Hua Hin, Thailand – How to Arrive, Where to Stay and What to Visit ? Page 1

Maps – Orientation

Map 1 – From Bangkok to Hua Hin

Map 2 – Center of Hua Hin

Map 3 – Hua Hin – Interactive Map

  1. Points in Red – Transport
  2. Points in Blue – Attractions
  3. Points in Green – Shopping

How is Hua Hin ?

A very good place to visit. The first evening that I arrived I was a little bit disappointed, because the nightlife in the center seemed non existent, but on the second day I realized that Hua Hin is a decentralized city and there is nightlife, but it is spread in several zones. You need to use a way of transport in order to enjoy Hua Hin (see later about the Transport in and around Hua Hin).

Hua Hin is a city on the beach, and there are several kilometers of nice beaches. The sand is white and pleasant and the sea is usually calm and good for swimming.
There are also 2 huge commercial centers on the main road and 3 night markets. See the nightlife section.

There are a lot of nice attractions around Hua Hin, like : hills with monkeys, temples, caves with bats, many view points, mangroves walks, safari and farm animals parks, water parks, elephant camp and an interesting art village. See the second page for the attractions around Hua Hin.

The general atmosphere is relaxed in Hua Hin, this is not Pattaya.
There are many hotels near the beaches (see where to stay in Hua Hin).

How many days dedicate to Hua Hin ?

I stayed 10 days in Hua Hin and I was busy every day visiting the attractions with a motorbike. You can easily spend one week in Hua Hun without getting bored. There are also beaches and malls that can keep you busy for an eternity. Spending a week-end in Hua Hin is also OK.

Hua Hin Vs Pattaya City

Look at Map number 1 above. Pattaya is located exactly on the opposite side of Hua Hin. So, from Bangkok, you can choose either to travel to Pattaya or to Hua Hin. It will take you more or less the same time (you can visit the page about Pattaya).

Both cities are located on the beach, but they are different in spirit. Pattaya is a city with a lot of Go-Go bars, it is a very special city. The nightlife in Pattaya is very animated, there are a lot of people and lights on the “beach road” and on the “walking street”. A lot of live music.
In Hua Hin, there is a nightlife scene but it is spread in different locations and it is not big. In Hua Hin, there are some “girls bars”, in the expatriate zone (see location in where to stay) but there are no Go-Go bars like in Bangkok or Pattaya.

In term of Beaches, Hua Hin wins. The beaches of Pattaya are not attractive. Still, there is a wonderful little island in front of Pattaya called Koh-Larn and it is easily reachable from Pattaya. In general, families prefer to visit Hua Hin over Pattaya.
See the next section, how to travel between Pattaya and Hua Hin.

How to Arrive to Hua Hin ?

Arriving to Hua Hin From Bangkok

Note : See later how to arrive from other locations.
The road distance between Bangkok and Hua Hin is about 200 Km. See Map number 1 above.

Option 1 : By Train

At the time of writing, the travel by train between the two cities takes around 5 hours. The train is old and slow. But, a new line is in construction and it should reduce the travel time to less than 3 hours.

You can buy a Train ticket at the train station or online with 12GoAsia.
Don’t worry too much about being hungry during the train travel. There are constantly vendors selling food and drinks.

The trains departs in Bangkok from the new train station “Bang Sue”, located in the north of the city near Chatuchak market. See the page about the train station in Bangkok.

The train arrives to Hua Hin train station located in the town center. See location on the Maps above or on a Google Map.

Option 2 : By Bus

There are a lot of buses going between the two cities. The travel takes around 4 hours.
You can buy a Bus ticket at the central bus stations, in the travel agencies in town or online with 12GoAsia.

There are buses from all the 3 central stations of Bangkok. See the Bus page for locations. There are buses also from the Khaosan road in Bangkok (the backpackers area) and from Suvarnabhumi airport.

In some cases it is a minibus. Minibuses are usually considered less comfortable than a big bus.
In Hua Hin, the central bus stations are located in different areas and they arrive to different areas in Bangkok :

  1. The big bus central station in Hua Hin, is located near the airport, in the north of the city. See location on the interactive Map above or on Google Maps. Buses usually travel to the south central station in Bangkok.
  2. “Bus Station – Sombat Tour Hua Hin” –  See location on the interactive Map above or on Google Maps. Buses usually travel to the north central station in Bangkok (Mochit).
  3. Mini bus from Hua Hin to Ekkamai Bangkok. See location on the interactive Map above or on Google Maps. Minibuses usually travel to the east central station in Bangkok (Ekkamai).

