Can I Find English Ale, In Hua Hin?

[kunash]

Probably a long shot, but seeing as there is a sizeable expat community, maybe somewhere sells western ales or beer. anywhere please?

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I don't live in the area, but in Pattaya, Friendship and Foodland stock Boddingtons, which is being imported by a distributor in Bangkok. It's also being sold at a few pubs in Bangkok on draft. I think you have a Villa Market there, so you can start looking there. Friendship charges Bt139 for a pint, and Foodland is about Bt170.

[kunash]

I don't live in the area, but in Pattaya, Friendship and Foodland stock Boddingtons, which is being imported by a distributor in Bangkok. It's also being sold at a few pubs in Bangkok on draft. I think you have a Villa Market there, so you can start looking there. Friendship charges Bt139 for a pint, and Foodland is about Bt170.

boddingtons sounds nice. i am currently in Surin - going to Hua hin on thursday - i have only managed to find an 'Erdinger' beer, which has a very nice head on it.

[johnnyk]

There are several English/Irish pubs in HH that serve UK ales. Not sure about supermarkets though.

[HHexile]

Never seen real ale in a bar in Hua Hin. Boddingtons doesn't qualify. But Villa Market sell Coopers Sparkling Ale from Australia which is an excellent bottle conditioned Ale, its hard to beat.

[hhfarang]

I've seen a few German beers but few English Ales. You might try O'Neills Irish Pub, El Murphy's (Irish pub and Mexican restaurant) or Buffalo Bills (English pub). One or all of those places may have one.

[kunash]

can i ask, is there a normal taxi service in hua hin - to get back to BKK on Monday

[thaicbr]

THere are buses and vans depending on where you want to go in BKK

[hhfarang]

Yes, besides the buses and vans mentioned you can also hire a private car type of Taxi if cost is not a concern. There are no normal "meter" taxis in Hua Hin. Local travel is by Tuk Tuk, baht bus, or "motosigh" taxi.

The vans I have used run from an area near the center of town and drop off in Bangkok near Victory Monument within walking distance of that BTS station. The buses take you to the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal which is not in a convenient location and will require a taxi from there to wherever you want to go in Bangkok. Both the vans and buses were under 200 baht (180 van, 160 bus) the last time I used them but that was a while ago so they may have gone up a little. If they are still the operating the same way they were, the vans leave about every 20 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (no night time service). I think the buses run at night but maybe not all night and I think there are long waits between runs late at night or early in the morning. Otherwise they are about every half hour.

[kunash]

thanks for replies. i am travelling from surin to BKK by coach, then will get a taxi from BKK to HH. when i return to BKK on the monday i will be going to the airport, and my girlfriend will be going to the caoch station to return to surin. we will have lots of luggage with us, and will need to get to our destinations on time. maybe the safest option would be to ask the taxi driver who takes us to HH, if he will come and pick us up on monday.

if that fails, does anyone have a link please to a private car hire taxi company in HH - where someone can drive us to BKK

[YorkshireTyke]

thanks for replies. i am travelling from surin to BKK by coach, then will get a taxi from BKK to HH. when i return to BKK on the monday i will be going to the airport, and my girlfriend will be going to the caoch station to return to surin. we will have lots of luggage with us, and will need to get to our destinations on time. maybe the safest option would be to ask the taxi driver who takes us to HH, if he will come and pick us up on monday.

if that fails, does anyone have a link please to a private car hire taxi company in HH - where someone can drive us to BKK

you or your gf ring Pu on 0859690194. Tell them Kevin sent you. They are based at smile g/h on Chomsin road. I use them all the time for aport runs, they are always at the airport with a board with my name and take me back from my hotel at 4 am in the morning. Never let me down and will be picking me up at aport on tuesday at 7.45 am. They charge 1800 Baht HH to aport.

[sam666]

Yes, besides the buses and vans mentioned you can also hire a private car type of Taxi if cost is not a concern. There are no normal "meter" taxis in Hua Hin. Local travel is by Tuk Tuk, baht bus, or "motosigh" taxi.

The vans I have used run from an area near the center of town and drop off in Bangkok near Victory Monument within walking distance of that BTS station. The buses take you to the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal which is not in a convenient location and will require a taxi from there to wherever you want to go in Bangkok. Both the vans and buses were under 200 baht (180 van, 160 bus) the last time I used them but that was a while ago so they may have gone up a little. If they are still the operating the same way they were, the vans leave about every 20 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (no night time service). I think the buses run at night but maybe not all night and I think there are long waits between runs late at night or early in the morning. Otherwise they are about every half hour.

Correct, the vans are still 180 and run up till 10pm I believe, every 30 minutes, but if you got a ton of luggage, doesn't be suprised if they charge you an extra seat. I've been to BKK and back twice in last 2 weeks by vans and their very reliable. And you can get a metre taxi or BTS to anywhere pretty quickly from Victory.

To get back to HH is a little tricky if you have never been before, you need to head out of the BTS towards the monument. And then once down the stairs go around the back to the left and head up the road, again towards monument direction and someone will throw you in a HH van. At the time I couldn't find the vans to HH and not even the security guard could understand one word of English, I had to phone my girlfriend and get someone to take me around the back to the vans.

