9 Best Things to Do in Hua Hin

Hua Hin Beach is a fantastic 8-km-long stretch of fine, soft sand. Being east-facing, it’s a fantastic place to watch the sunrise. During the day, it’s got a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, often with fun activities available such as jet skis, banana boats and beach volleyball. The water is great for swimming, though there can sometimes be jellyfish in the low season.

The beach is bookended by Khao Takiap at the southern end, and the shoreline itself is dotted with piers and occasional inaccessible areas. While you can certainly go for a very long walk on the sand, you’ll hit obstacles eventually. Note that, with a lot of hotels backing directly onto the beach right along its length, there are only a few places you can easily access the sand, and car parking can be tricky near those spots.

Hua Hin Railway Station was built during the reign of King Rama VI and opened in 1911. It is only a short distance from the centre of town. The railway station and adjacent royal waiting room are undeniably one of Hua Hin’s most attractive landmarks. The brightly painted wooden buildings that are Thai in concept and design somehow manage to have a 'Victorian' feel to them. 

The story about the birth of Hua Hin as a royal seaside getaway town would be incomplete without a mention of this historic railway station. Back in the early days, there was no road access to this idyllic beach town, and train travel was a new and delightful alternative to get from Bangkok to Hua Hin instead of by boat. Even if you don't arrive at the resort by train, go and have a look. This railway station is charming, quirky and photogenic.

Cicada Market in Hua Hin is all about art, handmade crafts and good times. With an open-air market concept, it brings together Hua Hin’s artistic talents and those who wear ‘freedom of expression’ on their sleeves. The market has sections for fashion, arts, events and entertainment, and dining.

Art a la Mode occupies the majority of the outdoor space and is dedicated to fashion and decorative items. Art Indoors in the art gallery is where the bulk of paintings and sculptures are for sale. Housed inside the same building as the art gallery are a handful of shops selling creative knick-knacks and souvenirs. Open only on weekend evenings, the market is usually packed with weekenders from Bangkok. It is located off Petchkasem Road, about halfway between Hua Hin town and Khao Takiab.

Hua Hin Night Market is a traditional marketplace right in the centre of town, between Petchkasem Road and the railway line. The market encompasses one street and comes to life from 6.30 pm onwards when traders line the street with their stalls selling various merchandise. Most of the items sold here are generally what you might expect from a Thai market. 

There’s a superb selection of seafood restaurants lining the road that hosts the Hua Hin Night Market, which also draws a lot of attention from visitors. The seafood restaurants in this part of town are incredibly popular due to their atmosphere, quality of food and Thai-style low prices. With minimal space between each establishment, you can pretty much expect the same thing from each place and prices that closely compare to their neighbours’.

Black Mountain Water Park offers a fun-filled day for families and anyone needing a big splash. The park features 9 different waterslides, a wave pool, lazy river, beach pool, kids’ pool, and more – all set on a vast mountain-hugged landscape fronting an artificial lake just 10 km north of Hua Hin.

Owned and managed by the same people behind the Black Mountain Golf Course, the water park is one of the great family attractions in the group’s portfolio. It’s located opposite the golf course, on a local road that passes through Wat Huay Mongkol and Baan Silapin.

Khao Takiap is one of the biggest attractions in the Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Its name translates as ‘Chopstick Mountain’, although you may hear it being referred to as ‘Monkey Mountain’ due to the monkeys that live on it.

The mountain is also home to a hilltop temple with sensational views of Hua Hin. The start of the hike up to the temple is marked by a large bell and a flight of stairs up to the main shrine, which is a pagoda-like structure.

The magnificent Phraya Nakhon Cave is one of the most mystical and mysterious landmarks of Thailand but only a few travellers get a chance to take a picture of it. The reason is simple: this gold and green pavilion is hidden inside a hard-to-reach cave and only a handful of dedicated visitors will do the effort to visit it. Those who do are rewarded with a stunning vision that looks like it's straight out of an Indiana Jones movie.

Phraya Nakhon Cave is located in the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, a 45-minute drive south of Hua Hin. The first step to reach the cave is to drive to the small village of Bang Pu located by the beach, and from there decide if you'd rather rent a boat to take you around the cape to Laem Sala beach, or walk a 30 minutes trek above the hill leading to the same Laem Sala beach.

Santorini Park is a theme park that brings a slice of the picture-perfect Greek island to Cha-am. It’s got all the details right, from classic whitewashed buildings, colourfully painted windows, down to stone-paved paths and domed towers. An impressive lineup of shops, restaurants and an amusement park promise good times for everyone.

The park has 5 zones that provide all-encompassing entertainment for families. Park Zone is essentially the amusement park part, with rides and games set on vast landscaped grounds. All rides are imported, including the 40-metre-high Ferris wheel, double-decker carousel, G-MAX reverse bungee, G-MAX giant swing, XD Dark Ride 7D interactive game and Asia’s first Wallholla climbing structure.

The Venezia is a cool theme shopping destination and attraction in Hua Hin, following the growing popularity and undeniable success of other similar weekend destinations in Thailand. Palio in Kao Yai was probably one of the triggers for such a following of pretty villages, followed right after by the beautiful Santorini Park in Hua Hin and the now-famous Asiatique in Bangkok.

The theme chosen by The Venezia is obviously Venice, and you will not miss the San Marco's bell tower replica when driving through Cha-am on your way to Hua Hin. The park is immense and even includes a 200-metre 'Grand Canal' on which you can actually get a ride on iconic Venetian gondolas.