Bus From the Airports of Bangkok

There are also buses from the airports of Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi and Don-Muang) to Hua Hin. You can buy the Bus ticket at the airport or online with 12GoAsia.

Option 3 : By Flight

There is an airport in Hua Hin. It is located 8 Km to the north of the city. See location on the interactive Map above or on Google Maps.

There are usually no flights between Bangkok and Hua Hin, because it is a short distance.
The most common flight is between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. There may be also flights between Hua Hin and Phuket. Maybe also Koh Samui.

You can buy a Flight ticket between Chiang Mai (or the islands) and Hua Hin online with 12GoAsia.

Option 4 : By rented Car or Motorbike

You can rent a car or a motorbike. You can rent a driver for a few days.

Option 5 : By Taxi

You can buy private rides with 12GoAsia.

Travel between Hua Hin and other cities

From Hua Hin to the islands

By Bus

There are many buses to the islands, like to Phuket (located on the left side of the mainland) and like Koh Samui (located on the right side of the mainland). You may need to complete the journey with a boat. The boat is sometimes included in the price of the ticket.
You can buy a Bus ticket between Hua Hin and the islands with 12GoAsia.
You can visit the page about the islands, for a better understanding of the location of the islands.

By Train

The Train line between Bangkok and the islands, pass via Hua Hin. The train doesn’t reach the islands, you need to complete the journey with a bus and a boat (sometimes included with the price of the ticket).
You can buy a Train ticket between Hua Hin and the islands with 12GoAsia.

By Flight

There may be flights between Hua Hin and Phuket or Koh Samui.
You can buy a Flight ticket between Hua Hin and the islands with 12GoAsia.

From Hua Hin to Chiang Mai

By Flight

Yes, there are flights between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.
You can buy a Flight ticket between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin online with 12GoAsia.

By Bus

There are buses between the two cities, but the journey is long.
You can buy a Bus ticket between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin online with 12GoAsia.

By Train

You can make the journey by Train, but it is very long and you will probably need to change trains.
You can buy a Train ticket between Chiang Mai and Hua Hin online with 12GoAsia.

From Hua Hin to Pattaya city

By Boat

Before the Corona era, there used to be a ferry line between the two cities. In the time of writing the service doesn’t function, but it may resume, so you need to check.

By Bus

The ride is long because, it passes via Bangkok.
You can buy a Bus ticket between Hua Hin and Pattaya with 12GoAsia.

By Flight

At the moment of writing, there are no flights between the two cities, but there may be, so check.
You can buy a Flight ticket between Hua Hin and Pattaya with 12GoAsia.

By Taxi

You can buy a private ride between Hua Hin and Pattaya with 12GoAsia.

Where to Stay in Hua Hin ? – Hotels

As I stated before, Hua Hin is a decentralized city. Wherever you choose to stay, you will need some way of transport in order to enjoy the other parts of the city. For example, if you stay near the municipal building (which is very central), you will be close to the night market but not close to the two big commercial centers (Market Village and Blue Port).
Look at the following two Maps :

Map 1 – Hua Hin center-  Potential zones to stay :

Map 2 – Hua Hin center-  Potential zones to stay :

Option 1 – The Historical Center ( Zone 1 on the Maps above )

The most logical area to stay. The basic of Hua Hin is here : The train station, the municipality building and the police station. The main beach of Hua Hin is here and also the night market that functions every evening. There is nightlife near the beach.

Take note of the Hotel Baan Nilrath. It is very central. The hotel is quiet (at least the rear side of the building), very clean and have beautiful and spacious rooms with a balcony. I stayed here and I was very satisfied. It is located at a walking distance to the main beach and the night market.

It even has a small swimming pool on the roof (not big enough for swimming, just for bathing).

See Hotels in Hua Hin. After you Click, use the Map to find the desired location. Read opinion of travelers for each hotel.

