Holidays in Hua Hin, Thailand. Hua Hin is a great option for wintering in Thailand! Vacation prices

Hua Hin is a city 150 km south of Bangkok. Hua Hin is an ennobled royal resort, there are few Russian tourists here, the sea is cleaner than in Pattaya, and Hua Hin also has a large selection of accommodation. We saw Hua Hin from different sides and today we will write our reviews, talk about the positive and negative qualities of the resort.

Hua Hin: reviews and our observations

The first thing that catches your eye is that Hua Hin is a really clean city. There are no heaps of garbage lying on the streets. There are no foul odors in the air. During all this time the rat was seen only once. There are sidewalks in the central areas of the city, but not everywhere. For example, walking here with a stroller will be inconvenient, because sometimes it was difficult to walk on the roads on foot, dodging cars and avoiding bikes.

Hotels in Hua Hin

• Wansabai Place
• Hua Hin Star Hotel
• Smile Hua-Hin Resort
• Centara Grand Beach Resort
• Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa

All hotels in Hua Hin

Traffic jams in Hua Hin

The second thing you immediately notice is the traffic jams. During rush hours, in the morning and evening, the central Pechkasem Road is completely jammed, and the rest of the streets are filled with cars and motorbikes. Especially on weekends and holidays. This is some kind of mix of Moscow traffic jams and Vietnamese mopeds. Feels like you're in Ho Chi Minh City, not Thailand

• Read:

Being a pedestrian in XX is not very convenient, but sometimes it’s better than wasting time in traffic jams

There are more cars than motorbikes

The number of cars in the city is clearly off the charts. It's unusual to see this in Thailand. We only observed this non-standard ratio of cars and bikes in Bangkok, but Bangkok is adapted for car traffic, there are wide streets and overpasses. And the narrow streets of Hua Hin were not designed for such chaotic traffic traffic, where two cars on opposite courses could not pass each other.

• Car rental in Hua Hin >

Does Hua Hin have public transport?

There are several songthaew routes running around the city. The most popular are the green Airport-Takiab songthaews, which run along Pechkasem Road through the entire city. Travel prices are reasonable - 10 baht during the day and 15 baht after 7 pm. Read more about minibuses in the article:

Beaches of Hua Hin

The next point I would like to highlight is the beach, which we were very pleased with. We expected the worst, but again our expectations were not met. I won’t say that it is spotlessly clean, but even the most picky people will find the sand and water quite suitable. The beach is much better than in Pattaya. Read more in the article:

• About city beaches:
• About the beach outside the city:

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience in this article

What to see in Hua Hin: attractions we visited

There are not many attractions and entertainment in the twentieth century. We visited some of them. We started from the railway station, then went to the Takiab Monkey Mountain, by the way, there is a good observation deck. We visited the Venice complex, where we saw a museum of 3D paintings. We also went to the observation deck. Read more about each place in the relevant articles:

View of the coast from Kao side Takiab

Renting a home

It is not clear why, but in Hua Hin the cost of rental housing is 2 times higher than in Bangkok or Pattaya. If in Pattaya you can live in a condo near the sea for 10-15 thousand baht, then in Hua Hin prices for housing of the same level start from 25 thousand baht. When renting for a long time, almost nowhere do they offer a discount. Renting a house is cheaper than renting an apartment. Also, most condominiums are rented only through agencies; apartments are not rented out at the reception. More information about finding housing in Hua Hin:

There are few Russians in Hua Hin

For those who, for their own reasons, do not want to live and relax surrounded by compatriots, Hua Hin is perfect place. There are very few Russians here. We heard Russian speech only on the third day of our stay, when we went to. And we saw only one Russian cafe, and it wasn’t working.

Mostly Russians in Hua Hin are winterers and other “long-livers” who have moved. The main audience is Europeans, wealthy Thais from Bangkok and the Chinese, where would we be without them.

Food in Hua Hin: shops, cafes, restaurants and bars for every taste

In the center of Hua Hin there are many European establishments, cozy bars and restaurants. Also in the center you can find no less mid-level cafes for locals and tourists. There are also some really trashy, dirty eateries just for locals. And, of course, there are makashnitsa, there are especially many of them in the evening, when the heat subsides. As a last resort, you can always eat at 7-Eleven. You definitely won’t remain hungry in the twentieth century.

