Hua Hin

Published 27 September 2013 · Updated 2 October 2026 · By the Visit-Thailand editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

Hua Hin is a seaside resort about 200 kilometers southwest of Bangkok. Hua Hin is one of eight districts of Prachuap Khiri Khan and has a population of about 85,000 people.

Hua Hin is a popular seaside resort which is widely used as a weekend destination for residents of Bangkok and is also very popular among expats, especially Scandinavians tend to settle in Hua Hin when they move to Thailand for shorter or longer periods. Regular tourism is also important industry in Hua Hin and there are a significant number of hotels and restaurants in all price ranges.

Hua Hin is the official resort of the Thai royal family that otherwise is very respected in Thailand. Because of this close connection to the royal family the so-called go-go bars that are known for their significant prostitution is prohibited in Hua Hin, which many tourists who come to Thailand for sex appreciate to escape. The lifestyle in Hua Hin carries little touch of this pairing with the royal family and not the typical jet -set nightlife and the locals are all very friendly and laid-back.

The climate in Hua Hin is a tropical climate with generally high humidity and a rainy season whose heaviest months are September and October (Thai Meteorological Department normals); November is already much drier. The finest time for tourism is considered from November to February where the climate is most comfortable and stable. The same goes until May but in the period from March to May, but many find that it gets too hot with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius in this period. Anyway as you can see in Hua Hin as a suitable destination all year around and even in the rainy season so there are days without rain and the days with rain often have nice weather most of the days punctuated by short heavy showers. So you can therefore expect a nice holiday whatever time of year you add holidays to Hua Hin.

When it comes to the risk of tsunami Hua Hin is regarded as a very safe place when the city is located towards the Gulf of Thailand and is not close to being as vulnerable as Phuket that is bordering the Indian Ocean that has a much greater risk of tsunamis.

Most travelers from abroad that is travelling to Hua Hin takes flight to Bangkok and then take the train, bus or car from there to Hua Hin. The journey from Bangkok to Hua Hin normally takes from 2.5 hours by car, 3-4 hours by bus and 4-6 hours by train. Transportation in Thailand is cheap and it is also affordable for western tourists to take taxi from Bangkok to Hua Hin, but agree on the fare before you set off or compare a quote in a ride-hailing app. Hua Hin is also a smaller airport with rather low traffic.

Hua Hin has a lively night market and refers to many restaurants and bars without the typical "Bar girls" (in practice prostitutes) that have a strong presence in cities like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket where prostitution could be considered accepted even though it is actually illegal. This naturally makes Hua Hin itself to a prime holiday destination for many western tourists who condemn prostitution and who do not wish to be exposed to this at their vacation to Thailand. In addition to activities such as swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling etc. which is natural for a seaside resort then Hua Hin offers golf, shopping, spas, caves, peaks, waterfalls, seafood and nearby national parks. You can, however, find simpler varieties of offers on massages and serving of food and drink almost everywhere in Hua Hin and the beach.