moon Hostel Huahin
• HuaHin Night Market Hostel
• Rowhou8e Hostel Hua Hin 106
• Pulley Hostel Hua Hin
• Jetty Huahin Hostel

Tongmee House

We originally planned to stay for 3 nights but then extended our stay for another 3. Our first accommodation was a small hotel called ‘Tongmee House’ (map). We were greeted on arrival by a very friendly host and were checked in quickly. We had a room on the first floor. The room was basic but clean. It had decent WiFi, good air-con and even a balcony overlooking the street below. The bathroom could do with an upgrade but it did the job, once we worked out how to get hot water!

The guesthouse is in a good location. It is on a quiet side-street but only minutes from bars, restaurants and shops. The beach is about 10 minutes away.

I would recommend ‘Tongmee’ for a stay in Hua Hin. It is a small guesthouse but has charm and is run by a very friendly lady who always has a smile for her guests.

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We paid £37.16 for three nights in a double room with en-suite bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at ‘Tongmee House’.

Thaisunshine Massage & Spa

For our next stay in Hua Hin, we moved on to the main road that runs through the town at a small place called ‘Thaisunshine Massage & Spa’ (map). As the name suggests, this place was primarily a massage parlour with a few rooms situated above. The reviews were very good and its location was even more central.

As we only booked the room a couple of hours before we arrived, there was some confusion when we arrived. We were clearly not expected. After a few minutes, we were pleased to find that we did have a room after all and our host led us upstairs.

The room was funny. It had quite possibly the worst choice of wallpaper you would ever see in a guesthouse.

It certainly had some quirks. The bed and pillow had a weird foil cover which was a bit noisy when you moved and not the most comfortable. Getting out of the building proved difficult on the first attempt due to the weird locks.

However, there was a lot that was good about this place. The bed had double sockets on both sides, meaning you could use your devices as you charged them. There was also a kettle so we could make our own coffee. The staff were warm and friendly and showed genuine concern when I asked if they had seen my phone as I could not find it. One even playfully slapped me when I then found it in my bag, as if she’d known me for years! When they respond to reviews on social media, they repeat the point that they like to make people feel part of the family. I got that. A very friendly, warm place to stay. Just try to ignore the wallpaper.

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We paid £35.85 for three nights in a double room with en-suite bathroom.

Click here to book a stay at ‘Thaisunshine Massage & Spa’.

Food And Drink In Hua Hin

When it comes to eating out, you are spoilt for choice in Hua Hin. The city has a number of night markets selling delicious street food, from seafood and grilled meats to rotis and fresh fruit. The malls have food courts where you can buy various delicious dishes for great value prices. We were very impressed with the choice of food in Hua Hin. It did not take long to find somewhere to eat!

Coffee shops are also easy to find and there are a number of quirky, air-conditioned coffee shops to set you up for the day.

If you like a drink in the evening, then Hua Hin certainly does not fall short. There are literally dozens of bars within a small area.. These bars will be filled with Thai girls and sometimes ladyboys who are more than happy to try to make your time more enjoyable. I wasn’t expecting this in Hua Hin, but it certainly made for a couple of interesting nights out!

Bintabaht

Bintabaht and the surrounding area is the place to go if you want a lively night out. Most bars are filled with very pretty Thai ladies who are more than accommodating, as I discovered being a solo western male out for a few beers. I’ve not been to Pattaya so I can’t compare but I imagine this to be similar, maybe not as pushy. If I wasn’t aware that the ladies are only after money, it would have done wonders for my ego! Map.

Blu Port Mall Food Court

A big mall on the main road through Hua Hin, Blu Port also has a food court, though with not as much choice as Market Village (see below). I had duck, crispy pork, red pork and rice for 50 baht and it was delicious. Map.

Bokey Bar

Bokey Bar is one of a number of bars on Hua Hin 80 street. I read online that this is a good place to come to sit and have a beer without being harassed by girls. That was almost true. I was served my beer and ice and then the server, a ladyboy called ‘Ice’, decided to sit with me the whole time. After a while, ‘Ice’ started to stroke my arm and ask me if I had a girlfriend and so on. His catchphrase was ‘Would you like more ice?’

Cha-ame Coffee & Burger

Very popular with expats but also frequented by Thais, this restaurant offers Thai and western food at good prices. I had beans on toast there (comfort food) and even got HP sauce with it! I returned for an English breakfast which was very good. The burger, less so. Their motto is ‘arrive as a stranger, leave as a friend’. The woman serving us was very friendly. We ate here three times. Map.

Coffee Club

Our first stop upon arrival in Hua Hin. The food here is expensive, as is the coffee which didn’t live up to the price. There are better coffee shops in the area. Map.

Hua Hin Monkey Cafe

Nice, hip cafe which also doubles as a tattoo parlour. Cool vibe and good coffee. Map.

Infinity Bar

I’d seen a recommendation for this bar and it was just around the corner from our hotel so it was where we enjoyed our first beer. They don’t sell big bottles of beer and it’s 80 baht for a small Chang. They have a great pool table (free) and it seemed a nice enough place. My only problem was that they played the same two Savage Garden songs on repeat for the whole time we were there! Very annoying. Map.

London Bar

One of the very few bars in this area where you can have a drink without being chatted up by a Thai girl. Live rock music every night and decent prices for the area (80 baht for a small Chang). Map.

