　 This page was last updated on Wednesday 03 September 2008 at 01:35:36 (Thai time)

Everyday Life in Hua Hin

Here, you can find information about:

•   Shopping

•   Dining Out

•   Medical Facilities

•   Getting Around Hua

•   Sports and Exercise

Here in Hua Hin, it's now

　SHOPPING

Supermarkets

There are three main supermarkets catering to foreign customers in Hua Hin, plus a 'cash-&-carry' place near Pranburi. The biggest and newest is Tesco Lotus, located in the Market Village Shopping Mall in south Hua Hin (Map C8). This store, which only opened in February 2006, is very popular and so a midweek visit might be more comfortable.
The two other supermarkets are both much smaller than Tesco but might also prove less crowded and possibly more convenient. The first is the Hua Hin Shopping Mall (Map C6) located next to the Satukarn Square restaurant and shopping area. The other, known as Gee's (Map A1), is located just west of the railway track, not far from the Pae Mai golf range at the southern end of Leapklong Cholapratan Road (usually called the Klong Road). There are also a number of smaller supermarkets in the downtown area, many using names like Kodak, etc., but these are tourist-oriented with prices to match!

Further afield, there is the large Makro cash-&-carry outlet, located on the outskirts of Pranburi, about 20~30km south of Hua Hin. This opened in November 2007 and is pretty similar to other Makro's back in the West. If you have a good deep freeze or prefer shopping in bulk, this might worth checking out -- no pun intended!

Markets

Hua Hin's main market is Chat Chai (Map - B4), adjoining the night market. Recently renovated to make it more hygienic and accessible, this place has a wide selection of meat, vegetables, fruit, fish, and a whole lot more, and is worth a visit even if you don't plan to buy anything. Looking like a typical Asian market, you can find stalls selling everything meat and groceries to clothing, toys and household items. Admittedly, few of the vendors know much English, but it's amazing what one can convey with a smile and some basic hand gestures!

Another popular market can be visited every evening except Monday and Tuesday in the car park of the Hua Hin Grand Hotel (Map - C7). Here, one can mix with both locals and visitors and stroll amongst stalls and food vendors selling almost everything imaginable. Located within walking distance of the town centre, this market is colourful and entertaining, and also offers some interesting eating experiences. Prices here are usually somewhere between the Night Market (which is slightly oriented towards tourists) and the more local Chat Chai Market, and many of the vendors do speak some English, making this an interesting evening out.

These are just a few examples of the markets available here but there are many more. For those willing to venture away from downtown, you can often stumble upon a large and bustling street market in the most unlikely of places, and being less well known to foreigners, these other markets are often considerably cheaper!

In addition

In October 2005, a new household shopping plaza opened on the north side of Hua Hin, selling indoor and outdoor furniture, kitchen items, bathroom fittings, household electrical good, etc. Known as the Index Living Mall (Map - B2), this complex might be well worth a visit if you are furnishing your new home in Hua Hin.

Please also refer to Hua Hin Living Costs page

　DINING OUT

Hua Hin basically offers three kinds of dining places, which are (in order of expense):

Western-style Restaurants

These range from truly foreign restaurants, serving various kinds of foreign food at less than foreign prices, to local restaurants, serving Thai food in air-conditioned comfort, often with multi-lingual and/or photographic menus. Some of these are clearly aimed at visitors, such as the ones in Satukarn Square, but there are others aimed at the more adventurous visitor or cosmopolitan local, like the ones on stilts over the sea, where diners can enjoy fresh seafood as they listen to the waves lapping the shore beneath them. Prices in places such as these are usually around 100 baht per dish, with local beer costing about 90 baht for a large bottle.

There are also totally foreign restaurants, serving French, German Italian, and Japanese cuisine, as well as steak houses and 'fast-food' outlets, useful for those whose taste buds feel a little homesick.

　

Dining 'a la Thai'

There are, of course, many Thai restaurants aimed at local diners, and these range from the more upmarket type down to places that seem to be located on someone's veranda! However, these places do offer a good way to experience Thai food in a variety of situations, and if your fellow diners are indeed Thais, that must say something about the authenticity of the cuisine! Only a few of these places have an English menu and some have no menu at all, so it is often easiest to take a look at what those around you are eating and then point out what you would like. Prices in these places, which can often offer visitors a rare chance to mix with the locals, are usually around 40 - 80 baht per dish, with a large bottle of local beer costing about 50 - 60 baht.

Food Stalls

For residents, it is often said that it is cheaper to eat out than to cook yourself, and one reason for this is the ubiquitous food stalls, which can be found almost everywhere in Hua Hin. Good local food can be obtained at these places at around 15 - 30 baht, and in many cases, watching the owner prepare your meal is like an added extra, a sort of cabaret thrown in for free. It isn't too surprising, therefore, to find that many local residents eat all three meals a day at places like this. What's more, these places do offer a take-away/to go service. If you like what you see, just ask and they will swiftly put your food, complete with sauce or soup, in plastic bags, secured with dextrously applied rubber bands. And don't worry about leaks, as these cooks really do know what they're doing!