Food in such cafes is quite inexpensive for locals


I eat soup with shrimp for 40 baht ($1.2)

Not many trannies and “old farangs” with Thais

Contrary to our expectations, anxious grandfathers with their Thai “fairies” do not sit in Hua Hin catering establishments. Although, such couples also take place, but, rather, at a later time, when the local Walking Street and other red light streets begin their work. One of these streets of “love” is located not far from, and we have already walked along it several times. This street is 10 times smaller than Pattaya, and not so depraved. There are minimal trannies, and night butterflies modestly sit in bars and wait for clients.

• Read also:

Safety

If Pattaya can be called a city of the young and energetic, then life in Hua Hin will be, on the contrary, measured and unhurried. There is less drinking, partying, debauchery and swagger, and the audience is more decent. All this gives the resort the title of almost the most safe city all over Thailand.

• Read:

In the 20th century, I didn’t feel the celebration of life that exists in Pattaya or the tireless and vibrant rhythm of Bangkok

It’s like being at a recreation center, where you come for 3 days to relax in peace, and then you want to go home again. That's how it is with us Hua Hin. And everything seems to be there for life here, with the exception of some peculiarities (and they exist in any city), but still the soul now asks for something else.

Features of Hua Hin

• Road congestion, more cars than bikes
• Increased cost of rental housing. Renting a house is cheaper than renting an apartment
• Horses on the beach
• There is little street food in non-central areas. Makashnitsa are only on the main streets, but if you go a little further inland, it is extremely difficult to find a mobile cart. For example, from our first one we walked to Market Village and did not find a single makashnitsa.
• People in Hua Hin love cats. If in other cities of Thailand there are dogs roaming the streets, then in Hua Hin there are cats in the same numbers, but there are almost no dogs.

Hua Hin (Hua Hin) is great place for holidays in Thailand. Consider beaches, hotels, attractions and prices for vacations.

How to get to the resort

If you purchase a bus ticket from Bangkok South Terminal to travel to Hua resort Hin, then in a little less than 4 hours, he will take you to this blessed place. And it is significant if only because here you can observe with your own eyes the life of Thai fishermen, without carving out time specifically for this purpose. The resort is designed in such a way that there is also a fishing port on its territory. The king himself, a century ago, chose this place to relax and called it a place far from worries. Buses go to Hua Hin almost all daylight hours at 20-minute intervals. Tickets can be purchased for buses of different comfort classes.

If you have a budget vacation option, then a 3rd class bus with air conditioning is just what will allow you to relax economically. You can also get there by minivan, but it will be more expensive. But the plane will take you to the resort in just half an hour and allow you to see the beauty of this place from above. And there is something to look at and be surprised at. And the holes into which a small airplane can fall will be quickly forgotten ( large planes due to the fact that the distance is very small - about 300 km, they do not fly here). Private flight cost aircraft approximately the same as a trip to Hua Hin by taxi and is about 3,000 baht.

Beaches of Hua Hin

City Beach

The most beautiful beach Hua Hin is considered a city beach separated from the fishing port by cliffs.

Snow-white sand, gently sloping shore, pure water, freedom for children and the opportunity for them to stay in the water on the shallows - only this can encourage tourists to visit this beautiful beach.

Hat Khao Tao Beach

And next to the city beach is Hat Khao Tao Beach. It is more secluded than a city one, and tourists who prefer peace and quiet like to relax there.

Cha-Am Beach

It offers its guests a variety of water attractions and entertainment on the water. It stretches along the jungle and mountains for such a length that it is considered one of the longest in the country. Silence and solitude accompany everyone who visits it.

Hua Hin Beach

If you want to sit in a chic restaurant, or you are staying in an expensive luxury hotel, then Hua Hin Beach awaits you. It is located next to expensive hotels and restaurants. At the edge of the beach there is a rock cliff from which it gets its name.

Pranburi Beach

And for tourists vacationing on budget option, Pranburi Beach is suitable. It is comfortable and quiet. Located 30 kilometers from the center of Hua Hin, close to national park. There are also several calm beaches located in the bays where people mainly relax local residents. But it is also convenient for guests there, but only for those who like to relax and enjoy peace and quiet.

