3 Days in Hua Hin, Thailand
Hua Hin is a coastal city just about 3 hours drive from Bangkok, which makes it super easy for a quick, beach getaway from the city for a long weekend.
I went to Hua Hin to celebrate my birthday and get away from the bustling city of Bangkok for a bit. I really enjoyed the calm vibes of Hua Hin as well as the awesome night markets.
Read below some recommendations and tips for your 3 day stay in Hua Hin ☺️
Quicklinks:
Things To Do
Chill on the Beach
Hua Hin is first and foremost a beach town, so needless to say, you should hit up the beach while you’re there! I thought the beach was lovely - it’s maybe not as picturesque as the islands in Thailand, but the water is clear and in the morning it’s very calm, so perfect for a swim. I’ve noticed that in the afternoon the water gets a bit more rough and it’s more windy, so you’ll actually see a lot of windsurfers doing their thing on the water.
Aside from just chilling on the beach, there are also various water sports you can do, such as wind surfing and jetskiing.
Night Markets
Cicada Market
The Cicada night market is a bit of an upscale weekend night market, as it’s very clean and polished. There are also loads of arts and handicrafts stalls where you can buy cute souvenirs and beautiful art works. It’s quite fun to stroll around, listen to some live music and having a look around. There were also many locals so I thought it was great (and it’s not just something for the tourists)! The food was quite delicious too.
Tamarind Market
Tamarind Night Market is another market located right next to Cicada market. It’s open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and you’ll see many locals enjoying food and listening to some live music. There’s definitely a really cool vibe at this market!
Hua Hin Night Market
The more traditional night market of Hua Hin is located right in the centre of the town. Loads of street vendors and stalls that sell all the Thai delicacies
💡 Tip: You can also do a local food tour that will take you around some of the local and fresh markets in Hua Hin and you can try different local cuisines. Check it out on GetYourGuide.
Train Station
Hua Hin has one of the oldest train stations in Thailand, and it’s worth having a look. The station is actually still operational - you can catch the train to Bangkok from here! It takes about 3 hours to get to Hua Hin from Bangkok by train, which is about the same time as the car ride.
The style of the station is Victorian, and if you’re in to architecture, then it is a must-see when you’re in Hua Hin.
Boat trip
Hua Hin is on the mainland of Thailand, but you can still travel around the water by boat and explore some of the bays and parts of the national park and do some swimming and . A great way to do this is by doing a boat tour, for instance.
You can check out this boat tour on GetYourGuide to Sam Roi Yot national park and Dolphin bay.
With Kids: Vana Nava Waterpark
While I don’t have kids (yet), if you do have them, then a cool activity to do is visiting the Vana Nava Waterpark, which is apparently really quite fun. It features multiple pools, water slides and other water park activities, with a jungle theme. You can conveniently buy tickets here on Klook.
Mrigadayavan Palace
If you feel like a more cultural and historic experience while in Hua Hin, check out the Mrigadayavan Palace, which was the summer palace of King Rama in the 1920s. It’s definitely worth having a look at this seaside building, and doing a tour of the different floors and rooms. It also features some lush gardens, and a great view over the ocean.
Where To Eat
I highly recommend going to the night markets, Cicada and Tamarind night markets, which are open in the weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday), to try some local food, listen to live music and soak in the night market vibes that Thailand is so famous for.
Here are some other restaurant options too:
Praca, $$$, Thai Fusion - This restaurant is located in the Standard hotel and serves Izakaya-style Thai food.
Charoen Krung Kitchen, $, Thai food - This restaurant serves delicious, local Thai food
Nai Pew Duck Noodle, $, Thai Food - for some authentic duck noodle, check out this local restaurant
Hua Na Tropical Restaurant, $, Thai Food - a bit further from Hua Hin centre, but has great food.
Coffee & Breakfast
blum coffee, $$, Specialty Coffee - A great find right next to our hotel, we went here every day to have our coffee fix. Particularly enjoyed their Dirty coffee, which I highly recommend!
The BARN Coffee lab, $$, Specialty Coffee - Specialty coffee and pastries
HOC House of Croissants, $$, Coffee & Pastries - For some freshly baked croissants and other pastries, check out this spot.
Velo Cafe, $$, Specialty Coffee - Another excellent specialty coffee spot
Where To Stay
The pool at the Standard Hotel
There are plenty of hotels to choose from for your stay in Hua Hin, and also for every budget imaginable.
I stayed at The Standard Hotel, a brand of hotels that is quite up and coming and has a very edgy and modern style. I really loved my stay at this hotel - it’s in a good location, the hotel premises were gorgeous, it’s right at the beach and the food was really good too. Also, I think the value for money was super as well. So highly recommend a stay there! (Check it out on Booking.com). The rate is around 100-150 euros a night, but it also depends on the season.
Another great option in Hua Hin is the Hyatt Regency, which is apparently also a great hotel. It’s located very close to the Cicada and Tamarind night markets. (Check it out on Booking.com)
For a more budget-friendly stay, have a look at the following hotels in Hua Hin, which are between 40 - 80 euros per night:
When To Go
Hua Hin has the best weather and temperatures between November and February, as this is the ‘cool’ season in this part of Thailand, meaning it’s not super hot and it’s not rainy either. It is the high season however, so expect more tourists and higher prices.
A great time to visit in my opinion is between March and June, when it’s just slightly hotter, but there are less tourists and prices are much lower. I went end of April and the weather was nice, not too hot and it never rained.
How To Get Around
There is Bolt and Grab in Hua Hin, so it’s super easy to get around just by booking a car or a mototaxi via the apps.
Alternatively, you can also rent a motorbike, if you want to be more independent and want to travel around Hua Hin and surrounding area.
If you stay more in the centre of Hua Hin (around the station and close to the beach) you can also walk around the area. But you would need to get a taxi to get to places like the Cicada market.
How To Get There
From Bangkok it’s very easy to get to Hua Hin by car; it only takes around 3 hours. It’s easy to find drivers who can pick you up from where you’re staying in Bangkok or the Airport and take you to Hua Hin. Depending on what kind of car you want to book, the one-way price ranges between 1500 TBH and 4000 TBH.
Another way to get to Hua Hin is by train, which makes for a more unique experience. The train from Bangkok to Hua Hin takes about 3 hours (there can be some delays). The ticket is around 330 TBH so it’s pretty cheap!
Related Blog Posts:
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that, if you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission that helps me create helpful content for the blog and it won’t cost you anything extra either, so it’s a win-win! I only recommend products if I think they will add value, so thanks for supporting Things Nomads Do!