Option 2 – The Expatriates zone  ( Zone 2 on the Maps above)

Here are staying the long term travelers. People who are young in spirit, but not necessarily in age. There are a lot of bars and restaurants and at night there is a food court in the open air, with live shows. The location is a little bit far from the beach, you need to walk 20 minutes.

Take note of the Hotel Lovely Guest House 94. It is located in the expatriates area and it receives good notes. It is run by a French woman.

It is easy to make your laundry in this zone

See Hotels in Hua Hin. After you Click, use the Map to find the desired location. Read opinion of travelers for each hotel.

Option 3 – Near the beach, in front of the two big commercial centers  (Zone 3 on Map 2 above)

There are a lot of hotels near the beaches of Hua Hin. Some hotels are tall buildings, some are resorts.
There is a special interest to stay on the beach, in front of the two big commercial centers “Market Village” or “Blue Port”. These commercial centers are located on the main road, south of the historical center. The malls are very popular.  It is hot in Hua Hin and the commercial centers are air conditioned and have a lot of cafés and restaurants and shops.
For example there are the hotels The Sea Cret Hua Hin and InterContinental Hua Hin Resort

See Hotels in Hua Hin. After you Click, use the Map to find the desired location. Read opinion of travelers for each hotel.

Option 4 – Near the beach, north of the center  (Zone 4 on Map 2 above)

There are a lot of hotels also to the north of the historical center. Hotels and Beaches. There is also some nightlife in the small streets near the beach. The north zone (zone 4) is less popular than the south zone (zone 3). It is more quiet here.

Take note of the excellent budget hotel Hop Inn Hua Hin located in this zone. It is a national Thai chain. The rooms are small, simple and modern. I have stayed in this chain in 2 different locations in Thailand and I was very satisfied.

See Hotels in Hua Hin. After you Click, use the Map to find the desired location. Read opinion of travelers for each hotel.

Option 5 – Near the beach, Far from the Center of Hua Hin

There are wonderful beaches in the area of Hua Hin.

For example near the lake Khao Tao (which is also near the beach), there is an excellent hotel (and restaurant) with the theme of turtles. Even the bungalows are turtles. It is called Turtle Bay Eco Luxe Hua Hin. It is not too far from the center of Hua Hin (13 Km).

At the zone of Phraya Nakhon cave, there is the beach of Sam Rot. A very nice beach. For example there is the hotel : Dolphin Bay Beach Resort – Sam Roi Yot Pranburi. The location is is far from the center of Hua Hin (About 40 Km).

See Hotels in Hua Hin. After you Click, use the Map to find the desired location. Read opinion of travelers for each hotel.

How to Move around Hua Hin (and reach the attractions) ?

Option 1 : Walking

As I said before, Hua Hin is a decentralized city and the walking distances are relatively big. For example, the distance from the night market in the town center to the “Market Village” mall is 1.6 Km. I have walked this trajectory several times, but on the beach, at sunset. Usually, you will walk only in your zone of your hotel.

Option 2 : Motorbike

The best option to move around Hua Hin and see the attractions out of town. The rent price for one day is usually 250 Baht. If you rent for several days, the shop can make you a discount.

It is easy to park the motorbike everywhere and the roads are in excellent condition. There are no hills to climb, in this area.

Option 3 : Rented Car

You can rent a car instead of a motorbike. You can also rent a driver for  a few days.

Option 4 : Grab

Grab is like Uber. This is the main company operating in Asia. It is a ride that you reserve via a smartphone application. It is very convenient and reliable. You can reserve a car or a motorbike. In Thailand Grab is only half legal because there are the lobby of the traditional taxi drivers.

Option 5 : Tuk-Tuk – Songtaew

These are the funny trucks that are operating in Thailand. In Hua Hin, the Tuk-Tuks are operating in 2 modes :

  1. On fixed public lines and with fixed prices.
  2. Private rides.

There are 4 public lines operating during the day. One of the lines is on the main road. You make a sign to the driver to stop. The price is very cheap, about 10 Baht. The private ride is another story, you need to negotiate the price with the driver.

There are many Tuk-Tuks waiting at the entrance to Hua Hin beach, at the city center

Option 6 : Moto-Taxi

The drivers wear an orange vest and they wait in “stations”. You need to negotiate the price. They can take only 1 person, of course.