Sights of Hua Hin

The attractions of Hua Hin include railway station. This building is the oldest in the country, and the anna was erected by order of King Rama Vl of Siam. The architecture of the station is so unique and built taking into account all Thai traditions that it is impossible to understand it right away. Particularly gorgeous Royal Hall. Summer royal palace, erected by order of the king at the beginning of the last century, amazes with its beauty. All 3 palaces have sea views and currently serve as the royal summer residence. National Park, in the jungle of which there are waterfalls, caves, and monkeys...

The waterfalls are so beautiful that it is impossible not to look at this wonder of nature. Although one of them is located right in the jungle, it can be reached by trekking. All kinds of birds of different colors will surprise you with their diversity. The second attraction of Hua Hin is the Buddha statue on a hill located 4 km from the city. There is also a Buddhist temple with an observation deck, which offers wonderful views of the surrounding area. For those tourists who decide to touch everything with their own hands and taste spicy Thai dishes, it won’t hurt to go to night market. This is where all the abundance of flavors is concentrated, from drinks to ice cream.

Vacation prices

As throughout Thailand, holidays in Hua Hin are divided into three categories. It's the rainy season, cool and also hot.

The most successful season, of course, is from the beginning of December to the end of March. But in Hua Hin this is the season of expensive, and even very, vacation.

When purchasing a tour to a five-star hotel during this period, you will have to spend a fairly large amount, in the range of 100-150 thousand rubles. If you buy a tour in a good place, not so good expensive hotel, for example, Thipurai City Hotel, then you can get by with an amount 2 times less. Tourists planning to visit Hua Hin should not neglect their holidays during the rainy season. That’s just what it’s called, but it rains at night and for no more than an hour.

Travel costs can be reduced significantly. And you can purchase a last-minute tour after preparing for the tour in advance. And it will cost a minimal amount, and the holiday will be great at any time of the year. The only thing is that there are jellyfish on the beaches during the rainy season. But this is not such a misfortune, because of which you can refuse a cheap trip to the country of exoticism and dreams. The price of the trip will depend entirely on preferences and capabilities. Therefore, everyone decides for themselves.

Main excursions

There are quite a lot of excursions offered in Hua Hin, to suit different tastes and budgets.

Sightseeing tour

If you decide to see everything at once, buy a ticket for sightseeing tour. Here you will be offered a trip with a tour of the royal residences, a national park, a railway station, an overview from observation deck near the Buddha Temple, where you can also see the statue of the Goddess of Mercy and buy handmade silk souvenirs. The only thing is that the time spent at each place is limited.

Excursion to the National Park

It will take the whole day, but there will be a lot of impressions. You can take a boat ride around, visit the mangroves, contemplate birds with colorful plumage along with a huge number of butterflies, visit a cave, and see Khao Dang Mountain. Isn't it worth spending time and money on this?!

Excursion to a dance show

Dinner at a restaurant where you will be offered not only exotic dishes, but also an amazing dance show. And keep in mind, not only will you be able to see this, but also hear the history of national dances. And this is worth a lot.

Excursion to the vineyards

You can also taste Thai wine in the vineyards if you go on an excursion to the Wat Huai temple. Here is the symbolic gateway to the south of Thailand. If you like the wine, you will be immediately offered to buy it. And the quality of Thai wines was highly appreciated by professionals.

Weather at the resort

Hua Hin is ready to receive guests all year round, fortunately the weather is favorable for this. The hottest month is May. But in winter, when we have frost and snow, it’s just wonderful there. But sometimes there are winds. And if there is wind, then it can be quite big waves. The weather is also good during the rainy season. The air is warmed up to + 30, the sea is just waiting for swimmers, and if it rains at night, it’s still night. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Hua Hin Hotels

Baan Talay Chine Boutique Resort Hotel

This hotel is probably the best in Hua Hin. Luxurious, located in the garden, it offers guests villas with swimming pools, one and two-room apartments, service at the highest level. It is located next to expensive restaurants. All rooms are furnished with Chinese furniture, TV and all the attributes modern life. You can invite massage therapists and take advantage of room delivery services for lunch and dinner. You can also play golf on site. The horses will also be happy to take you around the surrounding area.

