Hua Hin has one night market that opens every evening, in the town center, and two well-known markets side by side on Phet Kasem Road toward Khao Takiap that open only late in the week: Cicada, an arts-and-crafts market on Friday to Sunday, and Tamarind, a food market that also opens on Thursday. Pick your night first, then your market.
Markets are the main evening activity in Hua Hin, a calm resort town without a big nightlife strip. The town market is the classic Thai night market with seafood and souvenir stalls. Cicada is for browsing handmade goods and watching street performers. Tamarind is where you sit down and eat. All three are easy to visit on one long weekend.
For the rest of the town, from the beach to the old railway station, start with our Hua Hin guide. If night markets are new to you, our beginner's guide to eating at Thai night markets explains how ordering and paying usually work.
| Market | Days | Hours (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hua Hin Night Market (town center) | Every day | From about 17:00 until late evening | Seafood, souvenirs, a first-night stroll |
| Cicada Market | Friday, Saturday, Sunday | 16:00–23:00 (market's own website) | Handmade goods, art, live shows |
| Tamarind Market | Thursday to Sunday | From about 17:00 to 22:30 (local reports) | A sit-down food-court dinner with music |
Hours drift with the season, so treat the times as a guide. Cicada's are from its own website; the others come from recent local reports, not an official page.
Hua Hin Night Market: open every night in the center
The town market runs along a soi (side street) off Phet Kasem Road, the main road through Hua Hin, within walking distance of many central hotels. It is the one to try on your first night, and the only one of the three you can count on from Monday to Wednesday.
Expect a long double row of stalls selling T-shirts, beachwear, bags and small souvenirs, with food carts in between. The street is also lined with open-front seafood restaurants that put their catch on ice out front: crab, prawns, squid and whole fish, priced by weight. Ask the price per kilo before you choose, and confirm how it will be cooked. Our guide to Thai dishes to try helps with the menu.
This is the busiest of the three markets with tourists, and prices in the restaurants reflect that. For a cheaper meal, eat from the carts and stalls rather than at the seafood tables.
Cicada Market: art, crafts and street performers at the weekend
Cicada calls itself a market of art, music and theater, and it is different from a normal Thai market. Most stalls sell things made by the sellers themselves: clothes, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, soaps and home decor. There is a small amphitheater with free shows by street performers in the evening, and a garden stage for weekend music. On its website the market lists shows at 19:45 and 21:00 at the amphitheater, but the program changes, so check its Facebook page on the day.
According to its website, Cicada is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 16:00 to 23:00, and is located toward Khao Takiap on the south side of town. It is laid out under trees and is pleasant to walk around even when busy.
The food area works differently from most markets: visitors report that you buy food coupons at a booth and pay the stalls with those, and that unused coupons can only be cashed back on the same night. Buy a small amount first; you can always buy more. Cicada's food is good but costs more than Tamarind's next door, so many people browse at Cicada and eat at Tamarind.
Cicada is closed from Monday to Thursday. If your stay in Hua Hin falls on weekdays only, you will miss it; plan the trip around a Friday or Saturday evening if the crafts market matters to you.
Tamarind Market: the food market next door
Tamarind is a few steps along Phet Kasem Road from Cicada. It is mainly a food market: rows of stalls around a covered seating area, with live music in the evening. You choose from many stalls, sit at shared tables and eat, which makes it easy for families and groups who all want something different. Local reports put its days at Thursday to Sunday, so it gives you one extra evening that Cicada does not.
The range covers Thai street dishes, grilled seafood and meat, and some Western and Japanese food, plus drinks and desserts. Vegetarians can usually find something, but ask about fish sauce and shrimp paste; our guide to vegetarian and halal food in Thailand has useful phrases. Shops can sell alcohol from 11:00 to midnight under the current law, but not on Buddhist holy days, when some bars and stalls stop serving; our page on alcohol sales hours explains the ban days.
Food or art: choosing on a short stay
If you have one evening only, the choice is simple:
- Monday to Wednesday: the town night market. It is the only one of the three that is open.
- Thursday: Tamarind for dinner, or the town market.
- Friday to Sunday: Cicada for browsing and the shows, then Tamarind next door to eat. Go early, from about 17:00, before the crowds and while it is still light.
Weekends are busy at both Cicada and Tamarind, because Hua Hin is a weekend escape for people from Bangkok. Thai long weekends and school holidays are busier still; our guide to Thai public holidays lists them.
Getting to the markets
The town night market is walkable from most central hotels. Cicada and Tamarind are a few kilometers south on Phet Kasem Road, too far to walk comfortably in the evening heat. A songthaew (shared pickup truck) runs along Phet Kasem Road between the town center and Khao Takiap; flag it down and pay the driver when you get off. Locals report that it stops running in the evening, around 20:00–21:00, so plan another way back.
For the return trip, Grab is the reliable choice; Hua Hin is on its list of service areas. Bolt does not list Hua Hin among its Thai cities, which our comparison of Bolt and Grab explains. Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis also wait near the markets; agree the price first.
If you are still choosing a base, staying near Khao Takiap puts you within walking distance of Cicada and Tamarind; our guide to where to stay in Hua Hin compares the areas.
Practical tips: cash, rain and what to bring
- Cash. Many small stalls take only cash or a Thai QR payment. Bring small notes; 1,000-baht notes are unwelcome at a 60-baht stall.
- Rain. Hua Hin is one of Thailand's drier beach towns, but October is its wettest month, with about 250 mm of rain on average according to the Thai Meteorological Department. Tamarind's covered seating helps; Cicada's open garden is less fun in a downpour.
- Mosquitoes. The tree-shaded markets have them after dark. Use repellent.
- Bargaining. Polite bargaining is normal for clothes and souvenirs at the town market, much less so at Cicada, where makers set their prices.
- Food safety. Busy stalls with fast turnover are the safest bet; our tips on avoiding stomach trouble from street food apply.
Staying for weeks rather than days? Our guide to long stays in Hua Hin covers daily life beyond the tourist markets, and getting here from Bangkok is covered in Bangkok to Hua Hin.
Frequently asked questions
Which night market in Hua Hin is open every day?
The Hua Hin Night Market in the town center, off Phet Kasem Road, opens every evening from late afternoon. Cicada Market opens only on Friday to Sunday, and Tamarind Market, according to local reports, from Thursday to Sunday.
What days is Cicada Market open?
According to the market's own website, Cicada is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 16:00 to 23:00. It is closed from Monday to Thursday. Check its Facebook page for holiday changes and the evening show program.
Is Tamarind Market next to Cicada Market?
Yes. Both are on Phet Kasem Road on the Khao Takiap side of Hua Hin, a short walk apart. Many visitors browse the crafts at Cicada and then walk over to Tamarind for dinner.
How do I get from central Hua Hin to Cicada Market?
The songthaew along Phet Kasem Road toward Khao Takiap passes close by in the early evening. For the trip back after dark, use Grab or agree a price with a tuk-tuk, because the songthaews stop running in the evening.
Sources
- Cicada Market Hua Hin – Official website (opening days, hours, shows) (checked October 2026)
- Thai Meteorological Department – Climatological normals (Hua Hin station) (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Thailand extends alcohol sales time from 11am to midnight (checked October 2026)
- Grab Thailand – Transport service areas (checked October 2026)