Option 7 : Organized Excursions

You may find organized excursions to the attractions outside town. You can ask your hotel. There are also taxi drivers and Tuk-Tuk drivers who are making publicity for a private tour to the attractions. You will see this publicity everywhere.

How is the Climate in Hua Hin ?

Like in all Thailand, also in Hua Hin, there is a rainy season between May and November. June, July, August and September are very rainy, with an average of 300 mm rain.
As for the temperatures, it is hot : At day time, around 30 degree Celsius. At night around 24 degree Celsius.

Where is the Nightlife in Hua Hin ?

There are different zones for nightlife. There is not a main animated street like in Pattaya.
Let’s look again on the following Map :

Option 1 : The Town Center (Zone 1 on the Map above)

There is a night market in town center operating every evening. It is not especially big, the night market in Chiang Mai operating on Sundays is much bigger.

At the night market, there are stands with food, stands with clothes, restaurants and some live music. See location on a Google Map or on the Interactive Map above.

Another animated area in town center is near the beach. The little streets parallel to the beach have bars and restaurants. Unfortunately, there is not a promenade with sea view. See location on a Google Map or on the Interactive Map above.

Option 2 : The Expatriates Zone (Zone 2 on the Map above)

Very animated at night. It is a zone with many bars. Also some good restaurants. In some of the bars, there are “girls bars”, but there are no Go-Go bars here.

At the expatriate zone, there is also a food court called Chang Market, open to the sky, with live music. The singers are singing in Thai and it is happy Pop music and not slow songs like in the regular night markets. I ate here a wonderful Burrito, from one of the stands.

See location on a Google Map or on the Interactive Map above.

Option 3 : The week-end night markets

There are two nice night markets operating on the week-ends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening). One is called Tamarind Market and the other Cicada Market.

In the Photo : Tamarind Market

In the Photo : Tamarind Market

Strangely, the 2 markets are located very close one from the other. They are both located south of the city, about 4 Km from the center. See location on a Google Map or on the Interactive Map above.

In the Photo : Cicada Market

In the Photo : Cicada Market

Option 4 : Local Bars and Restaurants

Even if you don’t arrive to the animated zones mentioned before, you will still find bars and restaurants near your hotel. This is Thailand, after all.

What to Eat in Hua Hin ?

Hua Hin is a city with tourists and there is a lot of choice for food. A lot of Western food and a lot of Thai food.

For breakfast, there is HOC – House Of Croissants.
They are located on the street that access Hua Hin beach, in the town center.

They don’t have a French owner, but the croissants are good. There is a big variety and it is very fresh (because the are producing in place).

I recommend the custard cream pastry.

A restaurant that I can recommend is called “Ogen”. They are located near the expatriates zone, that I have mentioned in where to stay.
It is Middle Eastern food with good options for a vegetarian like me.

They serve these kind of stuff :

Another good restaurant is Turtle Bay Hua Hin Eco Luxe. It is located about 12 Km south of the center, on the side of a nice lake and near a wonderful beach.

The place is a restaurant and also an hotel. The theme of the place is : Turtles. So you will see shapes of turtles everywhere. The bungalows are turtles.

and there are also real turtles

The food is good. Many vegetarian options

Another good restaurant, is Bombay Palace, an Indian restaurant. They have a great Vegetarian Tali (meal set) and they are located in front of the night market, near the sea, in the very center.

The week-end night market Tamarind (see on Google Map) has a lot of stands with food. It is fun to eat here and watch the live music.

The food court in the expatriate zone has many stands with food at cheap price. It is called Chang Market. See location on a Google Map.

There are several Italian restaurants in town, with an authentic Italian owner. The prices are high and in my opinion they are less good than the Italian restaurants that I experienced in other towns in Thailand and in Vietnam. Among the Italian restaurants : Pizza da Roberto and Pizza Garden.
.

In the 2 main malls, there are a lot of restaurants. Market Village and Blueport Hua-Hin.

A vegan restaurant in the town center. Hua Hin Vegan.

Some of the dishes are good, some less. The tomato sauce need improvement.

There is a Thai chain called The Baguette and they have a branch in Hua Hin and in the suburbs of Hua Hin.

They have mainly pastries but also food. I ate here a good minestrone soup (veg).

Continue to Page 2 – What to Visit in Hua Hin ?

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