Asara Villa & Suite Hotel

This 5 star hotel is located right next to Hua Hin Beach. It has about 100 rooms, furnished with wooden furniture and 21st century appliances.

• spa
• spa pool
• massage room
• 5 restaurants

Each room has a terrace with sea or garden views. Canoes are available for vacationers to ride in the bay. The chefs also offer European cuisine.

G.House

This hotel is designed for tourists with modest incomes. But even a rich person is not ashamed to stay there. The staff offers a variety of recreation options. The rooms have refrigerators, television, and bathrooms. Here you can use Internet services, luggage storage, and safes. Everything is ready for a comfortable stay in the rooms. Tourists do not come to spend all their time in a hotel.

But I would like to visit it. And the first question is where is Hua Hin and how to get to it from Bangkok or other places in Thailand?
We share the most convenient, low-cost options that are affordable and affordable.

Where is Hua Hin?

Rarely does a city in Thailand boast such a favorable, convenient location for tourists and developed transport infrastructure, like Hua Hin. The city stretches along the federal highway - just 220 kilometers from the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand.
See the location of Hua Hin on, as well as on the Google map:

The Royal Resort's proximity to Bangkok gives it many advantages, including transport. To exaggerate slightly, we can say that all roads lead to Hua Hin: roads, railways, and until recently, also air. True, the flights have now been cancelled, apparently as unnecessary.

So, how to get to Hua Hin from Bangkok?

Minibus from Bangkok to Hua Hin

One of the convenient options is regular minibus from Victory Monument.
Since October 2016, all minibuses departing to Hua Hin have been moved to.

Victory Monument

The bus station, located next to Victory Monument BTS Station, is very easy to reach from anywhere in Bangkok. Along the entire perimeter of the square there are parking lots of mini-buses that go to different cities Thailand. Bangkok-Hua Hin buses are located to the left of the metro exit. However, it’s better to ask - they will definitely tell you.
Flights to Hua Hin are every half hour, from 5 am to 7 pm. The fare is 180 baht. But travel time depends on many factors: traffic jams, the driver’s efficiency, the presence or absence of stops for lunch, toilet, gas station. We got there for 2.5 hours, and almost for 4 .
In Hua Hin, the minibus arrives at a small station in Soi 72, a five-minute walk from the city center.

Minibus tickets can be purchased upon departure, or in advance, from the 12GoAsia website - for the same 180 baht.

By the way. You can also get to the capital from Bangkok to Hua Hin, but we have never used this option: it’s too inconvenient.

Bus to Hua Hin from the airport

Comfortable bus from Bangkok airport to Hua Hin

If you intend to immediately go to Hua Hin upon arrival in Thailand, without a break, there is a very convenient, hassle-free way. By bus from international airport Suvarnabhumi.
The bus leaves from exit No. 8 (this is the first floor). Does it in a day seven flights: at 07.30, 09.30, 11.30, 13.30, 15.00, 16.30, 19.30. The schedule, however, may change, so it’s better to check the information; you can buy tickets in advance on this website.
The fare is about 300 baht. Travel time is from 3 to 4 hours. In Hua Hin, the bass arrives at the bus station in Soi 96/1 (this is near the center and Market Village).
I note that buses from the airport are much more comfortable than minibuses.

Train at Hua Hin station

How to get to Hua Hin by train

Another nice form of transport to Hua Hin is a train or electric train. By train you can come from Bangkok or, for example, from Surat Thani, and therefore from Phuket, Samui, Phangan, Krabi, if with a transfer.
Travel around railway has both pros and cons. So, getting from Bangkok by train to Hua Hin is not very convenient, it takes too long. The stated travel time is about 5 hours. But from personal experience We know: trains in Thailand - with rare exceptions - have a habit of being late. Once we got from Phetchaburi to Hua Hin instead of one hour - more than four!
However, if you are heading to the Royal Resort from the south of Thailand, then the best way You can't imagine anything better than a sleeping car on a train.
Here are our impressions of a trip on a Thai train - albeit in the opposite direction:

Railway station - business card Hua Hina. The building is like a toy, and the coffee from the road is very good. Nearby, on the highway, taxi drivers and bikers are on duty around the clock. They will take you anywhere in the city at any time.

