Hua Hin Attractions
There is not an abundance of major attractions and sights in Hua Hin itself, but still enough to spice up your beach holiday with memorable experiences.
- See AbbreviationFinder for commonly used abbreviation of city Hua Hin, Thailand. Also includes meanings of the same acronym.
Hua Hin Railway Station
It is not often we put the destination train station under attractions, and together with the Central Station in Milan and Central Station in New York, Hua Hin’s famous railway station is one of the rarities. It was built under the rule of King Rama VI and is one of the oldest railway stations in Thailand. The royal waiting room is very eye-catching and the architecture shows you some of the most beautiful and authentic from Thailand. Address Damnerkasem Road and Liab Tang Rod Fai Road.
Pone Kingpetch statues
In Pone Kingpetch Park you will find the statue of Thailand’s first professional boxing champion, Pone Kingpetch. He is highly esteemed in Thailand, and not least in Hua Hin since he was born here on February 12, 1935. Pone Kingpetch died in 1982, but the memories of his achievements live on and Hua Hin’s inhabitants remember him by the statue. The address is Damnerkasem Road, not far from the Railway Station.
Luang Phor Tuad statues
18 kilometers west of Hua Hin city center you are in beautiful scenery and in a sacred area. Here is the Huay Mongkol Temple where Thailand’s largest Buddha statue of Luang Phor Tuad is located. Luang Phor Tuad was a legendary monk from southern Thailand who often brought miracles with him. By the way, the temple area is a great recreation area for visitors.
Khao Hin Lek Fai
Not far from Hua Hin Railway Station you will find a small mountain (162 meters above sea level). It is called Khao Hin Lek Fai or Khao Radar in the common people. At the top you will find the statue of King Rama VII, four observation stations and beautiful scenery. Only 2 kilometers from the city center and you have a view over Hua Hin. Best time for visit is in the morning or afternoon.
Track Sillapin
Many people dream about Thai silk and only 5 kilometers from Hua Hin lies Baan Sillapin, a cooperative that shows and sells traditional and modern craftsmanship of Thai silk. But here are also Asian antiques, beautiful gardens with small pavilions and various other art exhibitions. Occasionally there will be activities for the children here as well. Address 81 Moo 14, Hua Hin-Paøa-U Road.
Night market
By the street Petchasem Raod in the center of Hua Hin is the city’s popular night market. Here you can buy most of the souvenirs, music, movies and clothes. But first and foremost, the night market is great when it comes to food. Be it meat, fish, fruit or vegetables. Wonderful ingredients that tempt both locals and our visitors.
Hua Hin Tourist
At the time of writing, Hua Hin has around 40000 inhabitants, but this doubles during the peak season from December to March. If you travel to Hua Hin during the summer holidays, the atmosphere is more relaxed. International hotel chains and resort chains such as Hilton and Sofitel have made their entry, and fast-food restaurants, German beers and Irish pubs are helping Hua Hin lose some of its Asian flavor. Those of us who think that the day is not the same without, will buy yesterday’s VG and Dagbladet for the neat sum of 27 kr more places in the city. In a couple of lively downtown streets, the bars are close by, and most do not close until the latter decides to find the way home.
Nevertheless, Hua Hin is a pleasant acquaintance for most people, and it cannot be compared to the more exuberant nightlife that you find in places like Phuket and Pattaya, where even a Norwegian stag team on the Danish boat would feel completely overrun. We actually experienced Hua Hin as very charming for both young and old. Of course, the most important thing for many tourists is the bathing water. This has become very clean to be in this part of the Bangkok Gulf, thanks to a new sewage treatment plant.
The beaches of Hua Hin
The beaches are great outside of the rainy season in June-October. This does not mean that Hua Hin cannot be visited during the rainy season. This is a year-round destination, and even in the rainy season it is mostly nice weather. And a rain shower in the afternoon can be very welcome, believe us!
