What you need to know before residing in Hua Hin 2022
Hua Hin is primarily known for its beautiful beach gateway with a laid back atmosphere, but unlike Pattaya and Phuket, it still maintains a peaceful, calm atmosphere. Hua Hin is around 200 kilometres south of Bangkok and is a popular destination for both locals and foreigners.
Hua Hin attracts more families and couples than solo travellers, making it an excellent choice for a quiet weekend by the sea for retirees. Here, you can find everything from crystal clear waters and historical attractions to great shopping options and fantastic gastronomic delights.
If you’re relocating to Hua Hin, here’s everything you need to know about the city.
Lifestyle in Hua Hin
Lifestyle in Hua Hin is exciting. The white sand is never overcrowded, so you can easily find a quiet area to relax and swim. There are numerous restaurants along the beach, mainly seafood, but there are other cuisines too. You can find merchants selling souvenirs, clothes, and snacks along the shores and sois. At some spots on the beach near hotels, you can have a Thai massage right on the beach.
Hua Hin is one of Thailand’s most popular golfing locations, with a wide range of high-quality courses, like the Black Mountain Golf Club. There are a few notable properties located near the famous golf club. You can read one of our articles HERE.
From the top of Khao Takiab mountain, you can see the length of the beach and enjoy panoramic views of Hua Hin. Be warned that there are many wild macaque monkeys that live in the area. Among locals, it’s known as “Monkey Mountain”. Furthermore, you can also enjoy yoga, spas, tennis, badminton, Mua Thai, bird watching, fitness, hiking, and exploring nearby national parks.
Hua Hin Market Village is a community Mall in Hua Hin with many shops and restaurants, but most importantly, this is where Tesco Lotus is located. You can buy groceries and other necessities. Another option for buying everyday needs is Villa Supermarket. This is where most imported products can be found, so if you miss anything back home, there is a chance you can find it here.
Nightmarkets
Last but not least are the night markets. Anyone who has visited Thailand knows that markets play an essential role. Hua Hin’s most popular outdoor market is Cicada Market. Cicada focuses on art and decor, with merchants selling a wide range of handcrafted items. There are also a variety of delicious dishes to choose from, ranging from Western to Thai cuisine. The atmosphere is lively and upbeat, making the market a must-visit, with colourful lighting and musical performances. Cicada Market is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from four o’clock until 11 p.m.
The classic Hua Hin Night Market is an all-time favourite for locals. Nothing rivals the authentic experience of a local night market. They will always make time for it whenever they can. There are many stalls selling knock-off clothes and bags, as well as souvenirs. Just down the street, you will find street vendors selling Thai food and seafood.
Climate
Like the rest of Thailand, Hua Hin experiences a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: wet, dry and hot. The dry season in Hua Hin lasts from November to February. The temperature around this season can be pretty comfortable, with an average of 26ºC. However, the temperature is generally cooler at night. This season is often considered the best time to explore the seaside resort town since it seldom rains.
Starting from March, the hot season will come, bringing hotter temperatures. During this season, the temperature may rise to 29ºC and even soar as high as 35ºC. The weather stays dry and hot even during the night, but the ocean breeze definitely helps soothe the heat. Towards the end of the season, around June, the town will receive moderate rains. The average temperature in Hua Hin remains high in the wet season, which runs from July to October. The evenings during this season are generally cool and pleasant. On the other hand, the afternoons may receive moderate to heavy rain.
Beaches
Nestled in the Gulf of Thailand, Hua Hin is home to some of the most popular beaches in Thailand. The most popular beach is the Hua Hin beach. The clean and beautiful beach has lots of great restaurants and resorts. As the primary beach in the region, it can get pretty busy during the weekends, especially with visitors from Bangkok and other nearby cities. On weekdays, however, you’re unlikely to find big crowds as it is mostly secluded. A wide range of activities, from beachside massage and horseback riding to jet skiing and banana boating, are available here.
If you prefer an unexploited beachfront without big resorts and restaurants lining the sand, then Suan Son Pradipat Beach can be a great place to visit. This quiet beach has calm and shallow blue water. You can find dense pine trees on the coastline of the beach, which you can use to set up a hammock. Like Hua Hin Beach, you can also enjoy horseback riding, boating, jet skiing, banana boating, and numerous other activities.