　MEDICAL FACILITIES

Hua Hin has several hospitals but there are only a few that are really worth mentioning.

San Paolo (Map C7), located a short way south of downtown near the Hua Hin Grand Hotel. This hospital is well known locally and does have some English-speaking staff. However, unless your problem is minor, bear in mind that this place's main source of income is plastic surgery and so it tends to be a bit of a 'patient factory' in other ways. For example, one patient was told that all he needed was to get more exercise. A few weeks later, he underwent a 6-hour operation in Bangkok for oesophagus cancer!

Hua Hin Hospital (Map B1), located about 5km north of downtown between Soi 12 and Soi 10, on the way to the airport. Built to serve the royal family (the top floor is theirs alone), this place is modern but being state-run, expect a long wait and you might find that English speakers are not be so readily available.

Hua Hin International Polyclinic (Map B3), located near the small Tesco Lotus Express convenience store. This is basically an outpost of the Petcharat Hospital in Petchaburi and if your case is deemed serious, that's where they'll send you. The level of English is pretty good and so this place might be worth a visit if the need arises.

Places such as these should suffice for minor injuries or ailments, but for more serious cases, you should consider using one of the large, international-standard hospitals in Bangkok, such as Bumrungrad Hospital (on Sukhumvit Soi 3, near Nan BST station).

　GETTING AROUND HUA HIN

Basically, there are only three ways of getting around Hua Hin: public buses, 'Tuk-tuks' and motorcycle taxis. At present, there are no Bangkok-style metered taxis here, and if you see one, it undoubtedly came down from the capital and will soon be headed back there. The open, truck-style buses, known as Song Thew, usually operate along the main roads only, travelling back and forth for a relatively short distance and charging a flat fare of around 10 baht. These buses mostly begin and terminate at the crossroads just west of Chat Chai Market. Both Tuk-tuks and motorcycle taxis require passengers to negotiate the fare before setting out, and although some operators do have a smattering of English, a knowledge of Thai numbers would make things easier. For anyone planning to live here, or even planning a long-term visit, it might be advisable to get your transport.

However, in contrast to most items, cars in Thailand are rather expensive -- about twice the price in Japan! What's more, a driving licence is remarkably easy to get, and so the standard of driving might come as a nasty shock, especially to someone without experience of Asia. It isn't too surprising, therefore, that many long-term foreign residents prefer to keep using public transport or even hiring a car and driver, rather than venture into the melee of a busy Thai highway!
Please also see our 'Hua Hin Transport page'

　SPORTS and EXERCISE

With many condominiums offering fitness facilities within the building, keeping fit in Hua Hin is not too difficult. However, it would not be wise to try and 'do-it-yourself' by jogging or walking outside, except during the short but relatively cool winter. Outdoor exercise at any other time might well prove very unhealthy! However, there are places where you can safely exercise indoors. For example, the Majestic Beach Resort (almost next door to the Palace), Sports Villa (on the south side of town), and the Palm Hills Country Club (near the airport).

Membership is available but it is also possible, and probably more economical, to pay on a visit-by-visit basis. etc. These places also have swimming pools available to daily visitors. If you are able to make use of such facilities during the week, you might well find yourself the only user, whereas weekends might be rather more popular.

Hua Hin is often called a golfer's paradise, with around six first class courses within easy reach. These include the Royal Hua Hin, Thailand’s 1st golf course, originally designed by a Scottish railway engineer by the name of O. A. Robins back in 1924. There is also the Springfield Royal Country Club (designed by Jack Nicklaus), and many others. Due to the climate, early morning and late afternoon/evening are the best times to play, and with membership fees being (by foreign standards) very reasonable, long-term visitors and residents should consider becoming a member. However, even for non-members, green fees and caddy costs are remarkably low, and it is quite rare for any player to have to wait to get on the green! Oh, and in case you have trouble sleeping, there is even a 24-hour golf range located just north of Soi 10 -- which also has a pool and gym!

Lastly, for those interested in aerobics, there are several places throughout the town that host outdoor classes on weekday evenings at around 5 o'clock. The cost per lesson is around 5 baht, and as these classes are aimed primarily at locals, this offers a good chance to mix with some real Thai folk -- not just hotel and restaurant staff. Places that host these sort of classes include the 'Hua Hin Commercial College', located about 5km north of the town centre, the Hua Hin High School, located west of the railway near the Gee Supermarket, and the town's main 'park', Phon Kingphet (Map C6).

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Whilst this company seeks to provide up-to-date information on this site, it can in no way be held responsible for any changes that may occur. We recommend you verify relevant information closer to the time of your arrival in Hua Hin. In addition, much of the information may be of a subjective nature and so personal judgement may vary, which is beyond our control. All articles and graphics on this site may be subject to Copyright, and may not be used for more than "private utilization" without permission.

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Town Office
18/4 Amnuaysin Road,
(inside Tanawit Condotel)
Hua Hin, Prachuap Khirikhan 77110, Thailand