The main beach is about two kilometers long, with several large pebbles breaking the waves here and there. The beach in Hua Hin was awarded 4 stars for its water quality in 2008, making it the second best in Thailand.
You don’t necessarily have to find a hotel in Hua Hin itself. All the way from Hua Hin to Cha-am there are beach hotels. Many of these are considerably quieter and more child-friendly than in the city itself and generally maintain a very high quality. And the communication to and from Hua Hin city center is brilliant, both because of the hotel’s transport services and the fact that taxis are very affordable.
If you do not live in a beach hotel, do not worry. Everywhere there are beach chairs and umbrellas you can rent for a cheap money, especially if you order food and drinks. Plenty of salespeople also pass by and offer sunglasses, sunscreen, raster braids, bracelets, beverages, seafood, tattoos, hammocks or blankets, but without being so insistent as many other countries. In Thailand, most people manage to accept a polite No, or Mâi châi.
The beach area and Naresdamri Road
Hua Hin is not a big city and you quickly get to know the city. In fact, Hua Hin encourages to go exploring at random. It should be done well to get lost. The danger is probably greater that you end up in a pub or shop, and stay there. The town naturally follows the beach and the street Naresdamri Road is what we can almost call a boardwalk. It goes from the Fishing Pier north of the city past the Hilton Hotel landmark before crossing Damnern Kasem Road, just off the Sofitel Hotel. Along the beach are a variety of dining options. Many are just so cozy with exciting and good seafood on the menu. There are also several other types of restaurants around the Hilton Hotel, both Italian, Scandinavian and American.
There is also a golf club in this area, as well as Thai boxing arenas and many side streets with more or less nice bars and nightclubs, night bazaars and eateries.
Damner Kasem Road
Damnern Kasem Road will take you to Hua Hin’s famous railway station. On the road you cross Petchakasem Road, which is the city’s main street. The train station is at the end of Damnern Kasem Road. Here is also a park area as well as the mountain Hin Lek Fai where you who go up to the top are rewarded with great views of Hua Hin. If you walk along the railway on the Liab Tang Rod Fai road, you will, among other things, pass the Night Market before you end up at the bus terminal which has, inter alia, express buses to Bangkok.
Petchakasem Road
If you turn off Damnerkasem Road to the right and follow Petchakasem north, you will first pass the main temple area of Hua Hin before you reach the second landmark, the Clock Tower. It is in no way comparable to Big Ben in London, but is a good meeting place for those coming from the Bazaar area east of the city or the Night Market from the northwest. The night market is located at the intersection of Petchakasem Road and Decha Nuchit Road, not far from the Clock Tower.
Hua Hin may not be Thailand’s cheapest resort, but it is quite possible to find a central double room with air conditioning, bathroom and fridge for around $ 150 a night in low season, something more in high season. A satisfying dinner with drinks at a restaurant is around 40-50 kroner, and Hua Hin also has some of Asia’s best golf courses.
The tourist life of Hua Hin
Hua Hin is not the city you visit primarily for cultural reasons. Of course, Hua Hin can’t compare to the gigantic artwork of some temples you can see in Bangkok. But the bathing suits get both in the bag and the bag. Nice beaches, good hotels, enough sights to fill with impressions and not least short distances to wonderful excursions, whether it is for Bangkok city life or memorable nature experiences.
Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park 40 kilometers south of the city is a nice day trip and a change from the bar and beaches that dominate Hua Hin. At the park office you can hire a guide for 100 baths, which leads to the impressive caves a few kilometers away. After first reaching the first cave using a long and slippery ladder, you can reach several connecting small caves by crawling through narrow passages, surrounded by stalagmites and glittering rock formations. A couple of kilometers away is the next cave, consisting of a single huge cathedral-like cavity in the mountains. Half an hour away there is also a great vantage point, so if you have the energy to embark on some powerful uphill slopes, you are rewarded with panoramic views of the ocean and half the park including the swampy areas.