Other nearby beaches around Hua Hin include Cha Am Beach, Khao Takiab Beach, Khao Kalok Beach, and Khao Tao Beach.
Food
Hua Hin offers an exciting mix of dining choices, from street stalls grilling fresh seafood, to restaurants serving royal court-inspired recipes, to trendy cafés.
The night markets are a great place to get delicious street bites and casual dining. One of the best night markets to go to is the Hua Hin Night Market. It has a wide range of highly mouthwatering street eats, such as the famous pad Thai, mango sticky rice, and Thai-style ice cream. Furthermore, you’ll also find some of the freshest seafood in Hua Hin in this night market.
If you’re not a fan of hunting food in a crowded place, your best option is the Cicada Market. Although it’s more popular for its handmade products, you’ll also find delicious food around the market. Hua Hin also boasts a great selection of sidewalk bites. You can find anything from juicy pork skewers and red barbeque pork with rice to savoury noodles and rice porridge.
If you want to eat delicious food while enjoying the beautiful sparkling water, the restaurants and bars lining the beaches are the best places to go. You can find everything from insta-worthy restaurants serving scrumptious seafood to uber-stylish bars with stunning swimming pools.
Moving Around
Keep in mind that Hua Hin isn’t a big or major city in Thailand, so transportation is limited. The main source of transportation is by car. Another option is songthaew, which is really easy to find. Just look for a red truck. When you see one, just give them a wave and hop on. They follow their usual routes but have no specific stops, so you have to ring the bell to let them know.
Cost of living in Hua Hin
Like in many places around the world, the cost of living in Hua Hin depends on your lifestyle. However, most expat couples can live comfortably with $2,000 a month. With this budget, a couple can rent a one or two-bedroom apartment, eat out a few times a week, buy local groceries, and enjoy the affordable entertainment options around Hua Hin.
With $5,000 a month, a couple can live very comfortable and even afford imported goods, travelling, and dining out more than a couple of times a week.
Most apartments in Hua Hin are located by the beach, restaurants, convenience stores and the main street. Prices of a 1 bedroom unit start at least 2 million baht or 60,000 US Dollars. If you’re looking for a luxury apartment, there are properties priced over $500,000, depending on size and bedroom numbers. If renting is more your cup of tea, an average 1 bedroom apartment unit will be between 10,000 to 20,000 baht or 300 to 600 US Dollars. Sometimes you can get deals for less than $250 per month. If you prefer to rent a house or villa, the average house you can rent costs less than $400 per month, and it can go up to over $2,000 per month. The options are countless, from affordable to luxurious living. You can view all the properties on The Thaiger property here.
Health Care Hua Hin
Hua Hin has exceptional health care. In fact, the city is pretty popular among international medical tourists. There are numerous hospitals with well-trained medical professionals and advanced medical equipment around the city. A wide range of treatments is also available, such as premium health check-ups, paediatrics, dental, cardiac surgery, and more.
The main public hospital in Hua Hin is the Hua Hin Hospital. It gets pretty busy, but a good option for standard healthcare. One of the newest hospitals in Hua Hin is the Bangkok Hospital, which is part of The Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Group. The services Bangkok Hospital provides include general surgery, accident and emergency, dental, cardiology, and rehabilitation, among others. If you’re looking for a well-known private hospital, the Hua Hin San paolo Hospital can be an option. This 60-bed hospital boasts up-to-date facilities and is located near the centre of the city.
For dental care and specialist clinics such as skin treatments and eye examinations, Hua Hin is dotted with smaller surgery centres and clinics. These clinics usually offer a full range of dental operations and cosmetic treatments at affordable prices.
How to get to Hua Hin
There are a few ways to get to this city. It’s by train, van or private vehicle.
If you’re feeling adventurous, feel free to take the train. It’s a long ride, so be warned that it can take at least four hours to get into Bangkok. The tickets will depend on the carriage that customers choose.
Depending on the road conditions and the traffic, the bus ride can take around 3 hours. You can also opt for minivans or coaches but when it gets crowded it is not the most comfortable option.
The best way to get to Hua Hin is by car, whether it’s by your private car or a limousine provided by your accommodation. Not only will you get to your destination faster, but it will also be more private. The road is now mostly freeway, all the way to Hua Hin from Bangkok.
Now that you know the basics about Hua Hin, you’re practically ready to move to this picturesque seaside town!
Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.
Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.
Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.
