Why I love Hua Hin
First, let me declare my cards. I love Thailand, the people, the food, the culture, the mix of the most beautiful scenery, chaotic streets, ramshackle towns, and of course the pace of life here. Hence, it’s no surprise that one of my favourite places to totally relax and unwind is in this beautiful country.
This is my fourth time to Hua Hin, and the last trip was for three months, and my current trip will end up being around two months, clearly I enjoy it. So why do I keep coming back? Let’s start with a bit of basic information. Hua Hin is a seaside town, on the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. It takes three to four hours by car (a little longer by train) to get down here from Bangkok, traffic pending. With a population of approximately 65,000, it’s a great size for offering plenty to, whilst not feeling too big or busy.
Hua Hin is predominantly a destination for Thai tourists, a popular spot for the middle class of Bangkok to spend the weekend or longer, away from the city, by the sea. It also attracts a lot of western retiree’s, looking for a better life than their dollars (or pounds/euro’s) can buy in their home countries. Because of this history of Thai focussed tourism, Hua Hin feels a lot less touristy than some other more popular destination on the usual hit list for westerners. There is far less of the duff duff beach clubs and late-night bars attracting the backpacker dollar or the upmarket restaurants and Instragramable cocktail bars of the more flash packer crowd.
Hua Hin is a big enough city to cater for everything you could need, but not so big there is any need to rush, or queue or book ahead for your adventures. The vibe is more relaxed, family orientated and low key. Which suits my husband and I perfectly. If you’re looking for big ticket tourist sites to fill your itinerary, do not rush to Hua Hin. But if you’d prefer wandering around back streets, exploring local markets, strolling on the beach and stumbling onto little gem restaurants or picturesque views, without any of the guilt about the important Wat, museum or cultural site you “should” make time for, maybe this town should be on your to visit list.
What does Hua Hin actually have to offer, you may ask.
Markets:
There are more markets in Hua Hin than you can actually poke a stick at. From the always popular Night Market of the main street, filled with street food, clothing, souvenir and local art stalls, lined with restaurants and a couple of laid back bars. To the very local “Tuesday” market, catering mostly for the locals, looking for fresh food and a quick, cheap dinner. Hua Hin has you covered.
My husband and I love Baan Hhun Por market, it has great food, great atmosphere, live music and is always busy and very well priced. It has become a little more western than when we first visited a few years ago but still has lots of great Thai food and loads of families, groups and couples enjoying a night out, giving it a wonderful, fun and relaxed feel.
The more touristy markets of Cicada and Tamarind at the far end of town, are also lovely. Great food, live music and Cicada also offers an art market, with lots of local artists selling their wears, including handmade clothes, jewellery and art.
There is also of course the local fresh food market, Chatchai Market, open every morning at around 5am. Even if you’re not up for sampling the fresh fruit and vegetables or braving selecting your meat and fish from the butchers armed with huge cleavers, it’s a great place for a wander. The variety is incredible and everything is so fresh. I can highly recommend the pineapples, grown locally, they are the sweetest pineapples I’ve ever tasted. But be wary of the fresh curry paste, it is not for the faint hearted!
Restaurants
If you’re after a more restaurant vibe, Hua Hin has a lot of great choices. Not so many high end options, but loads of really great local restaurants, with such great quality seafood and fresh produce, there is no excuse for bad food here. The night market is full of options and the fishing piers (scheduled to be knocked down as I write) are a beautiful location to eat the seafood straight of the fishing boats that head out of the area every night. There are also plenty of restaurants up and down the main road and in every back street around town. Anywhere that is busy pretty much hasn’t let us down.
Beaches
For those who want to relax by the ocean, Hua Hin has you covered. There are beach hotels and Airbnb’s all the way up and down the 6km Hua Hin beach. But if your budget doesn’t stretch to beach side prices, don’t worry. There is easy beach access every few 100 metres, the sand is soft and clean and there are options to rent a beach lounge if you’d prefer that, at locations all along the beach. Most hotels also have pretty nice pools, so you won’t want for somewhere to dip your toes in. There are also plenty of spots perfect for a late afternoon beer (or beverage of your choice), sitting in the sand and being mesmerised by the ocean. We’ve spent some delightful hours watching people enjoying a swim or stroll in the cooler weather of the afternoon, as well as the dogs and horses running up and down the waters edge.
Whilst I’ve certainly seen more picturesque beaches (I am Australian), Hua Hin beach is peaceful, clean and great for swimming, a paddle board or kite surfing, but not all recommended for surfing. If you prefer your swim sedate and not battling the big waves, this is the perfect spot.
Outdoor activities and Fitness
There’s a great amount of fitness options around town, including multiple Yoga studio’s, gyms, Muay Thai gyms and the recently upgraded footpaths make a morning run a breeze (if you can cope with the heat and humidity).
If you’re a golf fan, you’ve probably already heard of the multiple golf courses around the area, totaling 6 within a 10k radius of the city centre. With some really highly rated courses and some less rated but with ocean views, there really is enough to keep the golf nuts busy. There are also some nice little hike options in the area, should that be more your speed.
Shopping
The final thing I love about Hua Hin is that amenities. There are two decent sized shopping centres in town, that supply pretty much everything you need. These are not places to while away a day in fancy boutiques, but if you need to source something to make your stay better, they’ve got you covered. The food court in Market Village is also excellent, and our regular cheap lunch spot.
Hua Hin has become one of my absolutely favourite places to come in Thailand, for a perfectly relaxing, culinary and stress-free trip.