HUAHIN HOTEL REVIEWS

The area is packed with restaurants serving quality foreign food in restaurants owned and managed by foreigners who have decided to make Hua Hin home. Particularly impressive are some of the Japanese restaurants that take advantage of local and imported seafood.

Italian food fanciers can dine on pizza, pasta and occasionally more elaborate fare. There are also several outstanding French restaurants, some German places, and a goodly supply of Indian places specializing in food from northern India. There are also several bakeries that serve sandwiches and coffee, in addition to excellent baked goods.

Brasserie de Paris
3 Naresdamri Road
Hua Hin,
Tel: 01-826 6814
Charmingly French place adjacent to the pier in Hua Hin town

Hagi Japanese Restaurant
1 Damnernkasem Road
(Adjacent to Sofitel)
Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3251-2021-38
Outstanding Japanese food; restaurant operated by Sofitel

Let’s Sea, Hua Hin Beach Restaurant
83/155 Soi Talay 12,
Khao Takiab-Hua Hin Rd., Hua Hin
Tel 0-3253-6022
A well known place to chill and soak in the atmosphere with fine wine and beach cuisine featuring Thai favourites and fresh international flavours with plenty of seafood

Maharaja
25 Naresdamri Rd.,
Hua-Hin
TEL: 0-3253-1122
Good northern Indian food served from 11.00AM-11.00PM

Monsoon Restaurant & Bar
62 Naresdamri Rd
Hua Hin,
Tel: 0-6877-7808
Charming and chic with a menu of Thai and continental dishes

Orchids French & Thai Restaurant
110/1 Naresdamri Rd.
Hua Hin
Tel: 032-513670
Serves a mix of French and Thai dishes from 6:00PM-10:00PM

Sasi’s ba Bar
83/159 Nhongkae
Near the Hyatt Hotel
Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3251-2488
Features a mix of Western and Thai food, lots of drinks and live music from 8.30PM onwards

Taj Mahal
31/1 Naresdamri Road
Hua Hin,
Tel: 0-3251-6615
Nice selection of northern Indian favourites, sister restaurant at 112 Chom Sin Road

Chao Lay Seafood
15 Naresdamri Rd. Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3251-3436
Popular outdoor restaurant on pylons over the water by the pier in Hua Hin.

Chom View Seafood
Cha-am Beach Front Road
Cha Am
0-3243-0350
Smashing seafood served right on the beach in a rustic, open air setting.

La Mer
Khao Takiab Beach
Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3253- 6205
Popular seafood restaurant located on a hill overlooking the beach that gets high marks for both its food and view.

Ketsarin Restaurant
17/1 Naresdamri Road
(at Sea Front near Fishing Pier) Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3251-1339
Big outdoor place right on Hua Hin’s sea front near the pier

Madame Green Seafood
Khao Takiab Village Beach
(at Takiab Road)
Hua Hin,
Tel: 0-3251-2233
Outstanding beachfront seafood in a restaurant popular with locals as well as tourists.

PLE Seafood Restaurant
Takiab Bay Beach
Hua Hin
Unpretentious open-air dining right on the beach; this restaurant gets rave reviews.

Rua Rimtarn
12 / 203 Khao Tikiab
Hua Hin
Tel: 0-3251-6277
Seafood served on a ‘boat’ sitting on land. Large menu of traditional Thai favourites.

Supratra by the Sea
122/63 Soi Mu Baan Takiab
(at the Supatara Beach Resort)
Hua Hin
Tel 0-3253-6512-2
Romantic dining featuring outstanding seafood in a lovely setting.

Nothing less than a feast awaits for your taste buds… Leaving the cooking to someone else is always an important part of a holiday experience, and the variety and quality of restaurants in and around Hua Hin will ensure the experience is a memorable one. Once an active fishing port, Hua Hin still has enough fishermen around to provide a steady supply of fresh seafood for its restaurants and those in neighbouring Cha-Am and Pranburi. Traditional Thai food is, of course, served everywhere, including food stalls along the beachfront and in Hua Hin’s well-known Night Market.

There are numerous dining spots serving Western, Indian and Japanese food. For those looking for a drink after the sun goes down, there is an ample supply of bars and pubs, some of which have live music. In addition, all of the hotels have bars and lobby lounges, many featuring live entertainment. All the hotels and resorts have restaurants too, and these range from top-notch speciality and international cuisine, to light meals of Thai and Western varieties. Highly recommended are the buffet spreads laid on by top hotels for breakfast, lunch and dinner – definitely worth the expense since you’ll get to sample an enormous variety of Thai, Asian and Western food. At some venues, these buffets consist of open cooking stations, including a Seafood BBQ, and often also offer live entertainment like traditional Thai music and dancing.

For many visitors to the Hua Hin area, golf is what’s on their minds - and they are never disappointed. There are seven courses within a thirty minute drive of Hua Hin and for those willing to travel a little further there are an additional 10 courses available. It all started in 1924 with the creation of the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course adjacent to the town’s snazzy little railway station. Designed by a Scottish railway engineer named O.A. Robbins, Thailand’s first golf course is reminiscent of links courses found in Robbins’ native Scotland. The other courses in the region are of international standard, equally challenging and designed by luminaries like Jack Nicklaus.

If you are without private transportation, all of the courses, except for the Royal Hua Hin, provide transportation to and from the courses. Green fees vary, depending upon the course and time, but average around 1800 baht. All courses have caddies, restaurants, rental equipment, and most have provisions for online booking of tee times.