Market Village Food Court

Market Village Food Court is a big mall in the heart of Hua Hin. We came here only for the food court. It operates a card system where you put money on a card and use that to purchase food. They had an offer on where you paid 100 baht but got 120 baht but no refunds. This meant we had to eat more. This was not a problem. Great choice of food. Map.

Railway Bar and Bistro

Situated at the top of ‘Hua Hin Night Market’, we came here on our first night and I ended up coming back two more times. There is always live acoustic music of great quality, the beer is cheap (100 baht for a large Leo) and the staff are super-friendly and keep you well stocked up with free nuts. It’s a great bar that should be busier than it was. My favourite bar in the area. Map.

Royal India Hua Hin

Craving Indian food, we visited ‘Royal India’ as it had great reviews online. The complimentary poppadoms and dips were good but the curry was poor. I ordered a bhuna and it was nothing like a bhuna. The quality of Indian food in Southeast Asia had been disappointing, on the whole. Map.

Ruean Thong Vegetarian Food

Excellent value vegetarian restaurant right next to the Hua Hin night market. Rice and two dishes cost only 30 baht. The food is spicy but fresh and delicious. Map.

Sakura Sushi, Branch 3

Small sushi restaurant near Hua Hin Night Market. Stopped by for lunch and had the ‘boat special’. Delicious fresh fish for just over 200 baht. Map.

Uncle Tae Grilled Pork

‘Uncle Tae’ is only open until the early afternoon. Situated in ‘Hua Hin Night Market’, he has a reputation for selling very good pork skewers. They are good too. Not the usual ‘moo ping’ type, but the quality of the meat for just 10 baht is very impressive. Map.

Velo Cafe

Very nice, cozy coffee shop serving great coffee with a nice jazz soundtrack. Great place to start the day; our favourite coffee shop in Hua Hin. Map.

Things To Do In Hua Hin

What to do in Hua Hin? We did not know until we arrived that Hua Hin has many night markets and you can find water parks, elephant foundations, temples and vineyards. Fancy some golf? Hua Hin has you covered.

Cicada Market

Weekend market that has some quality art, crafts and clothes for sale. This is not a tat market. There is also a live music stage and a theatre stage. But it’s the food that people mostly come for. It’s a really nice market and has a different atmosphere than most night markets. Coming here feels like an occasion, a treat. Use the green songthauw to get here. Map.

Cicada Market Opening Times: 10.30 am – 6 pm, Mon – Thu. 4 pm – 11 pm, Fri – Sun

Grand Night Market

We visited this night market too early as it was only just setting up. It looked like it would be a cool place to hang out after sunset as there are many food options, bars and live music. It also has many random pop culture icons around the area. Map.

EDIT: The Grand Night Market is now permanently closed (2/4/2021).

Hua Hin Beach

The beach in Hua Hin is very clean and is made up of the finest, white sand. It wasn’t very busy on the two occasions we visited. You can take horse rides and there are a number of water sports activities. Be careful when swimming though; there are big jellyfish present!

Hua Hin Night Market

Daily night market with plenty of food options, particularly seafood. Take time to explore as there is an extra part to this market (to the left of the south side) where you can buy good quality goods at reasonable prices. Map.

Hua Hin Night Market Opening Times: 5 pm – 1 am, every day.

Hua Hin Street Art

One thing you will notice about Hua Hin, is the amount of street art. I’m ot talking about the kind of street art that stops you in your tracks; here, the art is very basic but still very enjoyable. Almost every lamp post and wall has some kind of monster painted on it. There are also eyes painted all over the city. After a long, crazy night out, it felt like the city was watching! It’s a real unique and quirky addition to the city.

Pae Mai Night Market

A 10 minute walk from Hua Hin Night Market; Pae Mai is less touristy and very cheap (60 baht for a large Chang). The market itself was closed when we visited and the night market hadn’t really swung into action as it was too early. Map.

Pae Mai Night Market Opening Times: 3 pm – 10 pm.

Tamarind Market

Situated next to the Cicada Market, and perhaps not as well known to tourists, is the ‘Tamarind Market’ (map). Cheaper than Cicada, this market is more focused on food and there is some great choice. Live music and even magicians make this a fun place for all ages. The food is fantastic!

Tamarind Market Opening Times: 5 pm – 11 pm, Thu – Sun.

Wat Khao Takiap

Located at the end of Hua Hin beach is ‘Wat Khao Takiap’ (map), a temple with incredible views over the sea.

Once you reach the top of the steep stairs that lead you up to the temple to take in the views, you will notice hundreds of monkeys. Do not eat or drink up here and don’t stare the monkeys directly into the eyes and they will leave you alone.

Getting to and from Wat Khao Takiap is straight forward. From Hua Hin, simple flag down a green songthaew on the main road and the last stop will be the temple. Songthaews cost 10 baht until 7 pm, 15 baht after 7 pm. Take the Hua Hin Songthaew back and simply press the buzzer wherever you wish to get off. The Hua Hin Songthaew is the cheapest way to move around the city. There are 4 routes in the city.

Is Hua Hin Worth Visiting?

I did very little research into Hua Hin before we arrived and I had it in my head that it would be a small, quiet coastal town with the odd bar that closed at midnight. I was NOT expecting it to have such a vibrant night life. I certainly was not expecting to be chatted up by ladyboys!

Hua Hin is actually a lively place that combines a seaside feel with a city vibe. There are lots of night markets; try to be there at the weekend so you can visit the excellent Tamarind and Cicada markets.

Away from the craziness of Bintabaht, you can find more relaxing bars and restaurants. Hua Hin really does have something for everyone.