Hua Hin
A seaside town the Thai court chose a century ago: a royal pavilion on the railway platform, a summer palace called Far from Worries, and five kilometres of beach on the Gulf.
- Arrival
- Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok · BKK
- To the town
- About 2½ to 3 hours from Bangkok by car
- Private jets
- Hua Hin airport, daylight hours
- Best time
- December to April
The city
The court's seaside.
Hua Hin owes its life to the Southern Railway, finished in 1911. The court followed the line south: a pavilion for the royal family went up at the station, the Railway Hotel received its first guests in 1922, the first royal golf course was laid out the same year, and in 1929 King Rama VII completed Klai Kangwon, his palace by the sea.
The Gulf side of the peninsula keeps its own calendar. December to April is dry and bright, the water at 27 to 30 °C; rain returns from May and peaks in October and November. The Hua Hin Jazz Festival is held from late May into June.
- Hua Hin Railway Station The town's first address, where the royal pavilion built for the court still stands on the platform.
- Khao Takiab A hill four kilometres from town, with temples on its slopes and a view back along the bay.
- Pa La-u Waterfall Eleven tiers of falls in Kaeng Krachan National Park, a half-day trip inland.
Arriving
Fly to Bangkok, or straight to the coast.
Hua Hin lies a little under 200 km south of Bangkok. Most visitors land at Suvarnabhumi and drive down the coast; a private jet can continue to the town's own airport, 7 km out.
- Bangkok 35 min
- Singapore 2 h 05
- Hong Kong 2 h 45
- Delhi 4 h 10
- Johannesburg 11 h 45 long-range jet
When to go
December to April.
Highs stay between 29 and 33 °C all year. Rainfall stays below 45 mm a month through the bright stretch from December to April. Showers return in May, and the heaviest rain falls in October and November.
- 29° J 14 27°
- 31° F 24 28°
- 32° M 30 29°
- 33° A 42 30°
- 33° M 124 30°
- 33° J 91 30°
- 32° J 108 29°
- 32° A 113 29°
- 32° S 139 29°
- 31° O 221 29°
- 30° N 176 28°
- 29° D 18 27°
Where to stay
Pool villas, a railway hotel and a wellness retreat.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- V Villas Hua Hin, MGallery Villas of one to three bedrooms, each with its own pool, and a presidential villa on the beachfront.
- Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin The old Railway Hotel, which took its first guests in 1922, its timber verandas now set in 13 hectares of gardens with 47 villas.
- Chiva-Som Hua Hin A health resort founded in 1995 on its founder's own stretch of beach, with treatments and classes built into every stay.
- Anantara Hua Hin Resort Bill Bensley laid out 171 rooms in low pavilions around lotus ponds, like an old Thai village.
- Devasom Hua Hin Only 24 rooms and villas, all facing the sea on a private beach north of town.
- Aleenta Hua Hin Pranburi Whitewashed rooms and villas on Pak Nam Pran Bay, each with a pool or plunge pool.
Elsewhere in Thailand
More reasons to come.
- Bangkok The Grand Palace, and hotels along the Chao Phraya.
- Phuket The largest island, and the gateway to the Andaman Sea.
- Koh Samui Coconut groves and beach villas on the Gulf.
- Krabi Limestone cliffs over the sea, and the islands beyond.
- Chiang Mai The old walled city of the north, and the hills around it.
Flying to Hua Hin?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.