Hua Hin Seoul Country Club
174 Moo 1, Pranburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan 77120
Tel. +66 (0) 3257-2441
Located adjacent to the sea, this is a links-style course found on the way from Hua Hin to Pranburi. Inexpensive and fun to play.

For many visitors to the Hua Hin area, golf is what’s on their minds - and they are never disappointed. There are seven courses within a thirty minute drive of Hua Hin and for those willing to travel a little further there are an additional 10 courses available. It all started in 1924 with the creation of the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course adjacent to the town’s snazzy little railway station. Designed by a Scottish railway engineer named O.A. Robbins, Thailand’s first golf course is reminiscent of links courses found in Robbins’ native Scotland. The other courses in the region are of international standard, equally challenging and designed by luminaries like Jack Nicklaus.

If you are without private transportation, all of the courses, except for the Royal Hua Hin, provide transportation to and from the courses. Green fees vary, depending upon the course and time, but average around 1800 baht. All courses have caddies, restaurants, rental equipment, and most have provisions for online booking of tee times.

Hua Hin Seoul Country Club
174 Moo 1, Pranburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan 77120
Tel. +66 (0) 3257-2441
Located adjacent to the sea, this is a links-style course found on the way from Hua Hin to Pranburi. Inexpensive and fun to play.

Sadly, the absence of flights from Phuket to Hua Hin has made the journey between resorts rather arduous. It is possible to take a bus from Phuket to Surat Thani and then take a train to Hua Hin, but it is faster, and probably easier, to simply take the bus all the way to Hua Hin. Expect a trip of about 10 hours and a fare of approximately 500 baht. Numerous buses bound for Bangkok leave the bus station in Phuket town in the late afternoon and will drop passengers in Hua Hin in the early morning hours.

Bangkok Airways no longer flies to Hua Hin from Phuket and Samui. Combination ferry/train tickets or ferry/bus tickets can be arranged with travel agents on Koh Samui. Most trips depart Koh Samui in the late afternoon and arrive in Hua Hin in the early hours of the morning. The train journeys all involve taking a ferry from Samui to Surat Thani, a bus to the Surat Train station and a train Hua Hin. Although this sounds complicated, it is actually very easy and you have the option of booking sleeping accommodations on the train. If you go by train, expect to pay from 500 to 1000 baht, depending upon the class of train service you choose. Most people travel by 2nd class sleeper, a decision that involves choosing a fan or air-conditioned car. The latter is vastly preferable, not because it is cooler, but because it is so much quieter. The fan cars invariably have the windows open and this brings in the noise of the train as it clatters along the tracks. You will have to get off at Hua Hin as the trains tourists use don’t stop at Pranburi or Cha-am. Travel by bus is less involved and less expensive, approximately 600 baht. Passengers board the buses on Koh Samui. The buses then drive onto the ferry, disembark on the mainland and proceed by highway to Pranburi, Hua Hin or Cha-am. The journey takes approximately 9 hours.

You can also look at www.kohtaotickets.com

Renting a Car
A large number of people choose to drive themselves to Hua Hin and its sister resorts in a rent-a-car. The journey from Bangkok is straight forward and the road easy to follow with the major road signs in both Thai and English. There are interesting stops along the way, including the Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak, the giant orange chedi at Nakorn Pathom and Petchaburi’s numerous ancient wats. The world’s major car rental companies have outlets at Bangkok International Airport and in Bangkok itself. Although generally a gentle people, when Thais get behind the wheel of a car they can be aggressive. Remember to drive defensively and to give way to any vehicle larger than yours. If you are involved in an accident, expect to be held accountable even though you are positive it wasn’t your fault. Also be sure you have an international license as your insurance will be deemed invalid without it.

By Foot
Foot power is frequently all that is needed for getting around the town of Hua Hin. It’s compact and the beach and many hotels, restaurants and tourist sites are located in the town itself. Cha-am and Pranburi are more spread out and some of the major resorts are located on isolated stretches of beach. Negotiating these areas is usually accomplished by tuk-tuk; motorbike taxis; samlor, three wheeled rickshaws; songthaew, pick-up trucks with benches in the back; and a few meter-less taxis best suited for trips to outlying areas. When using any of these conveyances, be sure to negotiate your fare before hopping on board. The adventurous and energetic often prefer to transport themselves

Hua Hin has lots of fun activities to offer apart from spending lazy days on the beach resting and recuperating, and visiting its attractions. Shopping is always a winner, and Hua Hin’s markets are the perfect places to shop for souvenirs and the beautifully-made crafts Thai people are so famous for. It also plays host to a number of big events throughout the year, like the Hua Hin Jazz Festival, water sport enthusiasts are spoiled with a wide variety of activities, and it’s also one of the few places in Thailand where you can go horse-riding on the beach.

Hua Hin Day and Night Markets
Virtually all of Thailand’s traditional handicrafts can be found in Hua Hin. There are also numerous opportunities to purchase art, artifacts, antiques, reasonably priced clothing, handbags, sunglasses, costume jewelry, beach gear, DVDs and even prescription glasses. Some of the best places to head to where you can found all of this (plus wonderful food and much, much more!) are the day and night markets, where bartering is the norm. Simply sport a big smile and maintain a friendly approach if you want to achieve the best prices.