Hua Hin

Understand

Popularised as a resort in the early 1920s by King Prajadhipok, Hua Hin is closely associated with the Thai royal family and is a quiet and relaxing seaside resort ideal for family vacation. Until 1934, it was known as Samore Riang (สมอเรียง), or 'rows of rocks'. The fishing village was turned into a royal resort and consequently became popular among Siam's nobility and upper classes. In 1928, Prajadhipok built his Klai Kangwon ('far from worries') Palace. As of 2020, Klai Kangwon is a little-used summer residence of the king and is not open for visitors, although the outer palace grounds are open for walkers and joggers from 16:00 to 19:00 daily (wear shoes, have sleeved shirts that cover at least your upper arms and bring your passport). The six kilometre-long beach is pretty and relatively clean, more so than Pattaya's, and the cleanliness of the sea is rated "fair". Most of the beach can completely disappear along certain parts of the coast during high tide. Besides just sunbathing, snorkelling and swimming, visitors can also enjoy golf, spas, caves, peaks, waterfalls, shops, seafood, and nearby national parks. The town is clean, friendly, and laid-back, making it ideal for families and couples. Tourist information can be found from the corner of Petchkasem Rd and Damnerkasem Rd (Soi 76), quite close to the railway station. There is also a tourist information centre near the clock tower in the centre of town, which is right next to a Starbucks for those of you requiring a caffeine fix. This is also where many minivans stop to offload and pick up passengers, even though it is not the official bus station, and consequently is an easy place to find a motorcycle taxi or tuk-tuk. The town of Hua Hin cannot be called scenic. Aside from the beach, the grounds of posh hotels, and the several blocks west of the Hilton Hotel, there is no place to stroll in Hua Hin. The town lacks a central square or focal point. Like most Thai towns, Hua Hin is a nightmare for pedestrians

Getting there

By train Arriving by train is convenient, but often slower compared to buses. There's up to ten daily departures from Bangkok with a journey time of about four hours. Almost all trains heading south from Bangkok stops in Hua Hin. Ticket price is around 100 baht for express trains and 50 bath for slower ordinary trains.

1 Hua Hin railway station (Just west of city centre). (updated Nov 2021) 2 Nong Kae railway station. Smaller station in the southern part of the city, only a limited number of ordinary trains calls here. (updated Nov 2021)

By bus The main (BKS) bus station is south of the centre of town on Phetkasem Rd just south of Soi 96. This is some three kilometres south of town centre. A tuk-tuk there costs ~180 baht, motorcycle taxi from the Hilton Hotel area, 60 baht. This bus station is for conventional buses which go to Ubon, Korat, Chiang Mai (850 baht), Surat Thani, Phuket, and points further south. The government bus company (BKS) ticket office is open daily from 06:00-24:00. Coaches from Hua Hin to Pattaya and Suvarnabhumi Airport operated by the Roong Reuang Coach Company depart from the Roong Reuang Coach Terminal (March 2020). The terminal is seven kilometres north of town centre, near the Hua Hin Airport on the sea side of Phetkasem Road. Local, non-air conditioned buses to Pranburi (25 km) depart from the road adjacent to the fresh market in town center. BKS buses go to the BKS Station near Soi 96 on Phetkasem. Stop the bus at any point prior to this if you want to get off. The clock tower on the left (coming from Bangkok) is the effective town "centre" (keep your eyes open as it is easy to miss).

Bangkok to Hua Hin. From Bangkok: regular buses to Hua Hin leave from the Sai Tai Mai terminal and take around 3½ hr. The price (1st class) is under 200 baht. From BKK to Hua Hin, regular bus departures: 07:30; 09:30; 13:30; 16:30; 18:30. You can also take mini-vans at the station. The price is 180 bhat. Ticketing/boarding location: at Hua Hin Cou

Getting around

Most visitors rely on the regular green songthaews that run up and down Phetkasem Road all day at about 10-minute intervals. Fare is 10 baht. Their northern terminus is the fresh market in town centre; in the south they turn about in Khao Takiap. Songthaews service Phetkasem north of the central market, but with less frequency. There are many motorcycle taxis and tuk-tuks, fewer car taxis. Negotiate prices beforehand. You will not get a tuk-tuk for less than 100 baht over any distance (unless you are lucky) if you are a Western tourist. Settle on a price before hiring. You may also be able to find samlors (rickshaws) in town centre. Alternatively, you can use Grab for car taxi and motorcycle taxi. Motorcycle rentals are readily available, for 150-200 baht per day, seasonally variable. Hua Hin is flat, and bicycling is a good way to get around. Rentals are available, also from hotels, but are not as prevalent as motorbikes (you can rent bicycles at the entrance of the Hua Hin beach.

13 EV charging station, Hua Hin Provincial Electricity Authority, 2/7 Phet Kasem Rd (a couple of hundred metres S of Bangkok Hospital, inland side of road; the charger is about 100 meters straight through the front gate, on the right side), ☏ +66 32 512 215. Open 24/7. If you have hired an electric vehicle you will find that charging stations are uncommon. There is one here. It's an ABB charger with Menekes Type 2 plug, CHAdeMO, and CCS, all non-networked. There is also a dual home-style outlet for 230 V AC charging. Free. (updated Nov 2017) 4 EV Charging Station Chocolate Factory (Hua Hin Soi 65). An unlikely place for an electric vehicle charging station, but there is one here. Centrally located. (updated Jul 2020)

See

There is only one, long beach: Hua Hin Beach (ชายหาดหัวหิน Hat Hua Hin). This runs from the Hilton Hotel six kilometres south to a headland where a Buddhist temple clings to the rocks. Fine white sand, resort hotels and many water sports opportunities lend the resort its distinctive ambiance. At the south end of town, the hill of Khao Takiab interrupts the beach. On the other side is a lovely swimming beach with a view of Khao Takiab's south face. Just a little further on, Suan Son Beach is owned by the Thai army but is open to the public. Notable for the tropical sea pines lining the shore. Parts of the beach closer to the town may have greenish water, in this case continue walking down the beach where the water appears cleaner. There is an ample supply of deck chairs along the beach, although many places charge around 100 baht for their hire. Deck chairs that are part of a beachside cafe may be free, on the assumption that you will buy food or drink. Some entrances to the beach are controlled by hotels—what looks like a road to the beach on a map might really be a hotel's private driveway.

Hua Hin Arts and Crafts Centre (ศูนย์ศิลปหัตถกรรมหัวหิน) (Naepkhehat Road). Daily 11:00–18:30. It has a collection and exhibition of works of contemporary Thai artis