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[qpgwmh]

We're looking for a few days away from Bangkok where we're living at the moment. Been to Pattaya so we'll be off to one of the three places above. We're keen to get any suggestions as to where is nice. We're a couple in our 20's and we'd like a nice beach and enough day and night life to keep us busy while we're there. We're on a budget so somewhere where we can get a reasonable GH for under 500bht a night would be best.

Is it possible/realistic to stay in either HH or CA and commute from one place to the other each day?

And, a bit of a long shot, but does anybody know if there is somewhere we can rent a tent and pitch it overnight on a beach in one of these places?

Thanks!

[LiHoLang]

This one is a bit over but hope can help you

http://www.baanhuahinresort.com/

[PeaceBlondie]

In downtown Hua Hin on the beach, there are several "jetty" guesthouses just south of the main pier, in that price range. My friends stayed at the last one going toward the pier, Karoon, which was adequate and well run. They were there over New Year's and paid 500 baht, but you'd probably need air.con. when you come. Prices away from downtown beaches might be cheaper, closer to Petkasem road away from the beach. Guesthouses in that price range don't have big advertising budgets.

Good luck.

[taxexile]

phetburi is a fascinating unspoilt historical thai town , best visited as a day trip. there are literally dozens of temples in the picturesque town , an old royal city on the hill just outside town and a spectacularly beautiful cave temple very close to the town.

little to do there other than that , restaurants , night life and hotels in short supply

you could probably see all the sights there at a leisurely pace over a couple of days.

hua hin would be the place to base yourselves , there is a good atmosphere around the small town at night , cha am is about 20 miles up the coast with a good beach , phetburi another 20 or so miles north of cha am.

travel up and down the coast either by local songthaews , or the slow trains

[justwilliam]

We live in Phetchaburi, and are frequent visitors to Cha-am and Hua Hin, and would generally agree with Taxexile's comments. Phetchaburi is indeed an ancient and attractive town, and well worth visiting.

It does actually have its share of night life, but directed exclusively at the local Thai population, and possibly not to your taste (there are only a handful of farangs living permanently here). The night life is also hard to find, being spread around the perimeter of the town rather than in the centre -- you would need a car or motorcycle.

There are several hotels here in your price range, but they cannot be recommended, being mostly old converted shophouses aimed at Thai commercial travellers, and distant from the night life (although convenient for the temples).

Cha-am is a predominantly Thai family resort, but has a growing number of hotels and guest houses to the north of the town catering for budget travellers, predominantly from Europe. We find it to be charming, but apart from a few bars, night life is thin on the ground.

I would echo Taxexile, and advise you to stay in Hua Hin. There is plenty of activiity during the day, and a good night life. There are a number of guest houses in or near your price range, and after Songkran you should have little difficulty finding accommodation in one of them.

If you would like some suggestions, you may PM me.