Railway station in Hua Hin

And next to it is the Royal Waiting Room.

Royal Pavilion

Hua Hin boasts own airport. There was a time when planes flew here from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport. But now the flights have been cancelled.

Our reader Sergey Malinin talks about Hua Hin, one of his favorite cities in Thailand. Europeans love this resort very much, but Russian tourists pay much less attention to it than to Pattaya or Phuket. And in vain!

Hua Hin is a city on the Gulf of Thailand three hours' drive south of Bangkok. Like many cities in Thailand located on the sea coast, Hua Hin is tourist center with thousands of tourists. But from others beach resorts country, it is noticeably different: Thais consider it almost the most bohemian vacation spot in the kingdom.

About Hua Hin and the Thais' love for everything European

I came to Hua Hin with Koh Samui(more information about this island and its beaches is on my website Turpotok.com). And the first thing I noticed the difference between the resorts was Unusual traffic order for Thailand: traffic lights are installed at intersections, traffic flows in an orderly manner, without chaotic lane changes, and on some streets there are even traffic controllers. This is not typical for a country where people drive illegally traffic, but according to unwritten laws. And it’s quite surprising that there are practically no muck shops on the city streets(mobile carts on which street food is prepared and sold). Usually the roadsides in Thailand are filled with these carts, but in Hua Hin they are very rare.

Hua Hin is the most civilized resort Thailand. This catches your eye as soon as you enter this city.

The second thing that distinguishes Hua Hin from most cities is the atmosphere: the famous Thai disobedience and indifference are less common here, V tourist areas much less unbridledness. In Hua Hin, morals are somehow stricter and in general the atmosphere is more cultural, I would say.

Thirdly, there is a noticeable imitation of European style in the city, especially in façade design and decoration shopping centers. This is also quite unusual for Thailand. As a rule, urban architecture in the kingdom is monotonous and nondescript, and the buildings look neglected.

But this is still Thailand. Therefore, along with order on the roads here, bikers without helmets and advertising of strong alcohol coexist.

All these features have a logical explanation: Hua Hin is summer residence King of Thailand. Hence the order in the city and attempts to decorate it according to their privileged status. The king once chose this city because of the climate: the heat is easier to bear in Hua Hin. Following the king, his close associates and nobles began to come here to rest. The city turned into a resort for wealthy gentlemen. This aristocracy is still felt today.

Imitation of the European style arose in Thailand even earlier: about 150 years ago, the then king studied in Europe, from where he came with the appropriate manners and tastes. At first he forcibly planted new culture in their native country, and subsequently everything European began to be perceived as a certain standard of style and beauty. Something similar was observed in Russia during the time of Pushkin, when “French” was synonymous with “beautiful”. It is difficult for me to judge whether modern Thais have the same reverence for European style as their ancestors, but they do not hide their curiosity and sympathy: many times I have seen them enthusiastically take pictures with a Christmas tree or, for example, against the background of buildings in Greek style.

Hua Hin has become so “European” that a small “branch” of the famous one was built in the vicinity of the city.

In the second half of the last century, reviews of Hua Hin as the most “Europeanized” resort in Thailand reached Europe. Tourists from the Old World flocked here in droves: some for vacation, some for the winter, and for many Hua Hin became a new home. Residents especially loved this city Northern Europe, and the Hua Hin suburb of Cha Am is considered a branch of Scandinavia. It is not surprising that renting and selling housing (both condos and private houses) in Hua Hin and Cha Am is considered a very profitable job, which everyone here is trying to do.

Summary: my reviews about Hua Hin and general impressions of the city

Hua Hin is truly an unusual resort by Thai standards: unusually civilized and culturally developed. The beaches there, of course, cannot be compared with those on the island, but on the other hand, they are much better than. But the city has something to compensate for the insufficiently picturesque coastline: there are enough natural and man-made attractions for two weeks of eventful and varied recreation. So I would recommend the city to those who don’t like to lie on the beach all day, but prefer educational excursions, trips around picturesque places, hiking outdoors, hiking to waterfalls and caves.