Personally I'd say get a van though, it's only an extra hour and it's just so cheap and reliable.

Edited July 15, 2010 by sam666

[kunash]

thanks for the tips on travelling back to BKK.

i left Surin at 20.30 , arriving in BKK at 02.15. got a taxi to HH, arriving at the hilton about 05.00. i must say, the hilton is a really nice hotel, the room is superb, lovely breakfast area, and nice veranda - think we might relax out there tonight. to play it safe we arranged for the taxi driver to come and pick us up on monday - we took his phone number. hope he turns up lol. will be looking to hire a bike this morning - will try starfish bar - ( is it left or right from the hilton entrance?)

would also like to try and find some of the farang bars, for the beer, and also look for a shopping mall. are all the main bars/restaurants and shops concentrated in a few streets? anyway, so far so good - am loving the hotel

[kunash]

found mcDees and BK, and a bike for hire, and found Murphys bar - but they only sold Erdinger. had a nice steak there though. i didnt realise the hilton was so close to the massage bars. is that where all the girlie bars are located or are there more elsewhere. seemed to be mainly normal massage.

[sam666]

Hilton area is basically where all the girly bars are located and connected to the other soi's of smaller girly bars, but don't worry they don't bite like Bangkok and Pattaya. If you wanna go in for some Pool and just a few drinks, then you won't get much hassle and can have a good time in a lot of the bars. Soi Bintabaht is the biggest and my favourite personally, I also like the beer/cocktail garden just down from Hilton and passed Bintabaht called "Mai Thai" cocktail bar. it's very nice and you will find a lot of farangs in there of all ages, and if you like rum, try their muy thai cocktail, it's pretty heavy and real good price, foods nice too. Not sure what your into but you will find a disco (ac nightclub) and a few karoke bars that open inside but to the back on a side street in Mai Thi bar around 2ish when the bars close and their will be a lot of "up for it alcohol fueled thai girls" in there.

have a look here, - johnny walkers and o'neils might be more your thing.

Edited July 17, 2010 by LivinginKata
Link to another forum removed

[hhfarang]

also look for a shopping mall

The main shopping mall is called Market Village. It's on the main road headed south from the center of town but would be too far for most people to walk. Just tell any tuk tuk driver Market Village mall or stand on the side of the road and catch a baht bus and watch for the mall on the opposite (west) side of the street as the bus heads south.

[tricolor]

also look for a shopping mall

The main shopping mall is called Market Village. It's on the main road headed south from the center of town but would be too far for most people to walk. Just tell any tuk tuk driver Market Village mall or stand on the side of the road and catch a baht bus and watch for the mall on the opposite (west) side of the street as the bus heads south.

Takes about 30 minutes to walk from the Hilton.

[kunash]

went to mai thai last night for cocktails. was nice to sit there and watch the people walk by. drove around the 'bar' area for a bit, all quite tame really, and the girls seem quite old. looked at the kareoke bars next to mai thai but nothing open. there are lots of tailor shops, too many i think. there is an Indian shop in the hilton, we went in there, and the guy there looked so miserable.

went for a sea food meal on the pier, which was ok. seemed we picked the wrong pier as there was one pier that was abolutely heaving with people ( maybe all locals?? - or just has a very very good reputation ).

also tried a burger king yesterday ( i havent had a burger in months and just fancied one ) - i love BK in the UK, but this did not taste as good, so left most of it.

today we will get a tuk tuk to the shopping mall. the weather here is very pleasant, much cooler than surin. cheers.

[sam666]

Maybe I saw you in there, it was indeed a nice cool night last night, karoke bars and disco don't open till atleast 2. And the fuc_king police shut everywhere at 4am last night because of some important person visiting HH, a lot of the girls are "old" - early 20s isn't really that old but it is in terms of other girly bars. You never seem to see any girls under 20 at all around there but that's fine for me I don't like em that young personally.

[kunash]

i guess things must liven up at 2am. when i say old i mean like, hmmm 30 or 40 lol. looking in the massage bars these werent no spring chickens smiling at me.

my time now in Hua Hin is at an end. i have enjoyed my stay here. the hilton is an excellent hotel. I loved the market village. i was suprised at the size of it. western prices thouugh. we are going to have a quick look at it again in a minute. - will look around tesco. also the climate is milder than surin which i like. so thumbs up for Hua Hin

[hhfarang]

Happy you enjoyed your visit. Next time come and stay longer!

[sam666]

i guess things must liven up at 2am. when i say old i mean like, hmmm 30 or 40 lol. looking in the massage bars these werent no spring chickens smiling at me.

my time now in Hua Hin is at an end. i have enjoyed my stay here. the hilton is an excellent hotel. I loved the market village. i was suprised at the size of it. western prices thouugh. we are going to have a quick look at it again in a minute. - will look around tesco. also the climate is milder than surin which i like. so thumbs up for Hua Hin

Indeed market village is very western prices, but has a nice tesco and gym and some phone stuff etc, I hope you checked out the night market at the clock tower. In my opinion it's the best thing in Hua Hin for shopping / food. Prices are cheap and can be haggled and the restaurents / market stalls for food are all very nice and cheap.